Garam Masala Recipe (2024)

If you’re anything like us, we are always running out of garam masala, it’s one of those spice blends that is used in so many Indian dishes. We started making our own garam masala recipe, and have never looked back, the freshness you get from this recipe makes garam masala well worth making.

Why you’ll love this easy recipe

• You can make this spice mix in as little as 5 minutes.

• You can batch make, meaning it becomes very cost-effective.

• You can make your blend the way you like it.

• It’s 100% vegetarian and vegan.

What is garam masala?

You’ll find garam masala in many different Indian dishes, it’s a popular spice blend and it’s used in all kinds of Indian food, curry dishes, dahl, soups, raitas, you’ll find it everywhere.

Many Ayurveda practitioners in Indian believe that the warming spices have medicinal benefits, such as stimulating the metabolism and lifting the soul, we don’t personally know if that is true or not, but it is widely believed.

Once you see how easy it is to make your own garam masala spice blend, you’ll never buy premixed store-bought again, it’s so easy and tastes so good.

What is it made of?

In Indian dishes, there are typically no ‘set in stone’ recipes, families pass down recipes through the generations and many variations exist depending on the region of the country.

The same is true here and there is no single garam masala recipe.

In our recipe, we’ve used cumin, cardamon, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, black pepper, and cloves.

We’ve opted for the quick and easy recipe and use all fine powder, ground spices, but if you want a flavorful garam masala, then you can use whole spices, seeds, and pods and toast them to release a fresh aromatic flavor and then grind them in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or coffee grinder.

Is garam masala spicy?

No, garam masala is not spicy, it’s full of warming spices, and brings warmth to the dish but it’s not spicy.

What’s the difference between garam masala and curry powder?

Curry powder is a British invention, in Indian cuisine, you don’t use curry powder, there’s no such thing, you use an assortment of different spices.

But let’s look at the difference between the two.

Garam masala is a strong flavor that is used in Indian cooking to bring out flavors during and towards the end of cooking the dish, it also adds a brown flavor.

Curry powder is a milder and sweeter spice blend that’s used to add to the flavor while you are cooking and it adds a yellow color to the food.

Can you add garam masala and curry powder to the same dish?

Yes, you can.

As garam masala and curry powder are different spice mixes they can be added to the same dish.

What recipes do you use garam masala in?

Garam masala is used in all kinds of different foods.

We’ve used it in our aloo palak, dum aloo, vegetable bhuna, and vegetable korma.

But we’ve also used it in our parsnip soup, chickpea burger, and chickpea and aubergine curry.

Why not try this Kenyan Githeri Masala recipe?

How do I store it?

Once you have made your garam masala spice blend, then store it in an airtight container, preferably in a dry, dark area.

Recipe notes and expert tips

• Experiment with flavors
  If you don’t have all the spices try adding other spices, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, ginger, turmeric, or star anise, get the spice mix right for your palate.
• Toast your own spices
  Dry toast your whole spices in a skillet over medium heat, until they become fragrant, remove them from the heat, and grind them to a fine powder.

More easy Indian recipes for you to try

If you like cooking with Indian spice blends then you should take a look at these fantastic Indian recipes; Aloo gobi, Saag aloo, aloo jeera, tarka dahl, and vegetable vindaloo.

How to make garam masala with step-by-step instructions

Making garam masala is easy if you follow our simple instructions.

A full printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

In a mixing bowl, add ground cumin seeds, ground green cardamom, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground coriander seeds, ground black peppercorns, and ground cloves.

Stir the ground spices to combine and then place the garam masala in an airtight container.

You now have your own garam masala to use whenever you need it.

We hope you enjoy making and using our garam masala recipe and would love to hear how you got on with making it.

Please leave a comment below or feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Learn how to make garam masala with step-by-step photos

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