Try Turmeric As A Mustard Substitute For More Aromatic Dishes

There is nothing like a little bit of mustard to elevate a savory dish. It brings a zingy spice and a tangy acidity to recipes that might otherwise be bland or lacking in brightness, adding more dimension to a meal and wowing your palate. However, there might be times when incorporating mustard into a recipe isn't an option. For example, you may be serving a guest with a mustard allergy, you may have run out of the ingredient, or you may simply wish to try something new. In these cases, we recommend substituting mustard with turmeric for an equally flavorful and even more aromatic outcome.

Turmeric is one of the best ingredient swaps for mustard. Although mustard seeds come from a flower and turmeric comes from a root, the two share similar tasting notes. Mustard is spicy, tangy, warming, earthy, and even a bit sweet. Turmeric offers almost all of these same flavors, albeit at different intensities, making it an excellent way to give a recipe that signature punch. Turmeric is also bright orange-yellow and readily imparts this color to dishes, so if you are relying on mustard for some aesthetic appeal, turmeric will have a similar effect. As an added bonus, cooked turmeric has a much stronger aroma than mustard, so it will infuse your meal with mouthwatering scents.

To swap turmeric in for mustard, all you need to do is add it in a one-to-one substitution. You may, however, need to account for certain subtle differences in the flavors of these two ingredients in order to get ideal results. While mustard and turmeric are both spicy, the nature of turmeric's spice is milder and can be considered more of a bitter bite versus a true piquant heat. Depending on how you feel about this nuance, you can add more or less of the substitute. Turmeric also lacks the tanginess and moisture of mustard, but you can make up for this in most situations by adding a splash of vinegar to compensate.

While this substitution may not work in every recipe, there are quite a few where it passes the test. When using mustard as a seasoning to simply add a pop of bright flavor, turmeric can reliably serve the same purpose. Try it out in these dijon-infused chicken burgers. It is also a great alternative when a recipe calls specifically for mustard powder, like in this prime rib dry rub.