11 Genius Ways to Use Cardamom

Cardamom plays well with everything from lamb to chocolate. If you’re new to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking, cardamom might feel mysterious. Read on for our favorite ways to use up the jar of cardamom in your spice rack!

Cardamom is one of the most ancient, most beloved spices in the world, and once you understand how to use it, it becomes one of the most used in your spice drawer.

If you’ve only had cardamom in sweet baked goods or chai, you’re missing out on this spice’s extraordinary range. It can be floral and citrusy or warm and almost smoky. Here are the ways I use cardamom every day  that will change the way you think about this beautiful spice

People The World Over Love Cardamom

One of the things I love most about cardamom is how it bridges cultures—you’ll find it in kitchens all over the world, each tradition using it in its own distinct way. 

In India, cardamom is the essential spice in chai masala, and the whole pods perfume both savory biryanis and sweet gulab jamun. Scandinavians have their own love affair with the spice, a tradition carried North by Vikings who traded along ancient trade routes. It’s the key flavor in sweet twisted cardamom buns and Christmas breads. Ethiopians grind it into their complex berbere spice blend and brew it in their ceremonial coffee. 

In the Mediterranean and the Middle East, we use it in everything! From savory spice blends such as in ras el hanout and baharat, and perfuming sweets like halva and Turkish delight. It’s fascinating how the same spice can taste like home to so many different people across the globe, and how each culture has found its own perfect way to make cardamom sing.

Pods vs. Ground

Like cumin, cinnamon, and clove, you’ll find cardamom most often sold in two ways, and here’s why I think it’s worth having both in your kitchen. 

• Whole green cardamom pods are what to use when you want a gentle, perfumed background note. They are a great way to give a dish a whisper of that iconic flavor. Crush them lightly with the bottom of a jar and add them to your dish. Remember to pluck out the whole pod before serving! Keep the pods in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, and they’ll stay fragrant for months. 
• Ground cardamom is made from the tiny black seeds inside the papery pods. I find it more intense and direct, and it is what you want when cardamom is meant to be front and center. Because the seeds are small and quite hard, they can be tough to grind on your own. I always keep good-quality ground cardamom on hand (and finish a jar in about 6 months for the strongest aroma) because it’s the easiest for everyday cooking.

How to Use Cardamom in Everyday Cooking

1. Add it to coffee or tea: Add 2 to 3 lightly crushed whole green pods (or a pinch of ground cardamom) to your coffee grounds or tea leaves before brewing. This is how coffee is served throughout the Middle East, and once you try it, you’ll understand why people have been doing it this way for centuries.

2. Upgrade your rice: Add 3 to 4 whole lightly-crushed cardamom pods to the cooking water the next time you make basmati rice. Just remember to fish them out or warn your guests; biting into a whole pod is not fun. 

3. Stir it into your morning oats: Add a pinch of ground cardamom to your oatmeal or overnight oats. That tiny hit of warmth makes everything feel special, like something you’d get at an elegant café.

4. Make sweet cardamom syrup: Make a simple cardamom syrup by simmering 1 cup each sugar and water with 5 or 6 crushed cardamom pods or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom until the sugar dissolves. Let it steep until cool, strain it, and keep it in the fridge. It’s wonderful as a base for a pomegranate mocktail, and it’s equally delicious in an iced coffee or a pink lemonade with a splash of rose water. 

5. Make a cardamom whipped cream or labneh: Stir a pinch of ground cardamom into whipped cream, labneh, or Greek yogurt along with a drizzle of honey. Serve it alongside baklava, fresh fruit, or warm baked apples. It’s an effortless finishing touch that always surprises people. 

6. Add it to a salad dressing: A tiny pinch of ground cardamom stirred into honey-lemon vinaigrette makes a citrus dressing with a mysterious floral warmth that is hard to put your finger on but delicious. Try it drizzled on roasted carrots!

7. Make fruit compotes: Cardamom has a natural affinity for fruit. Simmer sliced pears, apricots, figs, or peaches with a splash of water, a drizzle of honey, and a pinch of cardamom until slightly thickened for a simple compote that’s perfect over Greek yogurt. 

8. Add it to a spice blend: Cardamom is a key player in many spice blends I can’t live without. It’s essential in baharat, the warm blend I use on everything from roasted vegetables to grilled meats. It also shows up in ras el hanout, garam masala, and Ethiopian berbere. I frequently use it alongside cumin, and I recommend adding a bit to any combination of spices for any savory recipe. 

10. Try it with braised meats: Cardamom’s warm, aromatic quality makes it perfect for slow-cooked dishes. The spice mellows as it cooks, releasing its perfume into the sauce. It works especially well with other warm spices like cumin and coriander. Try adding a few pods to your next pot of chicken and rice or slow-cooked short ribs. 

9. Swap it for cinnamon in baked goods: Cardamom pairs beautifully with chocolate, nuts, citrus, and honey, so it’s a natural addition to any baking recipe. You can often use it 1:1 in cookies, cakes, or sweet breads where a recipe calls for ground cinnamon or nutmeg. Try it in pistachio-studded biscotti or fold it into banana bread for an unexpected twist. For an easy dessert, try Rice pudding scented with cardamom and sprinkled with pistachios. 

11. Add it to granola: Jazz up this make-ahead breakfast staple by adding some ground cardamom. It’s particularly good paired with ground ginger and dried fruit!