Here's my easy recipe for authentic homemade garam masala. Take 15 minutes to make a jar of this aromatic Indian spice mix and you will never go back to the store-bought version!
Table of Contents
What is garam masala?
Garam masala (garam = hot, masala = spice) is the most popular of all Indian spice blends. It is made by combining nearly a dozen aromatic spices that are carefully balanced for spice, taste and fragrance, and it is used to add savory, rich flavor to dishes like rajma, spicy urad dal and masala khichdi.
There are dozens of Indian spice blends and many are tailored to specific dishes, like chana masala powder used to make chana masala or sambar powder used to make south Indian sambar. Unlike these, garam masala is an all-purpose mix and can be used across a broad spectrum of dishes, particularly north Indian dishes.
I have been making my own garam masala for years now with whole spices and I will never go back to buying store-bought because this homemade blend just tastes so much better. I add it to curries, dals and sabzis and even to non-traditional recipes like my quinoa bean burger to enhance its smoky flavor.
A great homemade garam masala requires the perfect balance of warming spices like cinnamon, black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns, and cooling spices like fennel, green cardamom and coriander seeds. If you follow the proportions in my recipe you won't mess up. I've mixed and matched and tested these ingredients dozens of times over the years, making tweaks until I arrived at the perfect combination.
My best tip for you is to toast the spices very lightly before you blend them. The spices should be very aromatic and turn just a shade or two darker before you take them off the stove. Think sun-kissed, because that's how Indian cooks toast garam masala spices in the Indian summer: they lay them out in the sun for a day. This technique will reward you with garam masala that's loaded with flavor and aroma from the essential oils in the spices - better than anything you buy at the store!
Ingredients
Recipe card
Garam Masala Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 inch-long pieces cinnamon (dalchini)
- 5-6 dry bay leaves (tej patta)
- 1 tablespoon green cardamom pods (hari elaichi)
- 4 black cardamom pods (kaali elaichi, badi elaichi)
- 8-10 dry red chili peppers (laal mirch. Use Kashmiri chili peppers or any mild to moderately hot chili pepper)
- ½ whole nutmeg
- ¼ cup coriander seeds (dhania ke beej)
- 2 tablespoons cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns (kali mirch)
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf. Use 2 star anise as a substitute)
- 1 tablespoon cloves (laung)
Instructions
- Place large dry spices in skillet - cinnamon, bay leaves, green cardamom pods, black cardamom pods, dried red chili peppers and nutmeg.
- Roast until aromatic, which should take 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat. Add all of the remaining spices - coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves and fennel seeds. Toast the spices until they are fragrant, another 3-4 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Remove all the spices to a plate or bowl to cool down. Once cool, blend the spices into a fine powder.
Nutrition Information
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Recipe FAQs
Many whole spices used in this recipe can be found on supermarket shelves. You can also source them at the Indian grocery store, which likely will have better prices, and online.
The "garam" or "hot" in garam masala doesn't refer to how hot the spices are; they refer to the fact that this is a spice blend intended to warm the body. If you are worried the recipe will be too spicy, reduce the number of red chili peppers.
Store garam masala in an airtight jar in a cool cupboard in your kitchen or pantry. It will remain fresh for up to a year. If you have room in the refrigerator keep it there and it will last even longer.
Store bought curry powder recipes are very similar to garam masala and can, in many cases, be used instead of garam masala. Try this recipe if you're looking for an authentic curry powder recipe; it won't work as a swap for garam masala but if you are a true foodie it will demonstrate to you the intricacies of Indian cuisine.
Garam masala can be used to add an Indian flavor note to nearly any Indian or fusion recipe. Its traditional use is to spice up north Indian style curries like vegan butter chicken, vegan malai kofta and tofu curry. You can also add it to Indian dishes like whole masoor dal, chana masala and aloo paratha.
You can also refer to my handy collection of 20 recipes to make with garam masala.
More Indian spice mixes
Posted on March 6, 2021. Updated and re-published on Feb. 17, 2025.
Sonia T says
what kind of tool do you recommend for blending all the spices together? Do you use an electric spice grinder? thanks!
Vaishali Honawar says
Yes a coffee or spice grinder. For larger quantities I use the dry blending jar of my vitamix
Chris says
Sorry, just to be clear… I grind the cardamom husks along with the seeds, is that right? I’m a bit confused because other authors (e.g. Charmaine Solomon) instruct to grind only the seeds, not the husks in her Garam Masala version. Is it just a matter of personal preference or convenience?
Thanks so much,
Chris
Vaishali says
Yes, just grind the husks with the seeds. The husks have good flavor too and they add some texture to the masala.
Chris says
Hi Vaishali, am I supposed to remove the seeds from the cardamom pods before grinding?
Thanks so much,
Chris
Vaishali says
Hi Chris, the cardamom seeds have all the flavor so definitely keep them!
Anita says
This is such an amazing spice mix. I have been making it for nearly a year now and as soon as it begins to run out I mix up another batch. Easy and so satisfying.
Vaishali says
So happy to hear, Anita. It's a staple in our house too.
NotBuyingIt! says
I really appreciate articles like this! Thank you 🙂
Rachel says
I made a trip to the Indian market yesterday to pick up these ingredients, I already had some of them, and made this last night. The kitchen smelled wonderful, and I plan to use it in your vegetable curry tonight. What a find.
Vaishali says
So happy you tried it! ❤️