How To Cook With Turmeric: 15 Recipes That Brilliantly Illustrate How To Cook With Turmeric

It is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-bacterial...

By now you've probably heard the hype about turmeric. This ancient Indian spice is touted as a healing agent for a variety of ailments. Curcumin, its active ingredient, is responsible for its gorgeous golden hue and myriad of health benefits.

While turmeric is essential in many Indian dishes, it can be used in virtually any recipe – from your morning eggs to your favourite stew and even dessert.

We'll help you explore the many ways you can cook with turmeric, so you can reap the benefits of this wonderful spice.

How To Cook with Turmeric: 15 Ways to Use This Healing Spice

These Punjabi samosas are savoury pastries that conceal pockets of spicy potatoes. Cooking the potatoes with turmeric adds flavour and a lovely colour to the filling.

Here is the tasty recipe.

Take a cue from Italian chef Ernesto Iaccarino and roll dainty horseradish croquettes in a mixture of breadcrumbs, turmeric and eggs.

Make this stunning appetiser following this fun recipe.

Main Dishes with Turmeric

Your tastebuds will thank you for making chicken korma from scratch. This fragrant yogurt-based stew is flavoured with cardamom, cloves, allspice, turmeric, almonds and tomato sauce.

Here's the full recipe.

Straight from the kitchen of acclaimed Indian chef Gaggan Anand, here is the exclusive recipe for a crabmeat curry laced with turmeric, tamarind, curry leaves and coconut milk.

Another dashing seafood recipe infused with turmeric is this fish curry from chef Atul Kochhar. His delicate coconut sauce begins with sauteed onions, garlic and curry leaves, which give off a tantalising flavour.

Learn how to make it now.

How to Cook Vegetarian Main Dishes With Turmeric

Lentils are treasured in India, where they are prepared in hundreds of ways. This vegetarian recipe for Indian dal is packed with fibre and spices like turmeric, mustard seeds and asafoetida.

This classic Indian dish of sauteed cauliflower and peas is a breeze to make. The spice mix that makes it all come together? Turmeric, cumin seeds, chillies and coriander.

A teaspoon of turmeric is a great way to add a hint of colour to vegetarian fried rice. Toss it with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, green beans and sesame seeds for extra oomph.

Here's the super easy recipe.

Baking with Turmeric

These flax seed vegan apple and pear muffins get an extra dose of goodness from turmeric. In this case, the golden spice is added to the coconut icing for a pretty pop of colour.

Get the full recipe here.

When nothing but a rich and creamy dessert will do, reach for this eggless custard. It's a great way to sneak in your daily dose of turmeric.

Here's the simple dessert recipe.

The secret to a beautiful golden crust on these vegan bagels? A dash of turmeric combined with a bit of agave nectar and a sprinkle of poppy seeds.

Find the recipe right this way.

Vegan Recipes with Turmeric

Adding just a half teaspoon of turmeric will do wonders for your scrambled eggs. If you happen to be vegan you can do the same with a tofu scramble.

This delectable recipe calls for turmeric, along with chilies, onion, garlic, zucchini and tomatoes. Serve it for breakfast, brunch or even dinner.

Whenever a craving for something crunchy comes up whip up a batch of these vegan couscous cakes.

They are similar to Italian arancini, but are flavoured with turmeric, cumin seeds and tahini, then served with a refreshing cucumber sprout salad.

Find the recipe here.

This recipe shows you how easy it is to whip up vegan mayo from scratch while adding flavour and colour with turmeric, mustard, lemon juice and soy milk.

Still hungry? Learn how to use fresh turmeric root.