What to Use When You Don't Have White Pepper

If you cook, you use salt and pepper on a daily basis — properly seasoned food is of the utmost importance to a flavorful result. Likely, this means basic seasoning has always been black and white. Throw white pepper into the mix and suddenly it's all gray.

What is this spice that sounds like a contradiction? And what do we do when we only stock standard pepper and the ingredients list calls for white?

What Does White Pepper Taste Like and How is it Used?

White pepper is unsurprisingly ground from white peppercorns and is a little less "hot" than its black counterpart, packing a more subtle punch. It's used in white and other light-colored sauces and dishes, aiming to play the same role as black pepper without the noticeable dark specks floating around.

French and Chinese cuisines use white pepper often (in fact, it's more common than black pepper in Chinese cooking), particularly in marinades for meat or in a sauce or soup (hot and sour soup, for example, has never had visible pepper). Cheese fondue uses white pepper, since little black bits in the melted cheese dip might be off-putting or look like something else. The same rings true for a bechamel or vichyssoise.

In a nutshell, white pepper gives you the flavor without the heat or color of black.

Best White Pepper Substitutes

The fact is, most people don't keep white pepper in their home kitchen. So, what to do when the recipe asks for it? Reach for one of these:

White Peppercorns

If you happen to have white peppercorns, it's the same deal as grinding black peppercorns to get pepper. Use a mill to grind the peppercorns to get the white pepper you need for sauces or chili. One teaspoon of the peppercorns will yield about 1 ½ teaspoon ground of white pepper.

Get the recipe: White Wine and Garlic Dream Cream

Black Pepper or Peppercorns

When white pepper pops up on an ingredient list, I usually chuck in the standard black pepper I have around. No one at my table will wince at the appearance of black specks in their alfredo sauce or dotted throughout the bechamel in their spinach lasagna. And though black pepper is a bit stronger, we never mind, or even notice, since the amount of pepper called for is usually very small.

If the dish you're making relies heavily on the flavor of white pepper, that won't be the case. Fondue particularly gets its distinct savory-ness from white pepper, so if you're going through the trouble of making it, don't skimp.

Pink Peppercorns

Pink peppercorns don't actually come from the pepper plant like black, white, and green do. Instead, they are the dried berry from a certain kind of rose, but they have a similar flavor and spice to white peppercorns. Try these in equal amounts in a recipe for fish or scallops, or anything featuring wine or vinegar, as they mingle well.

Ground Mustard

This might be a little odd, but mustard (when ground) has quite a mild taste. It's lighter in color as well, but be warned, it'll likely turn the dish a bit yellow. The mild spice of ground mustard is excellent with buttery or cheesy dishes, as well as beef and pork recipes. Just start out with a pinch.

Turmeric

Turmeric is mild in flavor and has incredible nutritional value, particularly in the realm of anti-inflammatory properties. If the ingredients in your dish would pair well with its unique, powerful, and slightly bitter flavor, like in this butternut squash soup, start with just a pinch (be mindful of turmeric's vibrant color) and go from there.

Related:

• What Is Himalayan Salt?
• What Is a Pink Peppercorn and How Do I Cook With It?
• How Do I Know Which Type of Pepper to Use When?