The Ultimate Guide to Herb & Spice Substitutions

Out of Herbs or Spices? No Problem

You can't always have all the spices and herbs you need for deliciously healthy cooking to hand. For those moments when you need a pinch of paprika and find the jar empty, we have just what you need: a list of herb and spice substitutions you can make, as well as how to substitute dried herbs for fresh, different herb and spice swaps that you can make, and how to put together your own spice mixes.

Healthy Herb Substitutions

Thyme

Thyme is one of the oldest culinary herbs. It is a fragrant herb commonly used in French and Mediterranean cooking. Thyme has sweet and savory notes, making it suitable for savory dishes and baked desserts. You can substitute similar Mediterranean herbs like rosemary, marjoram, or oregano for thyme. Spice blends such as Italian mix, Provencal herbs, za’atar, or poultry seasoning will also work well as alternatives for thyme.

Basil

The quintessential Italian herb, sweet basil (or Italian basil or Genovese basil), is a popular soft-leaf herb used to make pesto sauces and as a garnish in Italian pasta dishes. Suitable basil alternatives for Italian dishes are marjoram, oregano, or parsley. In other dishes, you could substitute with mint, parsley, or cilantro.

There is a significant difference between sweet basil and Thai basil. Thai basil has sturdier leaves that withstand longer cooking times. The aroma of Thai basil is spicier with strong licorice notes. For Southeast Asian recipes that call for basil, you can substitute with sweet basil, but also add some mint or fennel to increase the depth of flavor.

Chives

Chives are part of the allium (onion) family and have a subtle onion-like flavor. Scallions (green onions) are the best substitute for chives. You can also use finely chopped onion, shallots, or leeks as alternatives. Of the onion family members, chives have the mildest flavor, so use less of the alternatives when swapping out for chives. Dried garlic flakes or onion powder will also work as a flavor alternative to fresh or dried chives.

Cilantro

Cilantro is the leaf portion of the coriander plant. It has a very distinctive and unique flavor profile. It is a common garnish in Mexican and South American dishes, as well as Chinese, Thai, and South Asian recipes. Alternatives to cilantro include Thai basil, parsley, or dill. In a pinch, you could even use a few drops of lemon or orange juice to mimic the citrussy flavor of fresh cilantro.

Rosemary

Another one of the ancient herbs, rosemary is the quintessential herb for flavoring your Sunday roast. This woody-stemmed green herb has a fragrant, pine-like flavor. Thyme is slightly milder than rosemary but works well as a substitute. To mimic the pine-like flavor, sage is a suitable alternative. However, sage is very pungent, so use it sparingly. Fresh or dried marjoram or savory will also serve as rosemary replacements.

Parsley

Native to the central and eastern Mediterranean, parsley has been cultivated for thousands of years. This leafy green herb is widely used in American, European, and Middle Eastern cuisine. The two types of parsley, flat leaf and curly, both add a fresh, herbaceous flavor to many types of dishes. When called for as a garnish, carrot greens, celery leaves, and cilantro are suitable parsley substitutes. Chervil is an excellent parsley alternative as it is very similar to parsley, just slightly milder in flavor. In cooking, you can use tarragon, oregano, celery greens, or endive if you're out of parsley.

Oregano

Oregano is a staple in Italian cooking. A member of the mint family, oregano has flavors of mint and lemon. You can use other Mediterranean herbs such as basil, marjoram, or thyme instead of oregano. Alternatively, you may also use a Provencal or Italian seasoning.

Tarragon

Tarragon is most often associated with French cooking. It has a bittersweet flavor with a prominent note of licorice. Chervil, parsley, or curly endive will serve as suitable substitutes for tarragon. Otherwise, if it is specifically the licorice flavor you are after, you could also swap out tarragon for a small amount of aniseed or fennel seeds.

Fresh vs. Dried Herbs

Out of thyme, with no time to pop to the grocer for fresh herbs? You can always use dried herbs instead. However, due to the absence of water in dried herbs, their flavor is much stronger than fresh herbs. When substituting dried for fresh, you can use smaller amounts of dried herbs. The ideal ratio is about 1:3. In other words, if the recipe calls for three teaspoons of fresh thyme, use only one teaspoon of dried thyme.

Spice Swap: Which Spice Substitutes to Use

Cinnamon

For sweet baked desserts like apple crumble, you can use allspice, or pumpkin spice if you are out of cinnamon. In savory cooking, swap the cinnamon for a bit of nutmeg or allspice. Just use a bit less than what the recipe calls for as cinnamon is a milder flavor.

Cloves

Cloves have a distinctive aniseed flavor so you could substitute ground cloves for fennel seeds, or aniseed. In baked goods, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg are good alternatives for ground cloves.

Coriander

Coriander seeds or ground coriander have a very different flavor than the fresh leaves from the same plant. You can replace the savory, earthy notes of ground coriander with cumin or ground caraway seeds.

Cumin

If you are whipping up a curry and find yourself all out of cumin, you can use ground coriander or caraway seeds instead.

Ginger

You can’t bake gingerbread biscuits without ginger, but in savory dishes, you could use mace, nutmeg, allspice, or cinnamon as an alternative. For desserts and baked goods, cinnamon and allspice will suffice as ginger substitutes.

Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds have a distinctively warm, nutty, licorice flavor. You can use aniseed, licorice root, or caraway seeds as an alternative. Just take care to use a bit less of these spices as their flavor is more pungent.

Paprika

Paprika is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers. Spice mixes such as ancho chili powder or guajillo powder that contain dried peppers will work well as alternatives for paprika. You could also use dried cayenne pepper, chili flakes, or chili powder. These are usually hotter than paprika, so if you are after the spice without the scorch, use slightly less than the recipe calls for.

Saffron

Saffron has an incredibly unique flavor that is difficult to replicate with other spices. However, if you do want to imitate the signature yellow hue of saffron, you can use turmeric or annatto powder.

Vanilla

No vanilla in the pantry? Don’t worry about making a last-minute dash to the grocery store in the middle of baking a batch of cookies. You can find vanilla substitutions in your kitchen with using ingredients you most likely have in your on hand. For example, maple syrup has a similar sweet and mellow flavor to vanilla extract. (Replace the vanilla in your recipe with the same quantity of maple syrup.) Spirits like brandy, bourbon, or rum can also create a similar flavor profile to vanilla in baked and cooked goods, and almond extract can provide a similar taste profile to vanilla. (It's much stronger in flavor so use about half the amount of almond essence.)

Low Sodium Solutions: Healthy Salt Swaps

The quickest way to lower your sodium intake is to cut down on convenient processed foods. When cooking at home, there are a few swaps that you can make to decrease the amount of salt that you use in the meals you prepare.

With some foods, a squeeze of lemon juice can have the same effect as a pinch of salt.
Skip the salt and use spices like chili or cayenne pepper to add flavor to your dish.
Garlic and onion can also lend a savory note to your cooking when you want to cut down on the salt.

Herb and Spice Mixes

What are the 11 herbs and spices used in Colonel Sander's secret recipe? The verdict is still out on what exactly makes up this famous fried chicken seasoning. However, we can help you make some clever substitutions when you’re all out of barbecue spice or poultry seasoning.

Poultry Seasoning
Poultry seasoning combines herbs and subtle spices to add a delicious earthiness and zing to your poultry dishes. To make your own poultry seasoning combine the following list of herbs and spices:

Two teaspoons of dried sage
One and a half teaspoons of dried thyme
One teaspoon of dried marjoram
Half a teaspoon of dried rosemary
Half a teaspoon of black pepper

Italian Seasoning
An Italian seasoning has an earthy, savory, and subtly sweet flavor profile attributable to a combination of the quintessential Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano). You can be quite free when creating your own ad hoc Italian seasoning. If you combine any number of these herbs you will likely have something perfect for use in pasta sauces and other Mediterranean-inspired dishes.

BBQ Spice Rub
A BBQ spice mix is a versatile flavoring for pork, chicken, or beef dishes. BBQ spice mixes vary, but the basic characteristic of this versatile spice mix is a salty, sweet, and spicy flavor. Be as creative as you like when making your own. Here's a guideline to get you started. Just combine the following ingredients and place them in a well-sealed jar for when you need a delicious BBQ spice.

Half a cup of brown sugar
Three tablespoons of paprika
One tablespoon of kosher salt
One tablespoon of ground black pepper
One tablespoon of garlic powder
One tablespoon of onion powder
One teaspoon of mustard
Half a teaspoon of chili powder

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