Accurately convert any fresh herb into its dried equivalent for perfect flavour.
| HERB | FRESH | DRIED | RATIO |
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Fresh basil is aromatic and differentiates between the differences between fresh and dried basil forms. Dried basil with a more concentrated basil. Its actually acap to tomato sauce form in the equivalent.
You know the feeling. A recipe calls for a big handful of basil but you only have the jar. This converter takes the guesswork out so you can still serve food that tastes balanced and bright. Type in what you have and you get a clear, tested amount of what you need.
Leafy seasonings are small, yet they control how a dish tastes. Too much from the jar can turn a sauce bitter. Too little and a stew tastes flat. This is because the jarred version is concentrated so you can’t swap them one for one. This tool gives you kitchen‑tested amounts so your food stays in that sweet spot between bland and overpowering.
1. Pick the herb you are cooking with.
2. Enter the amount your recipe asks for.
3. Choose the unit you prefer to measure with.
4. Read the matched amount on the other side.
5. Use the swap button if you are going in the opposite direction.
You get an instant answer that you can copy straight into your recipe notes. Need to convert between units like tablespoons and teaspoons first? Why not use our main cooking measurement calculator.
Most professional cookbooks teach a simple rule. Use about three times more of the soft green leaves than the preserved version. The reason is water. Fresh leaves are full of moisture so their flavour is gentle. Once they are dried, that water is gone and the flavour is packed into a smaller space.
Our converter follows this chef‑approved guideline so your results match what recipe developers expect. You can still nudge the amount up or down to match your own taste or a very strong brand.
Jarred herbs shine in slow, cozy dishes. Think soups, braises, stews and baked casseroles. Long cooking gives them time to soften and release their oils. Add them near the start of cooking so they can blend into the sauce.
They also work well when you are cooking on a budget or stocking a small kitchen. A single small jar of oregano, thyme or rosemary can season many pans of roast vegetables or sheet‑pan dinners.
Some dishes depend on the bright snap of just‑cut leaves. You will taste the difference in salads, pesto, fresh salsas, carpaccio, lightly cooked fish and simple tomato dishes. For these, try not to swap in the jarred version if you can avoid it.
You can still use the converter to get a starting point when you are in a pinch. Just expect the taste and look to change a little. For example, pasta with basil made from the jar will be more mellow and less fragrant than one made with a big handful of leaves.
These small habits come straight from working kitchens and testing labs:
– Crush before using. Rub dried leaves between your fingers before they hit the pan. This wakes up the oils and gives you more aroma.
– Bloom in warm fat. Stir them into warm oil or butter for a few seconds. Then add liquid like stock or tomatoes. You will notice a deeper, rounder flavour.
– Add earlier than fresh herbs. Jarred herbs need time to soften. Add them near the start of cooking. Save fresh leaves for the last few minutes or for sprinkling on top.
– Check the age of your jars. Old herbs fade. If the colour looks dull and the smell is weak, they may give only half the strength. Our ratios assume reasonably fresh jars, so you might need a little extra if yours are older.
The numbers used in this tool follow standards taught in culinary schools and used by recipe professionals. The classic 3‑to‑1 guideline appears across respected references, from general cookbooks to training manuals for chefs.
Different herbs do vary in strength. Woody types like rosemary or thyme can taste powerful even when fresh. Delicate ones like parsley and dill stay light. Our converter gives you a reliable starting point based on how most cooks write recipes. If your recipe also lists other ingredients by volume and you need their exact weight, our Ingredient Volume to Weight Calculator can help with that too. From there, bring in your own palate, your pan and your brand of herb.
This tool focuses on leafy seasonings such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, sage, dill and chives. It is built for everyday home cooking and not for ground spices like cinnamon or cumin, which follow different rules.
Use it when you:
– Follow a recipe that lists fresh leaves and you only have the jarred version.
– Cook from an older cookbook that assumes the pantry, not the garden.
– Scale recipes up or down and need clean, easy math.
By handling the math for you, the converter frees you to focus on your dishes taste, timing and technique. Our Recipe Scaler App can also adjust every ingredient in your recipe at once so you don’t have to convert each one individually.
You can nearly always swap them in cooked dishes. Flavour and colour may shift a little but the food will still taste balanced when you follow the ratios here. For raw dishes and garnishes, the texture and look change more so be sure to use your own judgment.
Brands, storage and personal taste all affect how strong a herb feels. Our tool gives you a solid starting amount. After that, take a small taste midway through cooking. Add a pinch more if the dish still feels flat.
Most modern recipes assume you measure after chopping, especially for tender herbs. If a recipe writer wants whole leaves they will usually say so. When in doubt this tool treats the amount as chopped which lines up with how pros test recipes.
