Dont have, ahem, thyme to run out and get some? No matter—use one of these substitutes instead.
Have you ever heard that folk ballad, “Scarborough Fair”? You know, the one that lists a bunch of herbs in the middle of every verse: parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme? Though it was popularized in the 1960s by singer-songwriter duo, Simon & Garfunkel, the song has roots in Medieval England; its named after a big open-air market that took place in Scarborough, a town outside of Yorkshire, in Northern England. At the fair, all sorts of merchants, farmers, entertainers, and visitors would gather for food, drink, revelry, and, yes, stocking up on herbs.
Nowadays, though you might see thyme in the ingredients lists of some of your favorite hygiene and beauty products (thats thanks to thymol, a naturally-occurring chemical found in thyme oil, that has antimicrobial and antifungal properties), its more likely that youll see it in recipes for roast chicken, turkey, or stuffing, or as an ingredient in any number of dried poultry spice blends.
But what exactly is thyme? How do you use it? And what do you do if a recipe calls for it, but you dont have any in your fridge or spice rack?
Substitutes for thyme range from similar fresh herbs such as oregano, marjoram and rosemary. For dry thyme alternatives: consider a 1:3 substitute of fresh thyme. Many blends can also be substituted as thyme is a key component for example: poultry seasoning, za’atar, and herbs de provence.
Thyme, Defined (& How to Cook With It)
Thyme, or Thymus vulgaris, is an herb originally from the Mediterranean region thats in the same family as oregano, basil, mint, and shiso. It comprises small, rounded green leaves that grow in clusters on woody stems. Common thyme (the one youve probably encountered most regularly) has an earthy, minty, slightly lemony flavor. And there are more than one hundred other varieties, often with names that match their flavor profiles: orange thyme, caraway thyme, and zaatar thyme, for example.
Because of its grounding, savory-sweet, not-too-intense flavor, thyme can add complexity and warmth to a whole host of dishes: poultry, steak, mushrooms and other vegetable dishes, and even delicate desserts.
To use fresh thyme in recipes, gently pull the leaves off of the stems (as instructed here), chop up finely, and use liberally. Thyme also stays super-flavorful when dried, so you can buy dried thyme to keep in your spice rack, or try your hand at DIY (thats “drying it yourself”).
But what if you encounter a recipe that calls for thyme, but you dont have the herb on hand? Never fear—weve got a number of suggestions, fresh and dried. From Our Shop
The Best Thyme Substitutes
Any number of fresh herbs (and their dried derivatives) work as a substitute for thyme in sweet and savory recipes. The ratios, which youll see below, differ slightly for each type of herb. Note that for recipes where thyme sprigs are tied together in a bouquet garni (a bunch of tied-up herbs used to ambiently season soups, stews, or big cuts of meat), youll be best off substituting with sprigs of oregano, marjoram, or savory, and not basil.
Fresh or dried, oregano hits many of the same earthy, minty, savory and slightly bitter notes as thyme. Its also got a spicy, herbal undertone that gives it a lovely complexity. Use fresh oregano in a 1:1 swap for fresh thyme, and dried oregano in a 1:1 swap for dried thyme. If youre swapping fresh oregano for dried thyme, use twice the amount of oregano. But if youre swapping dried oregano for fresh thyme, youll want to use half the amount of dried oregano for the amount of fresh thyme called for, as the dried herb can be potent and throw your recipe off balance.
You can also use fresh or dried marjoram in place of thyme. Its got a woody, minty profile similar to oregano, but with a sweeter and more delicate flavor. Same rules apply here as they do oregano: Use a 1:1 swap of fresh marjoram for fresh thyme; a 1:1 swap of dried marjoram for dried thyme; half the amount of dried marjoram as a swap for fresh thyme, and twice the amount of fresh marjoram for dried thyme.
As its in the same family as thyme, feel free to use basil in place of thyme in many dishes. Fresh basil is very licorice-y and bright, so use half of the amount of fresh basil as you would fresh thyme, and a 1:1 swap for dried thyme. Dried basil is a bit more muted, so a 1:1 swap for fresh thyme, or a 2:1 swap for dried thyme, would be appropriate.
Savory is another herb in the mint family, with a peppery, robust—and, yes, savory—flavor. Swap out fresh savory 1:1 for fresh thyme, and dried savory 1:1 for dried thyme. Use 2:1 fresh savory for dried thyme, and half of the amount of dried savory in place of fresh thyme.
Any of the following herbs can be used in a 1:1 swap with dried thyme; use half as much in place of fresh thyme. A warning, though: because a few of these contain powdered aromatics, or dried seeds, you may not want to include these in sweet recipes that call for thyme.
Typically containing thyme, nutmeg, thyme, marjoram, black pepper, rosemary, and sage, this spice blend is a natural swap for thyme.
A mixture of dried basil, marjoram, thyme, oregano, and rosemary, this ultra-fragrant spice blend is another great choice for a thyme substitute.
Hailing from the Levant region, zaatar generally contains dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, sometimes lemony sumac, and toasted sesame seeds and salt. You may want to reduce the amount of salt in the recipe if you use zaatar as a substitute for thyme.
This blend of dried herbs, from the Provence region of France, often comprises dried basil, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and fennel seeds. Its got a very distinctive flavor, so you might want to start adding it a little bit at a thyme (pun very much intended) as youre swapping it in a dish.
Whats your favorite recipe to use thyme in? Let us know in the comments!
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Best 7 Ingridients Substitute For Thyme
FAQ
What equals 2 sprigs of thyme?
What is the dry equivalent of a sprig of thyme?
Can you use ground thyme instead of fresh thyme?
Can I substitute rosemary for thyme?
What can I substitute for thyme?
Use fresh oregano in an equal amount to replace fresh thyme and dried oregano for dried thyme.The dried version of oregano can be strong and can take over other ingredients in your recipe, so be sure to start with small amounts and adjust the seasoning. Marjoram is very similar to oregano and makes a good substitute for thyme.
What can you substitute for figs?
When looking for a substitute for fresh figs in a recipe or as a snack, fresh apricots are a reasonable choice. Fresh apricots are somewhat similar in texture, they are nutrient dense, have fewer carbohydrates, and less natural sugar than figs. Apricots are also higher in vitamin A. When eaten dried, dates are similar to figs and can serve as a substitute. Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree and are seedless, so they don’t have the crunch of figs and are far sweeter and stickier.
Can thyme be used as a sprig?
Thyme can bring depth to marinades, soups, simmering stocks, cocktail recipes, and tea blends. Fresh thyme can be used in a recipe as a whole stem or the leaves can be removed and sprinkled into a dish. When a whole sprig of fresh thyme is used in a recipe, the leaves are left intact. Fresh cuttings of thyme have a soft stem.
Can you use fresh thyme instead of dried thyme?
Since fresh and dried thyme can be used interchangeably if necessary, you can apply that same concept to certain other herbs if you don’t have any thyme on hand. So use a replacement herb in a 1:1 ratio, using a fresh herb to replace fresh thyme and a dried herb to replace dried thyme. So what can be substituted for thyme in a recipe?