Can you cook with dried herbs instead of fresh?

A jar of dried oregano is not a lesser version of fresh oregano. It is a slightly different ingredient, and in some dishes, such as a pizza, we actually prefer it. The trick is knowing which herbs make the journey well and how to treat them.

The herbs that dry well

These are the woody, resinous, Mediterranean herbs. Their flavour sits in oils that survive drying, and they suit dishes that simmer, roast or bake.

• Oregano: often better dried than fresh for pizza, tomato sauces and roast vegetables. Dried oregano on a tomato salad is a habit worth adopting.
• Thyme: reliable dried, especially in stews, beans and roasting.
• Rosemary: dried rosemary works in long braises and bread doughs, though the needles stay tough; crumble or chop them finely.
• Sage: acceptable dried in stuffings and beans; fresh is far better for crisp-fried leaves.
• Bay: dried bay leaves are perfectly good and what most people use.
• Marjoram and mint: both dry reasonably well. Dried mint is lovely in bean dishes and yogurt sauces.

The herbs that don't

Soft, leafy, fresh-tasting herbs lose their brightness when dried. What remains tastes faintly of hay.

• Basil: dried basil bears little resemblance to fresh. For basil flavour out of season, a jar of pesto or frozen basil is closer.
• Parsley, chives, chervil, coriander: dried versions add colour and not much else.
• Dill and tarragon: passable dried in a pinch, but quieter than fresh.

For these herbs, buy fresh and keep them well (see storing fresh herbs), or freeze chopped leaves in oil in an ice-cube tray.

How much to swap

Dried herbs are more concentrated, because the water has gone. As a rough starting point, we use about a third as much dried as fresh, then taste and adjust. If a jar is old, you may need more; if it is new and pungent, less. Rosemary and oregano can be strong, so start small.

When to add them

Dried herbs need time and moisture to soften and release their flavour. Add them early: with the onions, in the sauce at the start of simmering, or in a marinade. Sprinkled raw at the end, they can taste dusty and feel gritty. The general rule for when each kind of herb goes in is in when to add herbs.

The exceptions are dishes where the dried herb is a finishing seasoning in its own right: oregano on pizza or a tomato salad, where the oil and juices soften it.

Wake them up in oil

This is the one trick worth remembering. Before adding dried herbs to a dish, warm them for a few moments in a little olive oil in the pan, over gentle heat, until they smell fragrant. Don't let them brown. This draws out the aromatic oils and makes them taste fresher and more rounded. Then build the rest of the dish on top.

Rubbing dried herbs between your palms as you add them does something similar on a smaller scale.

Keeping them fresh

Dried herbs fade with time, light and heat. Buy small jars, keep them closed, in a cupboard away from the stove, and smell them now and then. If they smell of very little when rubbed, replace them. Writing the opening date on the lid helps. More on keeping a lively shelf in spices worth buying.