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    Home » Substitutes

    Substitutes for Bay Leaves

    By Robyn | Published: Mar 25, 2022 | Modified: Apr 19, 2022

    text over image collage for pinterest showing bay leaves in a bowl and individual bay leaves

    Both fresh and dried, bay leaves add a distinctive flavour to many dishes. But what can you use instead of bay leaves if you don’t have any? Read on for the best substitutes for bay leaves.

    close up overhead photo of fresh bay leaves in a bowl
    Jump to:
    • Countries bay leaves are used in cooking
    • What are Bay Leaves?
    • Best alternative to bay leaves: Dried oregano
    • Substitute 2: Dried Thyme
    • Substitute 3: Fresh bay leaves
    • Substitute 4: Juniper berries
    • Substitute 5: Rosemary
    • Substitute 6: Boldo Leaves
    • Substitute 7: Dried basil
    • Best alternatives to bay leaves in specific recipes:
    • Substitute for bay leaf in a stew
    • Best substitute for bay leaves in soup
    • Substitute for bay leaves in Indian recipes
    • FAQ
    • More Ingredient Substitutions

    Countries bay leaves are used in cooking

    Mediterranean, East Asian, Caribbean, France, America and India (both Laurel bay and Indian bay leaves.)

    What are Bay Leaves?

    Bay leaves come from the laurel tree, an evergreen tree from the Mediterranean. Peppery with hints of pine, they are often added to slow-cooked dishes such as soups, stews, sauces and stocks, and then removed before serving. As they are pungent, bay leaves are used sparingly, often 1 or 2 is more than enough in a recipe. There are two main types of bay leaf: Turkish bay (the most common variety) and Californian Bay, which are slightly stronger in taste than Turkish bay leaves and have a minty taste to them. Indian bay is a completely different species (see end of post for alternatives to Indian bay leaves).

    Some people question if adding a bay leaf to a dish actually heightens the flavour of the dish. I’m a firm believer that they do, but along the same vein, this means that if you can’t find anything to substitute a bay leaf then you can leave it out altogether. However, if you want to add an alternative to bay leaves in a recipe, here are the best bay leaf substitutes:

    Best alternative to bay leaves: Dried oregano

    Oregano is slightly peppery like bay leaves, and goes really well in tomato rich dishes too. Especially suited to Italian dishes and olive oil based recipes.

    Ratio: 1 bay leaf = ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

    Best for: Italian dishes such as pizza sauce or in this pesto lasagne

    Substitute 2: Dried Thyme

    This slightly sweet and minty earthy Mediterranean herb is less pungent than oregano, and is a delicious addition instead of bay leaves in stews and soup.

    Ratio: 1 bay leaf = ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

    Best for: Other European dishes, such as this Basque chicken,

    Substitute 3: Fresh bay leaves

    Fresh bay leaves are shiny and bright green (they are the ones I photographed for these images). As the bay leaf dries, the colour becomes less bright and the flavour intensifies, therefore you need double the amount of fresh bay leaves than dried, or half the amount of dry bay leaves if a recipe calls for fresh bay. Tip: Use Turkish bay leaves if you want to use fresh bay leaves. Californian bay leaves are much stronger and tend to over power a dish when used fresh.

    Ratio: 1 dried bay leaf = 2 fresh bay leaves (Unless your fresh bay leaves are Californian bay leaves and not Turkish bay leaves, use less: 1 dried bay leaf = ½ fresh Californian bay leaf).

    If you want to use fresh bay leaves instead of ground bay leaves: 1 fresh bay leaf = ½ teaspoon ground bay leaves.

    Best for: Soups, meat and lentil ragu and stews.

    Substitute 4: Juniper berries

    Juniper berries are fresh and peppery flavoured, with a slightly tart and bitter pine taste that is slightly similar to bay leaves. You don’t need many of these in a dish.

    Ratio: 1 bay leaf = 2-3 juniper berries

    Best for: Pork and cabbage dishes.

    Substitute 5: Rosemary

    This fragrant Mediterranean herb is strong and can impart a pine-like flavour in a dish, like a bay leaf. Rosemary adds a pleasant fragrant undertone, as long as you don’t add too much.

    Ratio: 1 bay leaf = a small sprig of fresh rosemary.

    Best for: Soups, stews, lentil bolognese and marinated mushrooms.

    Substitute 6: Boldo Leaves

    Endemic to Chili, Boldo leaves are commonly used in South America to make tea, and flavour savoury dishes.

    Ratio: 1 bay leaf = ½ boldo leaf.

    Best for: Mushroom, fish or vegetable based dishes.

    Substitute 7: Dried basil

    Fresh basil tastes too sweet to be used as a bay leaf alternative, but dried basil loses this sweetness and becomes more peppery, and therefore tastes closer to bay leaves and is suitable to replace bay leaves in a recipe.

    Ratio: 1 bay leaves = ¼ teaspoon dried basil.

    Best for: Tomato based dishes like savoury mince, sauces and stews, especially Italian and Thai dishes.

    overhead photo of a bowl full of bay on a grey background

    Best alternatives to bay leaves in specific recipes:

    Substitute for bay leaf in a stew

    Dried oregano or dried thyme are delicious alternatives to bay leaves in a stew, or use a fresh bay leaf or two.

    Best substitute for bay leaves in soup

    Dried oregano or dried thyme again are great in soups! If you have a tomato based soup such as minestrone, a small sprig of rosemary can be a nice addition.

    Substitute for bay leaves in Indian recipes

    When Indian recipes call for a bay leaf, they often mean Indian bay leaves, also known as Tej Patta, rather than the Laurel bay leaf. Indian bay leaves come from the cassia tree and have a hint of cinnamon rather than pine, so substitute with a pinch of cinnamon, cassia, or a clove.

    FAQ

    Can I use bay leaves straight from the tree?

    Yes you can use bay leaves straight from the tree, however you may find they taste more bitter compared to dry bay leaves.

    Are bay leaves better fresh or dried?

    Fresh bay leaves are lighter and more floral in flavour than dried bay leaves, and add a nice flavour to dishes, however they don’t keep as long – a couple of weeks in the fridge compared to up to 2 years fro dried bay leaves, if stored correctly in a cool, dark cupboard. So using dry or fresh bay leaves is purely down to personal choice.

    How do you store dried bay leaves?

    Store dried bay leaves in an air tight container in a cool dark place. If kept correctly, they can be stored for 2 years. They will lose their strength of flavour over time.

    More Ingredient Substitutions

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    • Substitutes for Basil
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    Robyn Jones, Recipe Developer & Food Photographer

    Robyn Jones

    Recipe Developer | Food Photographer | Writer

    Hi! I'm Robyn, a toddler mum with a passion for all things food! Having moved internationally 7 times in the past 12 years I have developed a love of making international recipes into family friendly ones you can make in your own home, with local ingredients; wherever you live!

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