01
Rosemary
10.0best for cooking1/4 tsp : 1 tsp
Pine-like aroma, use sparingly in braises
10.0
bay leaves substitute
for cooking.
On the stovetop, bay leaf cineole and linalool diffuse into simmering liquid across a 20 to 40 minute braise between 185 and 205 F, tinting stews and risottos without breaking fat-water emulsions or scorching once the lid is on. The leaf is forgiving on timing: leave it in 15 minutes too long and bitterness climbs only slightly. This page ranks substitutes by 2-hour simmer stability, ability to infuse without oil-off, and whether the cook can still fish the solid out before plating.
top substitutes
adjustment for cooking
Rosemary releases pinene cleanly across a 30-minute stovetop braise at 195 F, but at 1/4 tsp per bay leaf it overshoots fast — pull the sprig by minute 20 or the simmering liquid turns turpentine-like. Whole sprigs fish out easier than loose needles in a finished stew.
02
Marjoram
10.0best for cooking1 tsp : 1 tsp
Softer cousin of oregano; similar woodsy herbal backdrop for stews and broths
10.0
adjustment for cooking
Marjoram tolerates a 90-minute simmer at 200 F without going bitter, unlike oregano at the same duration. Tie 1 tsp dried into cheesecloth, drop into the pot at the start, and it will infuse steadily through the full cook without fouling the surface fat.
03
Sage
10.0best for cooking1 leaf : 1 leaf
Earthy depth, remove before serving
10.0
adjustment for cooking
One sage leaf per bay leaf holds through a 45-minute lidded simmer at 195 F, releasing thujone slowly. Keep the leaf whole so it can be pulled before serving, otherwise tiny pieces cling to pasta or rice and deliver a sharp camphor bite that bay never does.
show 7 more substitutes
04
Basil
10.01 tsp : 1 tsp
Sweeter and more aromatic; use dried in long-simmered soups where bay adds a quiet note
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Dried basil at 1:1 tsp per bay leaf suits a 25-minute stovetop tomato sauce at 200 F where bay was a background note. Add in the last 10 minutes of the cook — any longer and basil's eugenol volatilizes off the surface rather than staying in suspension.
05
Tarragon
10.01/2 tsp : 1 tsp
Anise-forward; use sparingly in cream sauces or fish dishes where bay adds depth
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Tarragon at 0.5 tsp per bay leaf shifts a cream-based stovetop sauce toward a French-bistro register without breaking the emulsion. Add in the last 5 minutes at 180 F; past 200 F, estragole evaporates visibly and the anise note vanishes from the finished dish.
06
Parsley
10.01 tsp : 1 tsp
Grassy and clean but lacks bay's depth; best when bay was a background aromatic
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Parsley at 1:1 tsp is a weak stand-in for bay in a 40-minute stew at 195 F — apiol dissipates inside 15 minutes of simmering. Add at the very end, off-heat, so the grassy note survives long enough to reach the plate instead of boiling away.
07
Dill
10.01 tsp : 1 tsp
Bright and fresh; works in fish poaches and pickling brines where bay appears
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Dill fronds at 1:1 tsp work in a 20-minute fish poach at 180 F where bay was providing a mild aromatic wash. Stir in during the last 3 minutes — carvone volatilizes above 185 F, and a long simmer flattens dill into a vegetal note rather than the bright herbal bay delivers.
08
Cloves
10.01/4 tsp : 1 tsp
Pungent and sweet; one clove roughly replaces one bay leaf in braises and mulled wine
10.0
adjustment for this dish
One whole clove replaces one bay leaf in a 2-hour braise at 190 F, but eugenol builds cumulatively; pull the clove at the 45-minute mark or pre-bloom it in fat first. 1/4 tsp ground is the ceiling for a 4-quart pot before the dish tips medicinal.
09
Thyme
10.01/4 tsp : 1 tsp
Adds similar herbal depth to soups and stews
10.0
10
Oregano
10.01/4 tsp : 1 tsp
Earthy flavor, good in slow-cooked dishes
10.0