Are you cooking a dish that calls for tarragon and there’s none on hand? These tarragon substitutes will add a similar flavor to your recipe and chances are, you have more than one in your pantry!
In a functional kitchen, there’s no such thing as a case-sensitive recipe. A good cook will never halt a meal if one ingredient is not available.
Most ingredients and condiments should have at least one viable substitute. Even those with a specific taste, like tarragon. Is there a substitute for tarragon?
Many herbs can replace tarragon or come very close. Examples of such herbs are
basil, rosemary, dill weed, thyme, and angelica.
We’ll show you how different those herbs are and how they can affect the taste of your food differently.
Remember that tarragon and its substitutes come in fresh and dried form. As a result, the substitute ratio isn’t the same for both.
Don’t worry, we have that covered for you too!
What Is Tarragon?
The tarragon herb is a central part of French cuisine. It adds a herbaceous taste that’s a little peppery and has a scent of licorice.
Its primary use is for topping dishes like soup or salad. Sometimes you can also use tarragon for meat and chicken.
It’s challenging to describe the taste complexity that tarragon provides. Because of that, it can be pretty difficult to replicate that taste using other ingredients.
Best Tarragon Substitutes
Luckily, some alternatives come close enough to the original flavor. They may not be identical, but they get the job done.
| Substitute | Ratio (Fresh Tarragon: Fresh Substitute) | Ratio (Fresh Tarragon: Dried Substitute) | Ratio (Dried Tarragon: Fresh Substitute) | Ratio (Dried Tarragon: Dried Substitute) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | 2:1 | 1:1 | 4:1 | 2:1 |
| Rosemary | 2:1 | 4:1 | 1:1 | 2:1 |
| Dill | 1:1 | 2:1 | 1:2 | 1:1 |
| Marjoram | 1:1 | 3:1 | 2:1 | 1:1 |
| Thyme | 1:1 | 2:1 | 1:2 | 1:1 |
| Angelica | 1:1 | 2:1 | 1:2 | 1:1 |
| Oregano | 1:1 | 2:1 | 1:2 | 1:1 |
| Chervil | 1:1 | 2:1 | 1:2 | 1:1 |
Basil
Basil is an herb that belongs to the mint family. It can give your food a strong aroma that gets even stronger when heated.
The strong taste makes basil one of the most common ingredients in Italian cuisine since it pairs well with cheese and tomato-based dishes.
We love it in combination with other herbs on this easy air fryer Cornish hen, or on this low-carb portobello mushroom pizza!
Just like tarragon, fresh basil has a different flavor than dried basil. The fresh one has a strong taste and feels sweet and hot, just like the mint.
Dried basil is a little spicier and its flavor is more on the mellow side.
If you want to use basil as a substitute for your tarragon, you need to know that the ratio will differ depending if the herbs are fresh or dried.
For example, if both your tarragon and basil are fresh, the ratio will be 2:1 (2 being the
tarragon.)
If you want to replace the fresh tarragon’s flavor with dried basil, the ratio will be 1:1.
Alternatively, replacing 1 tablespoon of dried tarragon requires either 1/2 tablespoon of dried basil or 1/4 tablespoon of fresh basil.
Rosemary
Rosemary leaves keep their flavor longer than most other herbs, including basil.
Fortunately, both basil and rosemary are easy to find in a local grocery store.
Unlike basil, though, dried rosemary is the one that gives a stronger taste than fresh rosemary, but you can use either as a substitute for tarragon.
Rosemary offers various nutritional benefits, such as promoting brain activity and potentially reducing cancer risk.
Rosemary’s flavor is a mix of lemon and pine. It’s slightly different from the peppery taste of tarragon, but it’s usually a welcome change.
It pairs really well with roasted veggies, like these easy roasted beets and carrots. Rosemary also works with air fryed vegetables and I totally recommend you try our air fryer patty pan squash.
One extra thing to know about rosemary’s flavor is that it’s more intense than tarragon, so you can’t use a 1:1 ratio this time, at least with fresh tarragon.
Substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh tarragon with 1/2 of fresh rosemary or 1/4 tablespoon of dried rosemary.
As for dried tarragon, you can substitute it with fresh rosemary at a 1:1 ratio.
If you want to use dried rosemary, use 1/2 teaspoon to replace one teaspoon of dried tarragon.
Dill Weed
Dill weed is an excellent substitute for tarragon if you don’t like that hint of licorice present in tarragon’s flavor.
Another difference between dill and tarragon is the sweetness. Dill doesn’t have that iconic tarragon sweetness.
Other than that, dill is pretty similar to tarragon and will even have a similar effect
on your dish, especially regarding those final touches.
It even adds a bit of a ‘grassy’ flavor that you hardly find in any other herb. For this reason, it’s the perfect addition to salads like this creamy cucumber salad or this simple tomato cucumber and onion salad.
As we just mentioned, there’s no licorice taste here, but you can still add that if you want to.
The trick is to mix dill with another herb that has the licorice flavor, like chervil or basil.
Fresh tarragon can be substituted with fresh dill weed at a 1:1 ratio. You can also use 1/2 teaspoon of dry dill weed to substitute for one teaspoon of fresh tarragon.
1 tablespoon of dried tarragon can be substituted with 2 tablespoons of fresh
dill or 1 tablespoon of dried dill.
Marjoram
Much like dill, marjoram also doesn’t have that licorice flavor of tarragon. It does have the complex taste dill lacks.
As a substitute for tarragon, marjoram tastes like a bit of citrus, pine, and flowers. It kind of resembles rosemary.
Marjoram works best with meaty dishes like beef and chicken. It also pairs well with rice-based dishes like curry.
Marjoram is a great replacement for tarragon but you won’t get that licorice hint.
You should substitute fresh tarragon with marjoram at a 1:1 ratio. Similarly, dried marjoram replaces dry tarragon using the same ratio.
Thyme
Thyme excels in substituting tarragon because it can provide that complex, bitter, and sweet minty flavor.
In fact, thyme sometimes offers a more minty aroma than tarragon.
Thyme similarly gives an earthy taste like tarragon. It also adds a hint of lemon to the flavor, which makes it common in French and Italian cuisine.
In short, thyme’s taste is very close to tarragon’s, except that the minty aroma is slightly more in thyme.
I love thyme’s versatility as it goes well with so many types of dishes. We use it for poultry like this tender air fryer turkey breast, or this yummy air fryer jerk chicken.
It’s also an excellent herb to season a slow cooker beef stew or a savory pumpkin pizza.
Fresh thyme can substitute fresh tarragon at a 1:1 ratio.
Replacing 1 tablespoon of dried tarragon requires 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon of dried thyme.
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Angelica
Angelica is one of those near-perfect substitutes for tarragon. It adds the same earthiness to the taste of your food and the same hint of licorice.
The intensity of the flavor is pretty close to that of the tarragon’s, which makes
angelica one of our finest substitutes.
There’s a catch, though. Angelica is a rare herb that you won’t find easily in a supermarket.
Look thoroughly, though, as angelica sometimes goes by the name wild celery or garden celery.
One extra thing you should know is that you can purchase the leaf, the stalk, or the root of the angelica herb. If you intend to replace tarragon, use the leaf or the stalk.
The root part is a spice you shouldn’t use for topping dishes like tarragon. It won’t give you the replacement you seek.
As for ratios, substitute one tablespoon of fresh tarragon with 1 tablespoon of fresh angelica or 1/2 tablespoon of dried angelica.
Also, replace one tablespoon of dried tarragon with 1 tablespoon of dried angelica or 2
tablespoons of fresh angelica.
Oregano
Oregano provides the same powerful aroma of tarragon, but it still lacks that iconic licorice flavor.
Even so, it will give you a savory, woody taste so it can replace tarragon in almost
any dish.
Keep in mind that oregano has a slightly bitter aftertaste. While it can replace
tarragon in most dishes, it works best with soups and stews.
Additionally, the taste of the dried oregano is stronger than the fresh one.
1 tablespoon of fresh tarragon can be substituted with 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano or 1/2 tablespoon of dried oregano.
You can also replace 1 tablespoon of dried tarragon with 2 tablespoons of fresh oregano or 1 tablespoon of dried oregano.
Oregano and tomato-based dishes are the perfect match. I couldn’t enjoy my homemade marinara, Instant Pot fettucine bolognese, or Instant Pot tomato Florentine soup without it!
Chervil
Chervil is a member of the parsley family and can work as a good tarragon substitute for almost any dish.
Chervil is quite common in French cuisine, especially with dishes like eggs and chicken.
However, there’s a bit of a catch if you want to use it instead of tarragon.
Chervil’s flavor is quite delicate and can quickly disappear among all the other spices you might add to your food.
Therefore, chervil is best in raw recipes like salad or soups.
Chervil tastes quite similar to tarragon, but the aroma isn’t as strong. Add a little extra if you feel your meal could use more.
Substitute 1 tablespoon of fresh tarragon with 1/2 tablespoon of dried chervil or 1 tablespoon of fresh chervil.
As for dried tarragon, substitute 1 tablespoon of it with 2 tablespoons of fresh chervil or 1 tablespoon of dried chervil.
All of your substitutes needs all in one handy reference spot! Comprehensive list substitutes here or to print off for your own menu binder. You to find an ingredient option that will allow you to not run out to the store or you may find a flavor combination you love even better than the original. Garlic Powder Substitute, Cojita Cheese Substitute, Parsley Substitute, Green Chilis Substitute, Italian Seasoning Substitute, Mustard Seed Substitute, Cilantro Substitute, Sriracha Substitute, White Pepper Substitute, Onion Powder Substitute, Five Spice Substitute, Turmeric Substitutes, White Wine Vinegar, Cardamon Substitute, Parsley Substitute, Cremini Mushroom Substitute, Egg Yolk, Leeks, Egg Wash, Coconut Cream, Tomato, Stewed Tomatoes, Coconut Sugar, Palm Sugar, Hoisin, Adobo, Chili Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Escarole, Watercress, Rice Wine Vinegar, Ketchup, Tomato Puree, Tomato Paste, Lemongrass, Chervil, Cheesecloth, Worcestershire Sauce, Fennel, Dark Soy Sauce.
Conclusion
There’s always an available substitute for tarragon!
Sometimes you may need to compensate by letting go of the licorice taste or losing some of that sweetness.
Still, some people may actually find that as an advantage since they don’t like either of these tastes.
For those who actually enjoy the licorice taste, angelica is one of the best tarragon substitutes. The trade-off is it’s not as easily available as some of our other options.
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