Tarragon Substitutes, Ranked by the Job Tarragon Is Doing

Out of fresh tarragon? Basil is the best all-round swap, chervil the gentlest, and fennel fronds or dill work in a pinch. A tiny pinch of fennel or anise seed covers the licorice note if that’s all you’re after. PROSEA describes French tarragon as having a sweet anise-like scent and a peculiar bittersweet flavor,¹ and the best substitutes share some of that anise character.

Quick answer

How the ratios on this page are labeled

Every ratio carries one of four labels.

• Computed: based on a measurable physical relationship.
• Attributed: a named source publishes this ratio. We quote it as theirs.
• Disputed: named sources give different answers to the same swap. You get each one, side by side.
• Method: our starting point, based on how the two compare. Taste and adjust.

None of the tarragon-substitute ratios we found explain how they were worked out. They’re rules of thumb, not measurements of flavor strength.

If you have dried tarragon and the recipe wants fresh

Dried tarragon is a weak stand-in. The University of Illinois Extension says tarragon loses its flavor quickly when the leaves are dried.² America’s Test Kitchen counts tarragon among the delicate herbs whose flavor compounds are more volatile, and its tasters preferred fresh herbs to dried in all but one test.³

Ratio (Attributed): The general rule is 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for 1 tablespoon of fresh,⁴ but ATK’s work suggests that fits hardy herbs better than delicate ones.³ If dried is all you’ve got, start at 1 teaspoon per tablespoon of fresh, add it toward the end, and taste before adding more. In a sauce where tarragon is the star, one of the fresh substitutes below will probably do better.

If fresh tarragon is flavoring a sauce, dressing, eggs or chicken

1. Basil

A Couple Cooks calls fresh basil the best fresh tarragon substitute, with a vaguely anise or licorice finish.⁵ The chemistry backs that up: basil shares tarragon’s main anise compound, estragole,⁶ though how strong the anise note is depends on the plant.⁷ Basil is greener and more peppery than tarragon.

Ratio (Attributed): A Couple Cooks says to use basil 1:1 and slice it thin to mimic tarragon’s narrow leaves.⁵

Like tarragon, basil is a delicate herb. LSU AgCenter groups it with the herbs you add in the last minute or two of cooking.⁴

2. Chervil

Chervil is tarragon’s partner in fines herbes, which usually include parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil.⁸ It shares tarragon’s main anise compound.⁹ Britannica says chervil has a delicate smell and a taste reminiscent of anise,¹⁰ and PROSEA calls it light and parsley-like, with a hint of myrrh.⁹ It’s gentler than tarragon, so it’s best with eggs, fish and light sauces.

Ratio (Method): Start with the same amount as the tarragon and add more if the anise note is too faint.

3. Fennel fronds

The University of Illinois Extension says herb fennel tastes of anise or licorice and goes into fish dishes, soups and stews.¹¹ A Couple Cooks also names fennel fronds as a fresh tarragon substitute.⁵

Ratio (Method): Start with the same amount of finely chopped fronds and taste.

4. Dill

A Couple Cooks says dill tastes different from tarragon but works in a pinch, and that it also has a licorice note on the finish.⁵ LSU AgCenter lists dill leaves among the delicate herbs added at the end of cooking.⁴

Ratio (Attributed): A Couple Cooks says to use dill 1:1, fresh for fresh or dried for dried.⁵

If the recipe calls for dried tarragon

Most dried herbs are a compromise here, but then dried tarragon has already lost a lot of its flavor.²

• Dried dill. A Couple Cooks says it can replace dried tarragon one for one.⁵
• Dried oregano or marjoram. A Couple Cooks says these might work. The flavor isn’t nearly the same, but the herbal note mimics the way tarragon works in a recipe.⁵
• Herbes de Provence. A Couple Cooks says the blend usually contains tarragon.⁵ That depends on the brand. The French Label Rouge specification lists thyme, rosemary, savory, oregano and basil, and no tarragon.¹² Check the label.

Ratio (Method): For dried oregano or marjoram, start with half as much as the dried tarragon and taste.

Ratio (Attributed): For herbes de Provence, A Couple Cooks says to use 1/2 teaspoon for 1 teaspoon of dried tarragon.⁵

If you only want a hint of licorice

Fennel seed and anise seed get their licorice flavor from anethole.¹³ A Couple Cooks suggests crushing them lightly.⁵ Keep the amounts small so the seed doesn’t take over.

Ratio (Attributed): A Couple Cooks says to use 1/4 teaspoon of seed per tablespoon of fresh tarragon, or 1/8 teaspoon per teaspoon of dried.⁵

If you don’t want the licorice note at all

Not a fan of anise? Skip basil and dill, since A Couple Cooks notes a licorice finish in both.⁵ Marjoram or oregano gives you an herbal note without the anise.

Ratio (Method): Use dried marjoram or oregano at half the tarragon amount, or fresh marjoram at the same amount, and taste.

If your tarragon is Russian tarragon

The University of Illinois Extension notes that seed sold as tarragon is Russian tarragon, which lacks the smell and flavor of French tarragon.² French tarragon never sets viable seed, according to PROSEA.¹ If your plant came from seed, it won’t give a recipe the anise note it’s counting on, and one of the substitutes above may do better.

What isn’t known

• No credible source gives a tested conversion between fresh and dried tarragon.
• You’ll sometimes see rosemary listed as a one-for-one swap for dried tarragon. We found no source for it.

Related

• Tarragon, dried tarragon vs. fresh and how to store tarragon
• Tarragon vs. dill, tarragon vs. thyme and tarragon vs. rosemary
• Chervil, basil, dill, fennel seed, anise seed and marjoram
• Fines herbes and herbes de Provence
• Tarragon uses, too much tarragon? how to fix the dish and can you freeze tarragon?