Substitutions

What can I use instead of fresh dill?

Feathery green fronds with a sweet, grassy, faintly aniseed aroma carried by carvone - the same compound that dominates caraway.

What it does in a recipe: A cool, sharp finish for fish, cucumber, yoghurt and potatoes, added late because its oils are volatile and heat-sensitive. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.

Also called: Dill weed, Dill fronds

4substitutes

Reliablebest available

Herbscategory

Quick answer

Fresh fennel fronds

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill = 1 tbsp chopped fennel fronds

All substitutes, best first

4 ways to replace fresh dill

Fresh fennel fronds

Reliable

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill = 1 tbsp chopped fennel fronds

Fennel fronds look almost identical and carry a related sweet-anise aroma, so they cover both dill's appearance and much of its flavour.

MethodAdd them at the end as you would dill; they wilt and lose fragrance quickly over heat.

Trade-offSweeter and more openly aniseed. In a cucumber salad this reads as a variation rather than a mistake.

Raw / no-cookCookingSaucesVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Fresh tarragon

Reliable

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill = 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon

Tarragon's estragole gives a comparable sweet-anise lift and suits the same fish and cream dishes, but it is stronger, so use about two thirds.

Trade-offMore perfumed and more French. A gravlax or a dill pickle will taste clearly different.

SaucesCookingRaw / no-cookVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Dried dill weed

In a pinch

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill = 1 tsp dried dill weed

The 3:1 fresh-to-dried ratio applies here as it does to other soft herbs, though dill loses more than the woody herbs do.

MethodStir it into yoghurt or a dressing at least fifteen minutes ahead so it has time to soften and bloom in the moisture.

Trade-offFlatter and hay-like, with much of the fresh sharpness gone. It is serviceable in dips and disappointing as a garnish.

CookingSaucesVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Fresh flat-leaf parsley and a pinch of caraway

In a pinch

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill = 1 tbsp chopped parsley + a scant 1/8 tsp ground caraway

Parsley supplies the green body, and caraway supplies the carvone that gives dill its characteristic note - the two compounds are the same.

MethodBe cautious with the caraway. Add half, taste, and add the rest only if the anise note has not come through.

Trade-offApproximate rather than convincing, and caraway brings a rye-bread association dill does not have.

CookingSaucesVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Worth knowing

Dill seed and dill weed are not interchangeable. The seed is far more pungent and closer to caraway, and belongs in pickling brine rather than on a plate of salmon.

At a glance

Fresh dill in summary

Fresh dill at a glance: category, its job in a recipe, the diets it suits, the diets its substitutes can satisfy, and how many substitutes there are.
Category	Herbs
Job in a recipe	A cool, sharp finish for fish, cucumber, yoghurt and potatoes, added late because its oils are volatile and heat-sensitive
Suits	Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free
Swaps available for	Dairy-free Egg-free Gluten-free Nut-free Soy-free Vegan Vegetarian
Number of substitutes	4

Questions

Swapping fresh dill: quick answers

Can I use fresh fennel fronds instead of fresh dill?

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill = 1 tbsp chopped fennel fronds. Fennel fronds look almost identical and carry a related sweet-anise aroma, so they cover both dill's appearance and much of its flavour. Sweeter and more openly aniseed. In a cucumber salad this reads as a variation rather than a mistake.

Can I use fresh tarragon instead of fresh dill?

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill = 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon. Tarragon's estragole gives a comparable sweet-anise lift and suits the same fish and cream dishes, but it is stronger, so use about two thirds. More perfumed and more French. A gravlax or a dill pickle will taste clearly different.

Can I use dried dill weed instead of fresh dill?

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill = 1 tsp dried dill weed. The 3:1 fresh-to-dried ratio applies here as it does to other soft herbs, though dill loses more than the woody herbs do. Flatter and hay-like, with much of the fresh sharpness gone. It is serviceable in dips and disappointing as a garnish.

Can I use fresh flat-leaf parsley and a pinch of caraway instead of fresh dill?

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill = 1 tbsp chopped parsley + a scant 1/8 tsp ground caraway. Parsley supplies the green body, and caraway supplies the carvone that gives dill its characteristic note - the two compounds are the same. Approximate rather than convincing, and caraway brings a rye-bread association dill does not have.

More herbs

Bay leaf4 substitutes Curry leaves4 substitutes Dried basil4 substitutes Dried oregano4 substitutes Dried thyme4 substitutes Fresh basil4 substitutes

Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.