What's the Best Dill Substitute? Every Alternative to Fresh Dill Weed

Dill is so accessible that one year, I forgot to plant some in my herb garden.

Disaster. I was pan-searing some salmon and—no dill. Suddenly, I needed a dill substitute.

I panicked. Parsley is probably fine, right? Will fennel work? Can I use cilantro to replace dill?

But you don't need to fret.

That's because I experimented with alternatives to find the best alternatives to dill (and planted some more in my garden). My results are here for you to enjoy!

Jump to:

• What is Dill Best For?
• 10 Best Fresh Dill Substitutes
• 4 Best Dill Seed Substitutes
• Tips for Substituting Dill
• Dill Substitute: Frequently Asked Questions
• Dill-icious Substitutes Already in Your Kitchen!
• Recipe

What is Dill Best For?

Also known as dill weed, the dill plant is a member of the parsley family. It's easy to grow and widely used for culinary purposes. Recipes generally use its feathery leaves (or fronds) and stems.

It has a distinct grassy, buttery flavor with hints of anise or licorice flavor and a touch of lemon or citrus flavor.As complex as its flavor may sound, it's a gentle herb that is especially popular with fish dishes, including the iconic cream cheese and lox bagel.

10 Best Fresh Dill Substitutes

You'll never lack ingredient substitutes as long as I'm around. It's my mission to help home chefs understand that the answers are almost always in their store cupboards.

With that, here are the best substitutes for dill in a huge range of recipes.

1. Dried Dill

When asking, "What can I substitute for dill weed?", nothing can come close to the herb's flavor than its dried version.

However, you must remember that dried dill has a more concentrated flavor and aroma than the fresh variety, as they were preserved during the drying process.

As such, when you substitute dry dill for fresh dill weed, you will need to use less to have a dish with a good balance of flavor. The ratio that I follow and recommend that you use is for every tablespoon of fresh dill weed required in your recipe, replace it with a teaspoon of dried dill.

While dried dill lacks the brightness the fresh variety brings to salad dressings and salads, it's also possible to use dry dill weed as a garnish. Simply sprinkle the herb on your dressing or salad.

Best for: Dill weed is a good substitute for dill in most dishes. It pairs well with fish, especially pan-seared salmon. It's delicious in salads and salad dressings and adds depth and a unique flavor to soups.

Related: Kasoori Methi Substitute: 10 Best Options for Indian Cooking

2. Fresh Fennel

If you can't substitute dried dill for fresh dill weed because you don't have it or your dish requires the freshness of an herb, then fennel should be your top choice. It has the same licorice or anise flavor as dill, although milder with hints of sweetness.

But this mild flavor and sweet herbal flavor pair well with most ingredients commonly used in recipes requiring dill.

The fennel fronds resemble dill leaves, making them the perfect garnishes for salads, dips, and salad dressings. Meanwhile, the fennel's stem is a suitable ingredient for your hot dishes.

To use fresh fennel fronds and stems as a dill weed substitute, follow a 1:1 ratio.

Best for: Fennel pairs well with flavorful fish such as salmon, baked trout, and air fryer tuna steak. It also complements pork, so can be used with fried pork chops or slow-cooked sauces. It's delicious in a fresh salad.

3. Tarragon

A popular ingredient in French cuisine, tarragon has a similar licorice or anise flavor profile to dill weed. It's my top choice when I'm in dire need of a dill alternative for salmon, such as my air fryer salmon steak.

Its advantage over dill is that tarragon can withstand heat better. As such, it's always best to add the herb in the earlier stages of the cooking process instead of the latter stage.

The amount you need to use when using fresh tarragon is the same as the amount of dill required in the recipe.

On the other hand, use a lower quantity of dried tarragon. Like swapping in dried dill for fresh dill weed, replace one tablespoon of fresh dill with one teaspoon of dried tarragon.

Best for Tarragon makes fantastic dressings, especially when paired with mustard. It's versatile and can be used in French sauces, hearty Italian stews, and buttery pan sauces for steak or salmon, and it shines in seafood dishes like risotto.

4. Fresh Parsley

Parsley and dill belong to the same family, but parsley has a mild flavor, so it's the best dill alternative when serving individuals who don't like dill's strong flavor.

It's also an excellent garnish for your potato salad and salad dressings, thanks to its bright green leaves. Fresh parsley is also my top choice when I need a substitute for dill in tzatziki.

When you shop for fresh parsley, you'll find different varieties. I highly recommend the flat-leaf or Italian parsley because it's more versatile and can withstand heat better than the curly-leafed ones.

When using this fresh herb as a substitute, measure the same amount as the recipe calls for fresh dill leaves. You can add more if you want to or find that your dish needs more earthy flavors. After all, parsley has a milder flavor than dill.

Best for: Parsley is a great garnish for meaty stews and works beautifully with fish such as air fryer halibut. It stands out with pan-seared salmon or in a rich, creamy sauce or salmon pie and works well in potato salads. It's also lovely as a garnish for air fryer garlic bread.

RELATED: 11 Best Fresh and Dry Fenugreek Leaves Substitutes

5. Rosemary

Another good substitute for dill weed when you want a dish with a milder herbal aroma and flavor is rosemary. It's a key ingredient in some Mediterranean cold and cooked dishes, thanks to its floral notes.

However, this distinct flavor and aroma make rosemary unsuitable for recipes wherein the main ingredient is fresh dill. You should only choose it if you need a fresh dill replacement to use as a garnish or as one of the many flavor enhancers in the recipe.

It's also one of my top recommendations when you need a dill alternative for salmon recipes, especially if you need to pan-sear, bake, or grill it.

When substituting dill with rosemary, use half the amount the recipe calls for and just add more if you want or need to.

Best for: When used sparingly, rosemary can enliven salmon dishes, salad dressings, meaty sauces, and rubs and marinades for lamb, chicken, and meat. It's fantastic with potatoes; try it in our air fryer hasselback potatoes.

6. Bay Leaves

Bay leaf is another fresh dill alternative most of you are familiar with and probably already used a few times in your recipes. With earthy notes, it will make your dish more appetizing due to its enhanced taste and aroma.

One problem you might encounter with bay leaves is the right amount to use. What worked for me was one to two bay leaves, depending on how strong I wanted their distinct flavor to be added to my dish.

Also, don't forget to fish out the leaves from your cooked dishes because the more you expose the herb to heat, the more you bring out their flavor and aroma. You don't want to serve a dish with an unbalanced flavor, right?

Best for: Bay leaves can replace dill stems by adding a gentle, savory flavor to slow-cooked stews, soups, and meat recipes.

7. Cilantro

When it comes to what to substitute for dill weed, cilantro is among the best fresh herbs to keep in mind since it also belongs to the same plant family. It has a more intense flavor than the two fresh herbs. Specifically, it has a distinct peppery taste and aroma.

For this reason, cilantro is my go-to dill replacement in tzatziki if I want to add a unique flavor to the sauce. It's also why the herb doesn't work well for all recipes requiring dill weed.

To replace fresh dill weed with cilantro, use half the amount of what the recipe calls for. Better yet, I recommend gradually adding cilantro to your recipe. Then, adjust according to your taste and preference.

This way, you're assured that the strong flavor of cilantro won't completely overpower the other ingredients.

Best for: Cilantro is among the best substitutes for dill in creamy dips like tzatziki. It's a staple of Middle Eastern dishes and complements lamb and chicken. It's delicious in tomato-based dishes.

RELATED: 8 Best Cilantro Substitutes Home Cooks Should Start Using

8. Mint

Mint is among the most commonly used herbs in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine I also love using it as a substitute for dill in tzatziki and other yogurt sauces. It has a bright, grassy, sweet taste that can give your recipe lighter, earthy tones than what dill weed brings.

The main issue when using mint as a substitute for fresh dill is that its distinct flavor can overpower the other ingredients' flavor profiles. I recommend that you only add a pinch or not exceed ⅓ of the amount of fresh dill listed in your recipe. You can also use suitable mint substitute if desired.

Best for: Mint is a lively replacement for dill in zingy pan sauces, salad dressings, yogurt-based dips, and cold dishes.

9. Fresh Thyme

If you love cooking Mediterranean dishes, fresh thyme is another ingredient you'll often find listed in recipes. It belongs to the mint family, so it also has hints of sweetness.

While it has a more pungent flavor, it pairs well and enhances the flavor of most ingredients that fresh dill also compliments. But you should be careful when using thyme because its strong flavor can affect the dish's overall quality and balance of flavor.

Start by adding a pinch of fresh thyme, and then adjust accordingly. The maximum amount of thyme I recommend you use is just half the amount of the required fresh dill.

Best for: Fresh thyme adds a deep, herbal flavor to baked, grilled, roasted, and stewed salmon and meat dishes. A little thyme can also enrich a potato salad.

10. Basil

The last substitute for dill weed that you probably already have in your kitchen pantry is basil, as it's used in many cuisines. It's an aromatic herb with a slightly sweet taste and slight hints of anise.

It's the perfect choice for dishes whose main ingredient isn't dill and when serving guests who can't handle the dill flavor.

While I highly recommend using fresh basil because the flavor profile is closer to dill, you can also use dried basil if it's the only thing you have.

Substitution-wise, add the same amount of fresh basil to your recipe as the required fresh dill. For dried basil, add it gradually until you achieve the kind of flavor that you're looking for.

Best for: Basil shines when added at the end of cooking in meaty sauces. It pairs well with air fryer stuffed mushrooms and complements sharp flavors like olives in a salad.

4 Best Dill Seed Substitutes

Dill seeds have a more intense flavor, so some home cooks, including me, don't recommend it as a fresh or dried dill replacement. You also can't substitute the dried and fresh varieties for dill seeds.

With that in mind, here are my top recommendations for dill seed alternatives.

1. Anise Seeds

What could be the best dill substitute than seeds with the most distinct flavor of the spice, right?

Anise seeds are an excellent substitute for dill seeds in pickling and most recipes that require dill seeds. Many people prefer dill pickles to sour pickles, and anise helps achieve that distinctive dill pickle flavor, as explained by the team at AllRecipes.

However, you need to go easy on adding them to your dish because the earthy, anise flavor can throw off your dish's balance of flavor. Add just a pinch of the seeds and add another pinch if you think your dish needs more anise notes.

Best for: Anise seeds add wonderful depth to pork stews and marinades. They're fantastic with fish and beef and bring depth to hearty tomato soups.

2. Caraway Seeds

If you're looking for a dried dill substitute whose taste will work for most people, I highly recommend dried oregano. It's an easily available herb and its sweet herbal flavor pairs well with most ingredients commonly used with dried dill.

Dried oregano's flavor and aroma won't overpower your dish as long as you don't add too much. Ideally, add ⅓ of the amount required for dill when using oregano as a dried dill weed substitute. You can always add more if you find that your dish if you want and need to.

Best for dressings and meat marinades.

Related: The 10 Best Oregano Substitute Herbs and Spices

3. Celery Seeds

No caraway, anise, and dill seeds available in your pantry or the nearest grocery store? Then grab that small bag or bottle of celery seeds.

With their earthy, grassy flavor, you won't need to compute the right amount of celery seeds to use. Simply follow a 1:1 ratio.

Yes, celery seeds are slightly bitter, but they won't be noticeable as long as you don't use too much of the spice.

Best for: Celery seeds can lift up a potato salad with a special something. They're an excellent choice for fresh coleslaw and help in a savory dry rub for grilled meat.

4. Fennel Seeds

Another favorite of mine when it comes to substituting dill seeds in dill pickles and tzatziki sauce is fennel seeds. They have a slight sweetness to them that balances the strong anise flavor.

However, these seeds are also slightly bitter, so be careful not to use too much in your recipe.

Like anise seeds, start by adding just a pinch of fennel seeds and add another pinch as and when needed.

Best for: Fennel seeds make fantastic pickles when you don't have dill seeds around. They work well in recipes like air fryer pork neck and bring depth to pasta sauces including wild boar ragout and even bolognese. They're also great with potatoes in a salad or salad dressing.

RELATED: Best Fennel Seed Substitutes for Your Recipes

Tips for Substituting Dill

1. Keep it light.

Fresh herbs add a lot of flavor when used as a garnish. Use substitutes sparingly and you'll still enjoy a great taste without overpowering the dish.

2. Try herb combinations.

Herbs all have their own distinct flavor! Try combining fennel and parsley, for example, to get the best of both worlds and a taste closer to fresh dill.

3. Grow an herb garden!

This will guarantee that even if you don't have fresh dill to hand, you always have a host of culinary herbs ready to swap in. Better yet—you can plant your own dill!

Dill-icious Substitutes Already in Your Kitchen!

Good news: you already have the best substitutes for dill. Now, put them to use!

Whether it's a like-for-like or creating sweet herbal flavor pairs, you can always achieve that distinctive dill flavor. Happy cooking!

Recipe