Fresh to Dry Herb Conversion Calculator
A recipe calls for fresh basil but you only have dried? Enter the amount and unit and this calculator applies the standard culinary ratio to tell you exactly how much to use.
Unit
Conversion direction
Substitution ratio
Use this much dried herb in place of the fresh amount
- 1
Conversion ratio
1 dried : 3 freshDried herbs are more concentrated; the standard culinary ratio for whole dried herbs is 3:1. - 2
Dried amount
3 ÷ 3 = 1
How does this calculator work?
Dried herbs are 3× more concentrated than fresh, so use ⅓ the amount: 1 tbsp fresh = 1 tsp dried. For ground spice vs fresh the ratio is 6:1. Enter your amount and unit in either direction — fresh-to-dried or dried-to-fresh — and get the equivalent instantly in teaspoons, tablespoons and millilitres.
Formula
How this is calculated
Drying removes the water from fresh herbs, concentrating the volatile oils and flavours. The standard culinary rule of thumb — used in America's Test Kitchen, Joy of Cooking and most professional recipe development — is that 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs equals 1 teaspoon of dried (a 3:1 ratio). For ground or powdered spice, which is even more concentrated, the ratio is 6:1 (1 teaspoon of ground equals 6 teaspoons of fresh).
This calculator converts the amount in any common cooking unit (teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, millilitres or grams) in either direction. The gram conversion treats 1 g ≈ 1 mL as an approximation — fine for light leafy herbs but less accurate for denser roots or seeds.
The 3:1 ratio is a starting point. Herb potency varies by variety, age and storage; taste and adjust. Delicate herbs like parsley, chives and dill lose more flavour when dried, so you may need slightly more than the ratio suggests. Robust herbs like thyme, oregano and rosemary hold flavour well and the ratio is reliable.
Frequently asked questions
It is a reliable starting point for most common herbs (basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, tarragon). Delicate herbs like parsley or chives lose more when dried and may need a slightly higher ratio. Always taste and adjust.
Ground spice is even more concentrated: the standard ratio is 6 parts fresh to 1 part ground. Select the "6:1" option in the calculator to use this rule. This is common for ginger, turmeric and cinnamon.
The gram option approximates 1 g = 1 mL, which is reasonable for light leafy herbs. For denser ingredients the approximation is less accurate. A kitchen scale with volume markings gives the best results.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Fresh to Dry Herb Conversion Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/fresh-to-dry-herb-conversion-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Fresh to Dry Herb Conversion Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/fresh-to-dry-herb-conversion-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Fresh to Dry Herb Conversion Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/fresh-to-dry-herb-conversion-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_fresh_to_dry_herb_conversion_calculator, title = {Fresh to Dry Herb Conversion Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/fresh-to-dry-herb-conversion-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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