Substitutions

What can I use instead of bay leaf?

Q: Can I use dried thyme instead of bay leaf?

1 dried bay leaf = 1/4 tsp dried thyme. Both are heat-stable woody-herb flavours that release slowly into a simmering liquid, so thyme can occupy bay's background position over a long cook. More overtly herbal and less shadowy. Bay's contribution is easier to notice by its absence than its presence, and thyme is the opposite.

Q: Can I use california bay leaf instead of bay leaf?

2 Turkish bay leaves = 1 California bay leaf. California bay comes from a different tree with a far higher concentration of the same eucalyptus-like volatiles, so roughly half as much does the job. More medicinal and camphorous. Used one-for-one it will dominate a stock and taste harsh.

Q: Can I use dried oregano instead of bay leaf?

1 dried bay leaf = 1/4 tsp dried oregano. Oregano is another dried Mediterranean leaf that survives long cooking, and in a tomato-based braise it fills the same slow savoury slot. Peppery and forward where bay is quiet. Fine in a ragù, wrong in a delicate white stock or a béchamel.

A stiff, glossy leaf from the laurel tree, sold dried, with a subtle tea-like eucalyptus aroma that only emerges with prolonged wet heat.

What it does in a recipe: A slow background savoury note that emerges over long simmering — it does little in a quick dish. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.

Also called: Laurel leaf, Turkish bay, Sweet bay

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Herbscategory

Quick answer

Dried thyme

1 dried bay leaf = 1/4 tsp dried thyme

All substitutes, best first

4 ways to replace bay leaf

Dried thyme

Reliable

1 dried bay leaf = 1/4 tsp dried thyme

Both are heat-stable woody-herb flavours that release slowly into a simmering liquid, so thyme can occupy bay's background position over a long cook.

MethodAdd it at the start with the liquid, exactly as you would the bay leaf.

Trade-offMore overtly herbal and less shadowy. Bay's contribution is easier to notice by its absence than its presence, and thyme is the opposite.

CookingSaucesVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

California bay leaf

Reliable

2 Turkish bay leaves = 1 California bay leaf

California bay comes from a different tree with a far higher concentration of the same eucalyptus-like volatiles, so roughly half as much does the job.

Trade-offMore medicinal and camphorous. Used one-for-one it will dominate a stock and taste harsh.

CookingSaucesVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Dried oregano

In a pinch

1 dried bay leaf = 1/4 tsp dried oregano

Oregano is another dried Mediterranean leaf that survives long cooking, and in a tomato-based braise it fills the same slow savoury slot.

Trade-offPeppery and forward where bay is quiet. Fine in a ragù, wrong in a delicate white stock or a béchamel.

CookingSaucesVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Leave it out

In a pinch

1 dried bay leaf = omit, and add a strip of lemon zest for a long braise

Bay works so quietly that its absence often passes unnoticed, and a piece of zest supplies a comparable aromatic lift without pretending to be bay.

MethodUse a wide strip of zest with no pith, added at the start, and remove it before serving as you would the leaf.

Trade-offHonest but real: a stock loses a little depth. In a quick sauce you will not be able to tell.

CookingSaucesVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-freeSoy-free

Worth knowing

Always remove bay leaves before serving. They stay stiff and sharp-edged no matter how long they cook, and swallowing one is a genuine hazard.

At a glance

Bay leaf in summary

Category	Herbs
Job in a recipe	A slow background savoury note that emerges over long simmering — it does little in a quick dish
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

More herbs

Curry leaves4 substitutes Dried basil4 substitutes Dried oregano4 substitutes Dried thyme4 substitutes Fresh basil4 substitutes Fresh chives4 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.