A woody evergreen shrub with needle-like leaves carrying a strong pine-and-camphor aroma from cineole and camphor itself.
What it does in a recipe: A powerful resinous note that stands up to roasting, grilling and long braising - one of the few herbs that gains rather than loses under high heat. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Both are heat-stable woody Mediterranean herbs, but thyme is gentler and lacks rosemary's camphor punch, so you use about half again as much.
Trade-offRounder and less piney. Roast potatoes and lamb will taste good but not the same - rosemary's resinous edge is what makes those dishes read as they do.
Allergen checkBlends differ by brand and some contain non-herb carriers that may include wheat. Look at the ingredient list before serving to a gluten-free guest, and get confirmation from the producer where the allergy is severe.
Worth knowing
A whole sprig dropped into a braise or an oil infuses cleanly and comes out in one piece. Chopped rosemary is much more aggressive than the same amount left on the stem.
At a glance
Fresh rosemary in summary
Fresh rosemary 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.
Can I use dried rosemary instead of fresh rosemary?
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary = 1 tsp dried rosemary. The standard 3:1 fresh-to-dried conversion. Rosemary's oils are held in tough, resinous needles that survive drying almost intact. Very close in flavour to fresh. The texture is the real problem - whole dried needles are unpleasant to bite into.
Can I use fresh thyme instead of fresh rosemary?
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary = 1 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves. Both are heat-stable woody Mediterranean herbs, but thyme is gentler and lacks rosemary's camphor punch, so you use about half again as much. Rounder and less piney. Roast potatoes and lamb will taste good but not the same - rosemary's resinous edge is what makes those dishes read as they do.
Can I use fresh sage instead of fresh rosemary?
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary = 2 tsp chopped fresh sage. Sage carries thujone and camphor, overlapping with rosemary's camphor, and it is similarly robust under heat. It is strong, so pull back a third. Muskier and more savoury, without the pine. Works well with pork and poultry, less so with lamb or focaccia.
Can I use herbes de provence instead of fresh rosemary?
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary = 1 tsp herbes de Provence. Rosemary is one of the blend's core herbs, so you get it at dried concentration alongside thyme and savory that suit the same dishes. Diluted rosemary plus a chorus of other herbs. If the blend contains lavender, keep it away from anything delicate.
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.