Ratio: 1 bay leaf = ¼ teaspoon dried oreganoīest for: Italian dishes such as pizza sauce or in this pesto lasagne Substitute 2: Dried Thyme Especially suited to Italian dishes and olive oil based recipes. Oregano is slightly peppery like bay leaves, and goes really well in tomato rich dishes too.

However, if you want to add an alternative to bay leaves in a recipe, here are the best bay leaf substitutes: Best alternative to bay leaves: Dried oregano I’m a firm believer that they do, but along the same vein, this means that if you can’t find anything to substitute a bay leaf then you can leave it out altogether. Some people question if adding a bay leaf to a dish actually heightens the flavour of the dish. Indian bay is a completely different species (see end of post for alternatives to Indian bay leaves). There are two main types of bay leaf: Turkish bay (the most common variety) and Californian Bay, which are slightly stronger in taste than Turkish bay leaves and have a minty taste to them. As they are pungent, bay leaves are used sparingly, often 1 or 2 is more than enough in a recipe. Peppery with hints of pine, they are often added to slow-cooked dishes such as soups, stews, sauces and stocks, and then removed before serving. Mediterranean, East Asian, Caribbean, France, America and India (both Laurel bay and Indian bay leaves.) What are Bay Leaves?īay leaves come from the laurel tree, an evergreen tree from the Mediterranean.

Substitute for bay leaves in Indian recipes.

Best alternatives to bay leaves in specific recipes:.Best alternative to bay leaves: Dried oregano.Countries bay leaves are used in cooking.But what can you use instead of bay leaves if you don’t have any? Read on for the best substitutes for bay leaves. Both fresh and dried, bay leaves add a distinctive flavour to many dishes.

Thyme substitute dry for fresh