You cannot go wrong with fresh herbs, but some herbs can be just as good when dried.
When Are Dried Herbs as Good as Fresh?
It's nice to have fresh herbs around all the time but that is not practical for most of us. When deciding whether dried herbs will do, it depends on what you will be doing with them and of course on the specific herb in question. First, dried herbs are for cooking only, really, because the heat and moisture will extract the flavor and soften the bits. You would not want to sprinkle dried herbs on a salad or into salsa—although there could be exceptions! But some herbs loose most or all of their favor when dried. I find dried basil, for example, to be tasteless.
Which Herbs Are Okay When Dried?
This table lists those herbs that hold flavor well when dried and are fine for use in cooking as well as those that are better used fresh.
| Fine When Dried | Better When Fresh |
|---|---|
| Bay leaf | Basil |
| Marjoram | Chervil |
| Oregano | Chives |
| Rosemary | Cilantro |
| Sage | Dill |
| Savory | Mint |
| Thyme | Parsley |
| Sorrel | |
| Tarragon |
