The Best Substitutes For When You Have No Thyme

We've all been there; you're halfway through making a dish, and you've forgotten the cornerstone of your entire recipe. Small but mighty herbs can sometimes be overlooked when writing your ingredient list. While they may not add much body to a dish, herbs, and spices enhance flavor and taste, elevating a recipe. Upon realizing you've overlooked this essential ingredient, it can be near soul-destroying, but there is always hope.

As one of the oldest documented herbs, thyme has worked its way into many recipes we've come to cherish and love: Classic sausage gravy, lemon chicken, sautéed mushrooms, baked salmon, and fried eggs. Thyme plays a vital role in our daily meals, and it's valuable to understand what replacements can be used if you're running low or out. Other herbs can equally enhance the flavors of your dish and quash the fear of a bland bite.

Thyme's flavors you want to mirror are earthy tones, floral notes, a minty likeness, and a hint of citrus. The first place you can turn to is oregano. Since thyme and oregano are both members of the Lamiaceae (mint) family, you're guaranteed the minty elements and earthy bite, as well as some additional spicy undertones. The ratio for replacement is easy 1-to-1. Remember, when substituting dried for fresh thyme, you should follow a 1-3 ratio (dried to fresh). Marjoram is a slightly sweeter, delicate substitute if you're looking for a less peppery stand-in. Fresh or dried marjoram is a 1-to-1 ratio for thyme.

Next, remember those floral notes we mentioned earlier? If you're looking to accentuate this aspect of thyme, then rosemary works well. Rosemary also reflects those citrus, woody elements that thyme embodies, making it great in dried loose-leaf tea. While many sources recommend swapping rosemary and thyme evenly, we'd suggest starting with half the rosemary and adding extra later if needed, as rosemary's floral elements can be overpowering. Lastly, if you're looking for a fresh thyme replacement that'll slip subtly into salads and dips, then a 1-to-1 ratio of fresh parsley is a great alternative.

If you've got a couple of dried spice blends hanging around, these can also be used instead of missing thyme. Take Italian seasoning, for example, which usually contains thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano, and marjoram. It combines the earthy thyme elements with a sweet finish from the basil, perfect on pizza, in meatballs, or sprinkled into a pasta sauce. You can use a ratio of 1-to-1 for the thyme you are replacing in these recipes.

Apart from the apparent spice blends already containing thyme (like herbs de Provence), you can always branch out to others that may seem less appropriate. Za'atar, for one, actually contains thyme. It leans toward a nutty flavor but retains some citrus notes (from the sumac) and woody elements. This blend works well as a dry rub for meats or as a sprinkle to elevate eggs. Remember, you don't need to have run out of thyme to try these replacements either; if you fancy accentuating certain elements of this wonderful herb, try one of these alternatives!