Spice Converter

The standard ratio for converting between fresh and dried herbs:

General rule:

• 1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried (3:1 ratio)
• 1 teaspoon dried = 1 tablespoon fresh

This is because dried herbs are more concentrated in flavor.

Exceptions to the 3:1 rule:

• Garlic: 1 clove fresh = 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• Ginger: 1 tbsp fresh = 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• Onion: 1 medium onion = 1 tbsp onion powder
• Rosemary: use 2:1 ratio (fresh to dried) since dried rosemary is very strong

Pick the herb above and the calculator applies the right ratio for it, rather than the blanket 3:1. Rosemary at 2:1, ginger at 12:1 and garlic at 24:1 are not rounding differences from the general rule; they are different rules, and using 3:1 on garlic powder would put six times too much in the pot.

Weights, and why they are approximate

The gram figures here are per teaspoon of the dried form. They are honest averages and no more than that, because a dried herb’s weight depends heavily on how finely it is crumbled: the same teaspoon of oregano can vary by close to a third between whole leaves and a fine rub.

Notice the four-fold spread between parsley and garlic powder. This is exactly why “a teaspoon” is a poor way to specify a spice and why any recipe that matters gives weights.

Tips:

• Add dried herbs early in cooking (they need time to release flavor).
• Add fresh herbs near the end (heat diminishes their flavor).
• Crush dried herbs between your fingers before adding to activate oils.

The logic behind the 3:1 rule is simple: drying removes water and concentrates the flavor, so a given volume of dried herb carries roughly three times the punch of the same volume fresh. That’s why a teaspoon of dried stands in for a tablespoon of fresh. The exceptions exist because some flavors concentrate far more than others, which is why rosemary leans closer to 2:1 and powdered garlic or ginger is stronger still.

One more thing worth knowing: ground spices fade. Whole spices hold their oils for years, but once ground they lose potency within months, so an old jar may need a heavier hand than any conversion suggests. When in doubt, smell the spice; if it’s faint in the jar, it will be faint in the dish.