Spice & Herb Conversion Calculator

Herbs and Spices Conversion Guide

What do I need to know about Fresh to Dried Herb Ratios?

The standard conversion ratio for most herbs: 1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried (3:1 ratio). This works for: basil, parsley, thyme, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, and dill. The reason: drying removes the water content (herbs are 70-80% water) concentrating the flavour compounds. Some herbs lose volatile aromatics during drying more than others. Bay leaves are an exception — dried bay is actually more pungent than fresh. Frozen fresh herbs retain flavour better than dried for most soft herbs (basil, parsley, coriander) if used within a few weeks.

What's the difference between Whole and Ground Spices?

Ground spices: 1 teaspoon ground = approximately 1 teaspoon whole spices before grinding (similar volume but ground packs more flavour per teaspoon as the volatile oils are released). For optimal flavour: toast whole spices briefly in a dry pan before grinding — releases the aromatic oils and dramatically intensifies flavour. Ground spices lose potency faster than whole — ground cumin loses 50% of its flavour compounds within 6 months; cumin seeds stored whole last 2-3 years. The difference between whole and pre-ground spice can be dramatic in a dish that relies heavily on that flavour, which is why grinding whole spices fresh just before use consistently gives the best result.

What do I need to know about Garlic Conversions?

1 fresh garlic clove = approximately 0.5 teaspoon minced fresh garlic = 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder = 0.5 teaspoon garlic granules = 1 teaspoon garlic paste. Garlic powder and granules produce a more uniform, less sharp garlic flavour compared to fresh — good for spice rubs and seasoning blends. Fresh garlic in a hot pan initially produces the sharpest, most pungent flavour, which mellows significantly with longer cooking. Roasted garlic (whole bulb, 40 minutes at 180°C) produces a sweet, caramelised flavour completely different from raw or lightly cooked garlic, useful in dishes where a milder, sweeter garlic note is wanted.

What do I need to know about Chilli Heat Conversions?

Chilli heat is measured on the Scoville scale. Approximate equivalences: 1 fresh jalapeño (5,000 SHU) ≈ 1 teaspoon mild chilli powder. 1 fresh serrano ≈ 0.5-1 teaspoon medium chilli powder. 1 fresh bird's eye chilli (100,000 SHU) ≈ 0.25-0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper. However, heat is only one dimension — fresh chillies have fruity, grassy flavours that dried and powdered forms lack. When substituting dried for fresh: add half the chilli quantity first and taste, as heat perception varies with dish composition and personal tolerance.

What should I know about Why Dried Herbs Are Stronger Than Fresh?

The common 3:1 fresh-to-dried conversion ratio (3 parts fresh herb equals roughly 1 part dried) exists because drying removes water content, concentrating the herb's volatile aromatic oils into a smaller physical volume — fresh herbs are typically 80-90% water by weight, so removing that water concentrates the remaining flavour compounds substantially. However, this concentration also means dried herbs lose their more delicate, volatile top notes during the drying and storage process (which is why dried basil or dried cilantro taste noticeably different, almost 'flatter', compared to their vividly fresh counterparts, rather than simply being a more concentrated version of the same flavour) — robust herbs like oregano, thyme, and rosemary retain their character well when dried precisely because their flavour compounds are less volatile and survive the drying process largely intact, while delicate herbs like basil, parsley, chives, and cilantro lose much more of their distinctive character.

What do I need to know about Converting Whole Spices to Ground?

Whole spices toasted and ground fresh are generally considered more flavourful than pre-ground spices of the same type, because grinding exposes far more surface area to air, accelerating the loss of volatile aromatic oils — pre-ground spices sitting on a shelf for months have typically already lost a meaningful portion of their original potency compared to the day they were ground. When substituting pre-ground spice for a recipe calling for whole spice to be toasted and ground, a reasonable starting adjustment is using about 50-75% of the specified amount of whole spice converted to ground weight, then tasting and adjusting, since pre-ground spice (even if reasonably fresh) still tends to be somewhat less potent gram-for-gram than freshly ground whole spice of the same type — though this varies considerably by spice and by how long the pre-ground version has actually been stored before use.

What should I know about When to Add Spices During Cooking for Best Flavour?

When a spice is added during cooking affects its flavour impact as much as the quantity used, since different flavour compounds are released and change under heat at different rates. Whole spices (cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cardamom pods) are often added early, toasted or fried briefly in oil at the start of cooking (a technique sometimes called 'blooming' or tempering spices), which releases their aromatic oils into the fat and builds a flavour base that permeates the whole dish. Ground spices burn and turn bitter more easily than whole ones if added to hot oil directly without enough liquid nearby to temper the heat, so they're often added slightly later, once there's some liquid or other ingredients in the pan to prevent scorching. Delicate or aromatic ground spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, and fresh herbs, are frequently added towards the end of cooking or even after the dish is off the heat, since prolonged cooking can drive off their more volatile flavour compounds, leaving the dish tasting flatter than intended. As a general guide, robust, earthy spices benefit from early cooking to mellow and deepen, while bright, aromatic ones are best added later to preserve their fresher character — getting this timing wrong is a common reason a dish with the 'right' spices by quantity still tastes underwhelming.

Common Spice and Herb Substitutions

Worked example scaling a recipe: a recipe written for 4 servings calls for 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander and 1/2 tsp cayenne. Scaling to 10 servings means multiplying every spice quantity by 2.5 (10 ÷ 4): cumin becomes 5 tsp, coriander becomes 2.5 tsp, and cayenne becomes 1.25 tsp. For dried chilli-based heat specifically, it's worth tasting and adjusting cayenne downward slightly versus a strict linear scale-up, since capsaicin heat is often perceived as more intense in a larger batch cooked for longer, concentrating pungency as liquid reduces.

Storing Spices to Preserve Potency

Ground spices lose potency faster than whole spices because grinding exposes far more surface area to oxygen and light, both of which degrade the volatile aromatic oils responsible for flavour — a ground spice typically retains good strength for 6-12 months, while the same spice left whole (peppercorns, cumin seed, cinnamon sticks) can remain potent for 2-4 years if stored correctly. Best practice: keep spices in airtight containers, away from direct light and away from the heat of the stove (a common but poor storage choice), and buy in quantities that will be used within that window rather than in bulk for rarely-used spices, since no amount of correct storage fully halts the gradual loss of aromatic compounds over time.

Blooming Spices: Why Oil or Dry Heat Changes Flavour

'Blooming' whole or ground spices briefly in hot oil or a dry pan before adding other ingredients (common in Indian, Middle Eastern and some Southeast Asian cooking) releases fat-soluble aromatic compounds that water alone doesn't extract as effectively, intensifying flavour compared to simply adding the same spice directly to a simmering liquid. This is a technique difference rather than a quantity conversion, but it affects how much of a given spice is actually needed — a bloomed spice typically delivers more perceived flavour per gram than the same spice simmered directly in liquid from the start.

Toasting Whole Spices Before Grinding

Dry-toasting whole spices (such as cumin or coriander seed) in a pan for a minute or two before grinding develops additional roasted, nutty flavour compounds through the same browning reactions involved in toasting nuts or bread, intensifying flavour beyond what the raw spice alone provides — this is a flavour-development step distinct from the basic fresh-to-dried or whole-to-ground quantity conversions, and doesn't change the conversion ratio itself, only the flavour profile of the resulting ground spice.