You can use tarragon instead of dill at a ratio of 1:1. Tarragon can stand in for dill at a 1:1 ratio, and the dish turns French rather than Scandinavian: tarragon is warm, liquorice-like and sophisticated, while dill is fresh, grassy and bright. The swap works in sauces and fish dishes, where both herbs belong, and it changes the character of the plate.

All amounts in this guide are approximate. Taste as you go, adjust to your dish, and verify with a kitchen scale where weighing matters, because a spoonful can vary with how full it is and how finely the ingredient is ground.

The ratio, in a table

The table below scales the swap from the smallest amount to a full batch. The rule never changes: 1:1.

Dill called for Tarragon to use Notes
1/4 tsp dill 1/4 tsp tarragon Start here for a first try
1/2 tsp dill 1/2 tsp tarragon
1 tsp dill 1 tsp tarragon The most common amount
1 tbsp dill 1 tbsp tarragon
2 tbsp dill 2 tbsp tarragon Taste before adding more

Worked examples

A creamy sauce for salmon

A dill sauce for salmon calls for 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill stirred into sour cream with lemon. Use 2 tablespoons of tarragon instead, chopped fine and stirred in the same way. The sauce turns warmer and more complex, with a liquorice note that suits the rich fish, and it tastes like a French restaurant sauce rather than a Scandinavian one. It is a different sauce, but it is a very good one, and the salmon does not mind at all.

A potato salad for a picnic

A potato salad recipe asks for 3 tablespoons of dill tossed through the potatoes with mayonnaise. Swap in 3 tablespoons of tarragon, chopped fine. The salad gains a warm, aniseed flavour that makes it taste more grown-up, and the potatoes take the tarragon well. It is not the classic dill potato salad, but it is a sophisticated one, and it pairs well with cold chicken and ham.

A cucumber salad with yoghurt

A cucumber salad calls for 2 tablespoons of dill in a yoghurt dressing. Use 2 tablespoons of tarragon instead, chopped fine and whisked into the yoghurt. The salad turns warmer and more aromatic, with a liquorice edge that suits the cool cucumber. The tarragon is stronger than the dill, so the salad tastes more herbal, and a little extra lemon in the dressing keeps it fresh.

What changes in the result

The flavour shifts from fresh, grassy and bright to warm, liquorice-like and slightly sweet, which changes the dish from Scandinavian to French in character. A salmon sauce made with dill tastes clean and fresh; the same sauce made with tarragon tastes rich and complex. The texture stays the same, because both herbs have soft, feathery leaves, and the colour stays the same, with green flecks through the dish. The dish does not get worse, but it does get more assertive, because tarragon is a stronger herb than dill.

When not to substitute

Do not substitute dried herbs for fresh in salads, garnishes or dishes where the herb is eaten raw. If the recipe depends on dill for its defining flavour or structure, do not make the swap at all. Buy the missing ingredient instead, because a substitution that changes the dish into something else is not a substitution worth making.

Where it works best, and where it does not

Tarragon shines as a dill substitute in creamy sauces, fish dishes, chicken, potato salad and egg dishes, where its warmth adds sophistication. It is at its best in French cooking, where tarragon belongs anyway. It fails in pickles, in Scandinavian cooking and in any dish where dill's fresh, grassy brightness is the defining flavour, such as a gravlax cure or a dill pickle, because tarragon cannot give that freshness. For those dishes, use parsley and a little lemon instead.

How to use it well

Use the same amount, 1:1, but taste before serving, because tarragon is stronger than dill and can dominate a light dish. Chop it fine and add it at the end, just as you would dill, so its flavour survives. If the dish is a sauce, let it sit for ten minutes so the tarragon blooms into the cream or yoghurt. If the dish turns too liquorice-like, add a squeeze of lemon, which brightens it. Never use dried tarragon as a dill substitute unless you have no choice, because dried tarragon is much weaker and tastes dusty.

A last tip for this swap

One more thing worth knowing: when tarragon replaces dill in a creamy sauce, let the sauce sit for ten minutes before serving, which gives the tarragon time to bloom into the cream or yoghurt. Chop the tarragon fine, because its leaves are tougher than dill's feathery fronds, and add a squeeze of lemon, which brightens the liquorice note. For a fish sauce, taste it before the fish goes on the plate, because tarragon is stronger than dill and a little extra cream can soften it if needed.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use tarragon instead of dill?

Yes, at a 1:1 ratio, in creamy sauces, fish dishes, chicken and potato salad. Tarragon is warmer and more liquorice-like than dill, so the dish will taste more French and less Scandinavian, but it will still be good. Do not use tarragon instead of dill in pickles or gravlax, where dill's fresh, grassy flavour is the point.

How much tarragon replaces dill?

The same amount, 1:1. A recipe calling for 2 tablespoons of dill needs 2 tablespoons of tarragon, and a recipe calling for 1/4 cup of dill needs 1/4 cup of tarragon. Tarragon is stronger than dill, so taste before adding more, and add a little less if the dish is delicate.

Does tarragon taste like dill?

No. Dill is fresh, grassy and bright, while tarragon is warm, slightly sweet and liquorice-like. They are both feathery green herbs, and they work in many of the same dishes, but they give the dish a different character. A sauce made with tarragon tastes French; a sauce made with dill tastes Scandinavian. Both are good, but they are not the same.

Can I use tarragon instead of dill in pickles?

No. Pickles need dill's fresh, grassy flavour, and tarragon gives them a warm, liquorice note that tastes wrong in a pickle jar. For a quick pickle without dill, use a bay leaf, a few peppercorns and a clove of garlic instead, and skip the herb altogether. Tarragon belongs in sauces, not in brine.

What is tarragon best used for?

Creamy sauces for chicken and fish, béarnaise sauce, egg dishes, potato salad and roast chicken. Tarragon is the classic French herb for chicken, and its warm, liquorice flavour suits rich, creamy dishes. It is less suited to raw salads and light soups, where its strength can dominate, and it should always be used fresh when possible, because dried tarragon loses most of its character.

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