You can use dill instead of tarragon at a ratio of 1:1. Dill can replace tarragon at a 1:1 ratio, and the dish turns fresher and lighter for it. The swap works in fish dishes and creamy sauces, where dill's grassy brightness is welcome, and it is weakest in béarnaise and other classic French sauces, where tarragon's liquorice warmth is the flavour the sauce is built on.

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.

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

Worked examples

A creamy sauce for chicken

A tarragon cream sauce for chicken calls for 2 tablespoons of chopped tarragon stirred into the cream. Use 2 tablespoons of dill instead, chopped fine and stirred in the same way. The sauce turns fresher and greener, with a grassy brightness that suits the chicken, and it tastes lighter than the tarragon version. It is a different sauce, more Scandinavian than French, but it is a good one, and the chicken does not mind.

A fish dish for a summer supper

A fish recipe asks for 3 tablespoons of tarragon scattered over grilled fish with lemon. Swap in 3 tablespoons of dill, torn over the fish just before serving. The dill's fresh, grassy flavour suits the fish better than tarragon's warmth on a hot evening, and the dish tastes clean and summery. The lemon ties it together, and the fish comes out tasting like a seaside supper.

An egg salad sandwich filling

An egg salad recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of tarragon mixed through the eggs with mayonnaise. Use 2 tablespoons of dill instead, chopped fine. The filling turns fresher and brighter, with a grassy note that suits eggs well, and the sandwiches taste lighter. Tarragon would have given the filling a warm, sophisticated edge, while dill gives it a fresh, picnic flavour, which is exactly right for a sandwich.

What changes in the result

The flavour turns fresher, grassier and brighter, losing the warm, liquorice-like depth that defines tarragon. In a fish dish or an egg salad that is an improvement, because the dish tastes lighter. In a béarnaise sauce or a classic French chicken dish it is a real loss, because tarragon is the flavour the sauce is built on, and dill cannot give that warmth. The texture stays the same, because both herbs have soft, feathery leaves, and the colour stays the same, with green flecks through the dish.

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 tarragon 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

Dill shines as a tarragon substitute in fish dishes, egg salad, potato salad, creamy sauces and light chicken dishes, where its freshness lifts the plate. It is at its best in summer cooking, when the dill is young and the dishes are light. It fails in béarnaise sauce, in classic French chicken dishes and in any recipe where tarragon's liquorice warmth is the defining flavour, because the dish loses its identity without it. For those dishes, there is no good substitute for tarragon.

How to use it well

Use the same amount, 1:1, and add the dill at the end, just as you would tarragon, so its freshness survives. Chop it fine and taste before serving, because dill is milder than tarragon and the dish may need a little more herb to taste complete. If the dish is a sauce that needs tarragon's warmth, add a pinch of fennel seed or a drop of aniseed, which gives some of the liquorice note that dill lacks. Do not use dried dill as a tarragon substitute, because dried dill is weak and tastes dusty.

A last tip for this swap

One more thing worth knowing: when dill replaces tarragon in a fish dish, tear the dill over the fish just before serving, so its freshness survives the heat of the plate. A squeeze of lemon ties the dill to the fish, and a spoonful of yoghurt or sour cream on the side gives the dish the richness that tarragon's warmth would have provided. Dill freezes well, chopped and packed into ice cube trays with water, so a glut of dill need never go to waste.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use dill instead of tarragon?

Yes, at a 1:1 ratio, in fish dishes, egg salad, potato salad and light creamy sauces. Dill is fresher and grassier than tarragon, so the dish will taste lighter and brighter. Do not use dill instead of tarragon in béarnaise sauce or classic French chicken dishes, where tarragon's warm, liquorice flavour is the point of the recipe.

How much dill replaces tarragon?

The same amount, 1:1. A recipe calling for 2 tablespoons of tarragon needs 2 tablespoons of dill, and a recipe calling for 1/4 cup of tarragon needs 1/4 cup of dill. Because dill is milder than tarragon, you may need a little more to get the same herbal presence, so taste and adjust.

Will béarnaise work with dill instead of tarragon?

It will work as a sauce, but it will not be béarnaise. Béarnaise is defined by tarragon, and without it the sauce is a different thing, closer to a dill butter sauce. It will still taste good on steak, but it will not taste like béarnaise. If you have no tarragon, make a dill butter sauce instead and call it what it is.

Does dill taste like tarragon?

No. Dill is fresh, grassy and bright, while tarragon is warm, slightly sweet and liquorice-like. They are both feathery green herbs and they suit many of the same dishes, but they give the dish a different character. A fish dish made with dill tastes Scandinavian; the same dish made with tarragon tastes French.

What can I use instead of tarragon in a French recipe?

For a chicken dish, a mix of dill and a pinch of fennel seed comes closest, because the fennel gives some of tarragon's liquorice warmth. For a sauce, chervil is the closest French herb, though it is hard to find. For a béarnaise, there is no substitute worth using. Dill alone is a good swap for light dishes, but it cannot carry a classic French sauce.

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