Can I Substitute Dried Basil for Wilted Fresh Basil in My Recipe?

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Discussion Overview

This thread explores the use of dried basil as a substitute for wilted fresh basil in recipes, particularly in the context of making Satay Chicken pasta salad. Participants share their experiences and opinions on the effectiveness of using dried herbs versus fresh ones.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant mentions their fresh basil was wilted and changing color, prompting the question of whether dried basil could be a substitute.
  • Another participant, identifying as a consultant, emphasizes that fresh herbs are preferable but suggests that wilted herbs can still be used if they are not slimy.
  • Several users mention using dried basil when fresh is unavailable, with one stating it is better than nothing.
  • One participant shares their experience of using both fresh and dried basil in a dish, noting that the dried basil was added to the cooking water for flavor release.
  • Another participant discusses a personal rule of using dried herbs early in the cooking process and fresh herbs at the end to maximize flavor.
  • One participant expresses satisfaction with their dish despite not using fresh basil, indicating that it tasted good with just dried basil.
  • Another participant shares that they have their own herb garden, providing them with fresh basil for their cooking.
  • Some participants highlight the importance of using less dried basil compared to fresh due to its concentrated flavor.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the effectiveness of using wilted fresh basil versus dried basil, with some participants expressing a preference for fresh while others find dried acceptable. No clear consensus emerges regarding the best approach to substituting herbs.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal experiences with using fresh and dried basil in cooking, reflecting a variety of cooking practices and preferences.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants and home cooks interested in herb substitution and cooking techniques may find the shared experiences and tips relevant.

babywings76
babywings76
Gold Member
Messages
7,266
I bought fresh basil for the Satay Chicken pasta salad a while ago. Every time I've wanted to make it, something came up. Now I am finally making it and my basil is wilted and on the bottom of the pack is changing color. Is there something I can use instead in the recipe? Will it be very disappointing without it? Is there a substitute I can use? Dried basil?
 
Fresh is best!! Do you have a PC herb keeper? Wilted herbs can still be used, just don't use herbs that have on slimy.
 
I use dried basil if I don't have fresh. It's better than nothing. Yes, I'd use wilted basil if it didn't have slime or funny colors.
 
I was just going to say, get an herb keeper. I have a bunch of basil in my fridge in the herb keeper. It's been a week and it's still green and happy.
 
Pick out and discard any slimy leaves...then pull off the ones you want to use (I would pull off the nicest looking ones at this point) and soak them in some REALLY COLD water...even add an ice cube or two. It may surprise you how it bounces back for you...
 
  • Thread starter
  • #6
I'll add some dried. Yes, my basil looks wilted, changed colors, and the bottom ones are slimy. :(

Herb-keeper---Another item to add to my ever-growing list! :)
 
  • Thread starter
  • #7
KellyTheChef said:
Pick out and discard any slimy leaves...then pull off the ones you want to use (I would pull off the nicest looking ones at this point) and soak them in some REALLY COLD water...even add an ice cube or two. It may surprise you how it bounces back for you...
Click to expand...


Oh, you just wrote this as I was writing my last one...I'll see if I can pick out nice ones on the top maybe. We'll see! :)
 
That is what we had for dinner tonight (satay chicken) and I had fresh basil that I bought 2 days ago and it was a little wilted, so I used the best leaves and then to the water I added dried basil. I drained the noodles and did not rinse them so some of the dried basil went down the sink (on purpose) and some stayed on the pasta! It was soft and good because I added it to the water right after I turned off the stove and let that sit for about 3 -5 mins before draining!
 
If you use dry in place of fresh, always add it early in the cooking time if possible in simmering water/sauce. . The rule I use is dry at dawn and fresh to finish(at the beginning of cooking use dry, like in the pasta water to get the dry herb to release the flavor). At the end use fresh, so that the flavors haven't cooked out. It's a simple rule, but will really change how your foods turn out. Fresh herbs are very fragile and they won't flavor dishes very well if it has to be simmered a very long time. All the flavor basically evaporates. This doesn't apply to spices (ground seeds and barks) they will flavor as long as they are fresh (smell the bottle and make sure it still smells like the spice) That is the most exciting thing about the new grinders is that all those spices can be kept whole, and will retain their flavor a lot longer! If your bottle smells like dust, that is the flavor you are adding to your meal... dust. I mention this at all my shows too, when I am talking about our spices/herbs. Smell your jars and make sure they are fresh, the ones I get from PC are Always Fresh. Just a few little herb and spice tips. Another interesting tip is that fresh parsley will resurrect the flavor of most dry herbs and make them taste amazingly fresh! So if you have fresh parsley, which is usually a lot cheaper than other fresh herbs, and then add some dry of other herbs, they will all taste very fresh. That is a culinary school secret. Try it! Another reason to have an herb keeper, even if all you keep is parsley.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #10
Well, I threw away the basil, it didn't look like it would be salvageable. I added just a few sprinkles of dried basil to the dish. It ended up tasting good. My husband loved it and said it was so good without the basil, he'd be nervous to have me put it in next time. :)
 
  • Thread starter
  • #11
Chef Stephanie Petersen said:
If you use dry in place of fresh, always add it early in the cooking time if possible in simmering water/sauce. . The rule I use is dry at dawn and fresh to finish(at the beginning of cooking use dry, like in the pasta water to get the dry herb to release the flavor). At the end use fresh, so that the flavors haven't cooked out. It's a simple rule, but will really change how your foods turn out. Fresh herbs are very fragile and they won't flavor dishes very well if it has to be simmered a very long time. All the flavor basically evaporates. This doesn't apply to spices (ground seeds and barks) they will flavor as long as they are fresh (smell the bottle and make sure it still smells like the spice) That is the most exciting thing about the new grinders is that all those spices can be kept whole, and will retain their flavor a lot longer! If your bottle smells like dust, that is the flavor you are adding to your meal... dust. I mention this at all my shows too, when I am talking about our spices/herbs. Smell your jars and make sure they are fresh, the ones I get from PC are Always Fresh. Just a few little herb and spice tips. Another interesting tip is that fresh parsley will resurrect the flavor of most dry herbs and make them taste amazingly fresh! So if you have fresh parsley, which is usually a lot cheaper than other fresh herbs, and then add some dry of other herbs, they will all taste very fresh. That is a culinary school secret. Try it! Another reason to have an herb keeper, even if all you keep is parsley.
Click to expand...

Great tips! Thanks! I didn't read this in time to make sure to add the dried basil earlier. But now I know for the future! :)
 
Chef Stephanie Petersen said:
If you use dry in place of fresh, always add it early in the cooking time if possible in simmering water/sauce. . The rule I use is dry at dawn and fresh to finish(at the beginning of cooking use dry, like in the pasta water to get the dry herb to release the flavor). At the end use fresh, so that the flavors haven't cooked out. It's a simple rule, but will really change how your foods turn out. Fresh herbs are very fragile and they won't flavor dishes very well if it has to be simmered a very long time. All the flavor basically evaporates. This doesn't apply to spices (ground seeds and barks) they will flavor as long as they are fresh (smell the bottle and make sure it still smells like the spice) That is the most exciting thing about the new grinders is that all those spices can be kept whole, and will retain their flavor a lot longer! If your bottle smells like dust, that is the flavor you are adding to your meal... dust. I mention this at all my shows too, when I am talking about our spices/herbs. Smell your jars and make sure they are fresh, the ones I get from PC are Always Fresh. Just a few little herb and spice tips. Another interesting tip is that fresh parsley will resurrect the flavor of most dry herbs and make them taste amazingly fresh! So if you have fresh parsley, which is usually a lot cheaper than other fresh herbs, and then add some dry of other herbs, they will all taste very fresh. That is a culinary school secret. Try it! Another reason to have an herb keeper, even if all you keep is parsley.
Click to expand...


Stephanie...thanks for teaching me something new! You always seem to have that extra bit of knowledge to pass along! You are a sweetie!
 
So funny! I made the Satay Chicken tonight, too! I have my own herb garden, so my basil (both sweet and purple) was fresh.
 
I've made it with fresh and with dried. Of course, fresh is better. If you use the dry kind, DO NOT use as much as the recipe says!
 
Di_Can_Cook said:
I've made it with fresh and with dried. Of course, fresh is better. If you use the dry kind, DO NOT use as much as the recipe says!
Click to expand...

The general rule is to use half as much as the fresh. Think about how much of that moisture is taken out and how small it gets, the flavor concentrates, just like raisins and grapes.

Anyone on weight watchers core plan? Tee hee. Herbs are a free food! Even the dry herbs. Can't say that about dry fruit!
 
Any one have trouble finding the dressing? Is there a sub to use?
 
flemings99 said:
Any one have trouble finding the dressing? Is there a sub to use?
Click to expand...

Use the recipe for Asian Dressing on the side of the Mix n Pour!
 
You'll sell a lot of mix-n-pours that way!! Watch out!!
 
thanks. Had purchased regular asian dressing at the store & didn't realize till I got home that it was the wrong stuff--have no idea what to use it for now.
 
pampchefsarah said:
So funny! I made the Satay Chicken tonight, too! I have my own herb garden, so my basil (both sweet and purple) was fresh.
Click to expand...


I bought a basil plant that I keep in the house. It gives me the needed basil for shows. It's so expensive for hosts to buy in the stores. They also enjoy hearing that I grow it.
 
It's been hot here, and the kitchen is the hottest room in the house. Put basil from my garden in the herb keeper 'flower bouquet style" on the kitchen counter.It has sprouted roots :)
 
I also grow a few Basil plants each year. It is so easy to bring in the house and keep it going all year.

DID you know... Take a cutting from a Basil plant and put it in water. Within 2 weeks it will root. You can either keep it in water. or plant it.



Duh... Sory Mary... I did not read the last line of your post!


I keep Basil at least thru January just sprouting in water on my Kitche table!
 
What is the best way to start and grow herbs INSIDE?

I can start them outside now, since it's still warm...but then will need to bring them in within the next month or two.

I want:

cilantro
flat leaf parsley
sweet basil

Thanks!
 
Ice cream buckets with a cover work great. poke some holes in the cover plant your seeds and put them on top of your fridge. It stays a fairly constant 70degrees up there with the heat from the fridge opperation, it helps greminate the seeds.


My herbs were a little slow this year but are now going Crazy!!!! I have only 1 parsley plant and do not know what to do with it all!!!

FYI... I started growing basil and parsley just to take to shows. I found it such a waste to buy it.
 
When I tried to grow them before (tried it two years in a row...probably 5 years ago) they would grow great for a while, then rot and die. I didn't think I was overwatering them, but maybe I was?

Also...where is the best place to "harvest" them so they will keep growing? I never know where to cut them off!

Do you think those three are easy enough to grow that they will survive inside during the fall/winter?

Thanks for any and all help!!
 
When I notice they are starting to die off I clip the stalk and root it in water... Tada... New plant! As far as trimming I trim from the top. and maybee a large leaf or 2 from the sides. I am not an expert. I just experiment and see how it goes.


If you have a warm sunny spot in your home you should be able to keep basil all winter.

I have not grown any other herb in the house. I want to try the parsley.
 
KellyTheChef said:
What is the best way to start and grow herbs INSIDE?

I can start them outside now, since it's still warm...but then will need to bring them in within the next month or two.

I want:

cilantro
flat leaf parsley
sweet basil

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Cilantro is really tricky to grow. Mine has died twice. Everything else (basil, rosemary, parsley, chives, and thyme) is growing like gangbusters....but not the cilantro. So I googled it, and found out that it really is more difficult. I guess I'll have to keep buying it. (sigh...)
 
ChefBeckyD said:
Cilantro is really tricky to grow. Mine has died twice. Everything else (basil, rosemary, parsley, chives, and thyme) is growing like gangbusters....but not the cilantro. So I googled it, and found out that it really is more difficult. I guess I'll have to keep buying it. (sigh...)
Click to expand...


This is what one of the gals at my local farmers market told me as well.
 
My dad is a master gardener. He has been doing it for his profession for over 30 yrs, and has run the greenhouses for our church that has thousands of flowers. The greenhouses span over a 10 acre plot. He is amazing! I asked him about the cilantro and he said the main thing to keep it from going "to seed" is to keep the growing temp. between 65 and 70 degrees. Anything over 80 degrees and it gets too hot. He also said it needs deeper roots and not to let the soil be any more shallow than 10 inches. Soaking the seeds overnight in water will help too. I can't start my plants growing until the end of September her (we have a winter growing season in Arizona!). Hope that helps.:)
 
Chef Stephanie Petersen said:
My dad is a master gardener. He has been doing it for his profession for over 30 yrs, and has run the greenhouses for our church that has thousands of flowers. The greenhouses span over a 10 acre plot. He is amazing! I asked him about the cilantro and he said the main thing to keep it from going "to seed" is to keep the growing temp. between 65 and 70 degrees. Anything over 80 degrees and it gets too hot. He also said it needs deeper roots and not to let the soil be any more shallow than 10 inches. Soaking the seeds overnight in water will help too. I can't start my plants growing until the end of September her (we have a winter growing season in Arizona!). Hope that helps.:)
Click to expand...

Ahhhh, that might be the problem....I bet the growing temp was lower than that - I probably don't have a long enough warm growing season for cilantro. That also explains why I couldn't get it to grow in a pot in the house - the roots wouldn't be deep enough.


Gheesh - maybe I need a greenhouse!:D
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use dried basil instead of fresh basil in my recipe?

Yes, you can use dried basil in place of fresh basil. However, dried herbs are more concentrated in flavor, so you'll need to adjust the quantity. A general rule of thumb is to use one-third of the amount of dried basil compared to fresh.

How much dried basil should I use if my recipe calls for fresh basil?

If your recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh basil, you should use about 1 teaspoon of dried basil. Remember to taste and adjust as needed, since the flavor can vary between different brands of dried herbs.

Will using dried basil affect the taste of my dish?

Yes, using dried basil will change the flavor profile slightly. Dried basil has a more concentrated flavor and can taste different than fresh basil, which has a brighter and more aromatic quality. It's best to add it earlier in the cooking process to allow the flavors to develop.

Can I substitute wilted fresh basil with dried basil?

While you can substitute wilted fresh basil with dried basil, keep in mind that wilted basil may still have some flavor, albeit diminished. If the basil is too far gone, it's better to use dried basil for a more consistent flavor in your dish.

Are there any other herbs I can use if I don't have fresh or dried basil?

Yes, if you don't have fresh or dried basil, you can try substituting with other herbs like oregano, thyme, or parsley. Each herb will impart a different flavor, so choose one that complements your dish well.

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