Stored

Dried basil stored in a small open glass jar, showing crumbled dark olive-green flakes.

Shows the typical retail and pantry form readers will encounter, including color and texture of the dried product.

Herbs

Dried Basil

Shelf-stable basil for tomato sauces and pizza

Concentrated and convenient, dried basil stirs into tomato sauces, pizza, and dressings when fresh isn't on hand. Add it early so it rehydrates. Keep it airtight and dark.

Dried basil is shelf-stable, concentrated, and convenient — a pantry stand-in that stirs into tomato sauces, pizza, soups, and dressings when fresh basil isn't on hand. Drying transforms basil's flavor: the bright, floral, anise-clove top notes of the fresh leaf largely vanish, leaving a deeper, muskier, hay-tinged herb that's milder per pinch but more stable in cooking. Add it early so it rehydrates and blooms in the simmering liquid. It's no substitute for fresh basil's perfume in pesto or caprese, but it earns its place in long-cooked savory dishes.

Measured in: g
Storage: Airtight
Shelf life: 540 days

Find it in

Spices Seasoning

Types & varieties

Dried whole-leaf basil

Crumbled leaf; crush to release more aroma.

Part of Italian seasoning

Blended with oregano, thyme, and rosemary for sauces.

How to use

Add dried basil at the start of a simmered dish so it has liquid and time to soften and release flavor. Crush it between your fingers first to wake up the oils. It works in cooked sauces, not as a finishing herb.

Crush between fingers to release aroma
Add early to sauces and soups
Roughly 1 tsp dried ≈ 1 tbsp fresh

Fresh vs dried

Fresh basil is a finishing herb prized for its perfume; dried is a cooking herb that gives a milder, background note. Don't swap one for the other in raw dishes like pesto or caprese — use dried where heat and time are involved.

Common uses

Tomato and marinara saucesPizza sauceItalian seasoning blendsMinestrone and vegetable soupsSalad dressings and vinaigrettesMeatballs and meatloafRoasted-vegetable seasoning