What to use instead of fresh thyme
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Woody herb that infuses through a long braise or roast
Thymol is stable and fat-soluble, so unlike basil or parsley thyme survives hours in a pot. The whole sprig goes in early and comes out at the end having given everything to the liquid.
Dried thymeRan out
1 tsp dried per 1 tbsp fresh leaves, or per 4 sprigs
More concentrated and slightly dusty, and it disperses through the sauce instead of staying on a stem you can fish out later.
Fresh marjoram or oregano sprigsRan out
1:1 by sprig
Sweeter and more peppery. Close enough in a coq au vin, noticeably wrong in a jerk marinade.
Winter savoryRan out
1:1 by sprig
Sharper and more peppery, and closer to thyme than anything else on the shelf. Traditional with beans for good reason.
Herbes de ProvenceRan out
1 tsp per 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Thyme is the base of it, with savory and rosemary alongside and often lavender. The lavender is what gives it away.
What doesn't work: Rosemary at the same measure. It is several times more pungent and its pine character does not fade with cooking; a sprig in a coq au vin steamrolls the wine and the mushrooms, and in a Jamaican pot it argues with the allspice outright.
Fresh green finish on mushrooms, eggs or a tart
Picked off the stem and added late, thyme keeps its lemony top note, which is what lifts something rich and beige like a mushroom tart or a plate of scrambled eggs.
Lemon thymeRan out
1:1
The same herb with the citrus turned up. On mushrooms on toast it is arguably the better choice.
Fresh marjoram leavesRan out
1:1
Sweeter and softer with no lemon at all. It bruises easily, so scatter it whole rather than chopping.
Fresh oregano, chopped fineRan out
use 2/3 as much
More assertive and peppery, and it pushes a mushroom tart toward tasting like pizza.
Chopped chives with a scrape of lemon zestRan out
1 tbsp chives + 1/4 tsp zest per 1 tbsp thyme leaves
Oniony rather than woody, with the zest covering the missing citrus note. Good on eggs, poor on lamb.
What doesn't work: Dried thyme sprinkled on at the end. It never rehydrates on a dry surface, so it stays as gritty specks that taste of the jar; dried thyme has to go in early enough to soften into some liquid.