12 Best Sage Substitutes for Cooking
Did you just run out of sage in the middle of a recipe and are now searching for a sage substitute? If so, this list of sage substitutes has you covered! Hailing from the mint family, sage is a herb that adds a beautiful woodsy flavor to various dishes, from soups and stuffings to roasted meats and even pasta dishes.
However, if you’re faced with a pantry devoid of any sage, it can be challenging to know exactly what sage substitute can step in to keep a similar flavor in your recipe. While nothing can exactly replicate the earthy comfort of sage, the alternatives on this list come close and are probably already in your kitchen.
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What Is Sage Used for in Cooking?
Sage leaves are not very pleasant when eaten raw, but when cooked, they transform into an earthy, fresh and slightly peppery ingredient that adds a unique twist to a dish’s flavor profile. The best part about sage is the fact that it works so well with other herbs and ingredients. Walnuts, berries, stone fruit, cured meats, rich sauces and most proteins are a strong match for this robust ingredient.
To use, remove sage leaves from the stem. Wash well and dry before slicing finely. If you plan to cook with sage in a dish that will simmer, always add it early on as the cooking process mellows the strong flavors. Frying sage in butter is another way to use it which heightens the herbaceousness of the dish and the pan-fried leaves work great as a crispy garnish to top dishes like instant pot butternut squash soup.
Using fresh, finely chopped sage leaves also provides an easy way to add extra taste and texture to a creamy pasta recipe, such as ricotta gnocchi with sage brown butter. Fresh or dried sage can additionally be mixed in sausage fillings, stuffings or meat marinades. Adding to other aromatic herbs to make a bouquet garni that delivers a flavorful punch is another of many ways to use this herb in cooking.
With so many uses and such a complex flavor profile, it can be a little challenging to know how best to use sage in your recipes. This is where taking some cooking classes near you can come in handy. Led by professional chefs, you’ll be able to learn how to use sage, including fresh and dried sage, in various recipes. You could also take a few online cooking classes if you’d prefer to learn in the comfort of your own kitchen.
12 Best Substitutes for Sage
1. Marjoram
If you’re wondering: “What is a sage substitute for stuffing?”, marjoram is one of the best options. As a fellow member of the mint family, marjoram emits a woodsy flavor similar to sage. That said, marjoram is milder in taste than sage's more full-bodied herbaceousness.
Like sage, marjoram can also be used in fresh or dried forms. To use it as a sage substitute, you can use a 1:1 ratio, ensuring fresh marjoram replaces fresh sage and dried marjoram replaces dried sage where possible.
2. Bay Leaves
Bay leaves are another excellent sage substitute and one you may already have in your pantry. You can use bay leaves whole or dried and ground, but most people prefer using whole leaves.
If you plan to use bay leaves as a sage alternative, remember that they should be used as flavoring agents in recipes. They work best added to stews, sauces or soups that will simmer and allow the bay leaves to infuse the dish. However, using them as a sage substitute in a dish like stuffing probably won’t have the best results.
Generally, adding one or two bay leaves to your cooked dish will have the same result as sage but adding more to taste during the cooking process may be necessary.
3. Savory
Yes, there is a herb called savory, and it's broadly available in two main types. There’s the lighter, more citrusy-tasting summer savory herb and the more potent, warmer winter variety.
Winter savory is used to season meat and stews. If you're looking for a substitute for sage, the minty flavor of winter savory best mirrors that of sage. Due to its tendency to overpower a dish, halving the amount of sage called for when using savory as a sage substitute is recommended.
4. Thyme
Thyme is another sage substitute you'll likely already have in your kitchen or herb garden. This small woody herb imparts floral notes to your meal and has a very similar flavor profile to sage. Thyme is usually added in fresh or dried form to meats, pulses and even eggs. It notably works well as a sage substitute when cooked with roast meats or added to stews or casseroles like creamy chicken and dumplings.
If you've been wondering: "What can I substitute for sage?", you now know that your trusty thyme does the trick! Just exchange in equal measure when using it as a sage alternative. However, remember to swap fresh thyme for fresh sage and dried thyme for dried sage when used as a sage substitute to maintain the authenticity of the recipe.
5. Rosemary
Meats, bread, poultry and even some dessert recipes benefit from rosemary. This tiny-leafed herb adds depth to any recipe thanks to its bold fragrance that acts well as a sage substitute. With a tendency to overpower other spices and flavors, rosemary should be used sparingly in its fresh or dried form.
When using rosemary as a sage substitute, you must reduce the quantity by at least a quarter. If you are using fresh rosemary, look for lighter leaves, as these are usually milder in flavor than the older, darker leaves. Stick to fresh sprigs versus the dried rosemary powder for a lighter touch.
6. Poultry Seasoning
This is a one-size-fits-all spice blend that can be used to jazz up your poultry dishes. A spoonful of poultry seasoning can add a new delicious dimension to any recipe and conveniently works as a sage substitute in some applications.
Most poultry seasoning contains a mix of several spices, such as rosemary, parsley, thyme, marjoram, onion powder, summer or winter savory and sage. This makes it an easy sage substitute (and a common alternative for other spices). Swap one teaspoon of poultry seasoning powder for one teaspoon of dried sage.
7. Oregano
If you love pizza, chances are you already love oregano. Oregano is also a popular addition to pasta, especially tomato-based pasta sauces, and soups. It works particularly well with olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and lemons. Oregano acts as a comparable alternative for sage leaves in quite a few recipes as well.
If you are planning on rustling up a sauce or stew and find yourself short on dried or fresh sage, oregano can be an excellent sage substitute, though one that is slightly more powerful in terms of aroma and depth. While the rule of thumb is to swap similar quantities of oregano as a sage substitute, it would be prudent to add a little less than required, adding more to taste as you go along.
8. Tarragon
If you're looking for the perfect sage substitute for roasts or stews, reaching for tarragon could be your best bet. Fresh tarragon leaves impart a beautiful citrusy and earthy fragrance to a dish, working especially well as an alternative for sage leaves in dishes featuring poultry.
The best way to get the optimal taste out of fresh tarragon is to rub the leaves lightly before cooking. This way, the essential oils and fragrances are released, and the potency is maintained. You can use about a 1:1 ratio of tarragon to fresh sage, but using a little less to start and then adding more to taste is always a good idea.
9. Basil
Another member of the mint family (do you see the similarities in swapping your list of spices by now?), there are more than 50 varieties of the basil plant found worldwide. Basil is especially popular in Italian, Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian cuisines.
Depending on which variety you choose, basil can add a tangy, citrusy or peppery addition to a recipe, working quite well as a sage substitute. Dried basil, much like dried sage, is more potent than its fresh variants. Basil can be swapped in equal ratios when used as a substitute for sage. Again, switch fresh for fresh and dried for dried.
10. Italian Seasoning
Italian seasoning is a blend of dried and ground herbs. It usually includes basil, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary and marjoram. If you experiment with a homemade blend, you can even try variations with chile flakes, onion powder or garlic powder.
Italian seasoning is an easy substitute for sage, but only for the dried variety. If the recipe calls for fresh sage, you must look further than your jar of Italian seasoning. When using Italian seasoning to replace dried sage, a 1:1 replacement ratio usually works great.
11. Dried Mixed Herbs
Another blend of herbs that can work as a sage substitute is dried mixed herbs. The exact herbs in the blend you choose will vary but can include oregano, basil, thyme and even sage. This sage substitute will only work in place of dried sage but can be a great addition to sauces, stews and rubs for meat. Substitute in a 1:1 ratio, adding more or less to taste if desired.
12. Herbs de Provence
Herbs de Provence combines dried Provençal herbs, including basil, savory, thyme, tarragon and oregano. Similar to dried mixed herbs, herbs de Provence works perfectly as a dried sage substitute. Use this substitute for sage in a 1:1 ratio. It works especially well with chicken or roasted vegetables.
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If you run out of sage or can’t find any at the store, there’s likely to be a sage substitute nearby that you can turn to. Whether you need to replace fresh sage or are looking for the perfect dried sage substitute, this list should have helped you find the ideal ingredient to help keep your recipe on track.
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