I've found going by instinct is usually the best. Even if you could perfectly measure by amount, there's so much variation in potency among herbs that it doesn't really matter. Volume ⇀ Weight Weight ⇀ Volume. For example, if the recipe states it requires 1 tablespoon of fresh basil, chopped — measure the fresh basil leaves first, then chop them. For example, if the recipe states it requires 1 tablespoon of fresh basil, chopped — measure the fresh basil leaves first, then chop them. He has a B.A. Best way to measure herbs is in grams. Finely Minced Leaves per 1/2 ounce: 4 tablespoons. I'd suggest adding in about 80% of what the recipe calls for, then tasting it, and then adding more if you think it needs more. The conversion factors are approximate once it is intended for recipes measurements. Best way to measure herbs is in grams. They looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if I was measuring by weight or volume. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the AskCulinary community. Sometime if my basil isn't especially fragrant or at its peak, I add more to the recipe to compensate. The rule is: 1 part dried herb is equal to 3 parts fresh herbs. I didn't question it in the kitchen since I wasn't the boss but since then if a recipe calls for a specific weight, I go weight. I always thought by weight was the best over volume. Copyright © 2020 Leaf Group Ltd., all rights reserved. Basically hard to give you an answer. Measure and cut the basil according to the recipe using only the leaves of the basil, not the stems. Basil Long Term Storage. // Leaf Group Lifestyle, How to Substitute Dried for Fresh Dill in Pickles, FoodNetwork.com: Using Fresh and Dried Herbs, Amazon.com: Tips from The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen. Great tip for...pretty much anything when using an ingredient/recipe you don't know well. http://www.nproduce.com/serving-fresh-herbs. Cookies help us deliver our Services. It's a pretty strong flavor so it should be easy to distinguish in your final dish! But this is a distinction that sometimes gets lost. Basil's flavor is going to be dependent on a variety of factors...age of leaf when picked, growing conditions, etc. Using fresh herbs in dishes brings a distinct flavor that dried herbs don't have. I generally just eyeball it in terms of how much would loosely pack into the measuring cup. This is not rocket science ☺. I worked in a professional (air quotes maybe necessary for that one) kitchen and got torn a new asshole for asking if I was measuring freshly cut herbs by weight or volume. in English from George Mason University, as well as a master's degree in traditional Chinese medicine. If the directions are unclear or you are using it for your own recipe, use your best judgment and your taste preferences to determine how much basil you need. A recipe calling for 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of dried basil could be prepared using 1.5 teaspoons (7.5 ml) of fresh basil. I've googled and not found a definite answer, mostly people saying that it's not easy and depends on this and that. Most experts recommend using twice as much fresh as you would dried basil. If making a recipe for the first time, I'd suggest adding in about 80% of what the recipe calls for, then tasting it, and then adding more if you think it needs more. Basically hard to give you an answer. If the recipe says it needs 1 tablespoon of chopped or finely chopped fresh basil, chop the fresh basil leaves first, then measure out a tablespoon of the chopped or finely chopped leaves. Is there an accurate way to measure fresh herbs? Is there an accurate way to measure fresh herbs? First, “1/4 cup minced parsley” vs. “1/4 cup parsley, minced.” In a perfect world, an instruction for “minced parsley” would have you mince first and then measure, while “parsley, minced” would have you measure and then mince. Mince the fresh basil to get the pieces close to the size of dried basil.