Herbs & Spices
Dried Thyme Conversion
Dried Thyme weighs 48g per US cup.
Conventionally measured by the teaspoon.
| Amount | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 48.0 g | 1.69 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 24.0 g | 0.85 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 12.0 g | 0.42 oz |
| 1 tbsp | 3.0 g | 0.11 oz |
| 1 tsp | 1.0 g | 0.04 oz |
| 100 g | 100.0 g | 3.53 oz |
Need a different amount? Use the full Ingredient Converter tool.
Dried thyme happens to land at the same 48-gram-per-cup weight as dried basil, but the resemblance stops there in the kitchen — thyme is a teaspoon-scale herb that holds up well to drying, keeping much of its earthy, slightly minty character intact in a way basil's more delicate flavor never quite manages.
That resilience to drying is exactly why dried thyme is such a reliable pantry staple for long-cooked dishes — braises, stews, and roasted meats — where its sturdy flavor can stand up to extended cooking time without disappearing the way a more delicate dried herb's flavor might, and it's part of why many cooks keep dried thyme on hand even when they regularly buy fresh herbs for other purposes.
Thyme's small, tough leaves also mean dried thyme doesn't need to be crumbled or ground much further before use, unlike a woodier herb like rosemary, whose dried needles genuinely benefit from being crushed or chopped fine first — thyme's naturally small leaf size already lends itself well to direct use straight from the jar.
Dried thyme's small, needle-like leaves pack into a cup at 80g, though that full-cup number is really just an exercise in unit conversion — dried thyme's flavor is concentrated enough that a teaspoon typically stands in for a full tablespoon of the fresh herb.
Thyme is one of the more shelf-stable dried herbs, retaining noticeable flavor well past a year if stored in a sealed container away from light and heat — a longer practical shelf life than more delicate dried herbs like basil, which fade faster.
It's a common ingredient in a bouquet garni, tied together with bay leaf and parsley stems to flavor a simmering stock.
Frequently asked questions
Does dried thyme taste as good as fresh thyme?
It comes fairly close, closer than an herb like basil manages — thyme is among the herbs that survives drying well, keeping much of the earthy, faintly minty character it has fresh, which is a big part of why it's such a dependable spice-rack staple.
Why is dried thyme especially good for slow-cooked dishes like stews and braises?
Its flavor is sturdy enough to survive a long simmer without fading out the way a more delicate dried herb would, so it can keep contributing right through hours of braising or stewing rather than disappearing early on.
How much fresh thyme equals a teaspoon of dried thyme?
Roughly a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves for every teaspoon of dried, following the general 3:1 fresh-to-dried ratio that applies across most herbs on this site.
Does dried thyme need to be crushed before adding it to a dish?
Not really — the leaves are naturally so small that thyme can go straight from the jar into a dish without any extra prep, unlike a tougher, woodier herb like rosemary, whose needle-shaped dried leaves really do benefit from a quick crush or chop first.
How long does dried thyme stay potent in the pantry?
Similar to dried oregano, it holds reasonable flavor for 1-3 years when kept sealed and dry — one of the more forgiving dried herbs on this site in terms of how gracefully it ages compared to a more delicate herb like basil.