What is regular thyme called?
Thymus vulgaris, also known as common thyme or garden thyme, has striking purple flowers and grows into a spreading carpet. It's ideal for filling in crevices in rock gardens and gaps in patios. The leaves have a strong aroma and are useful in stews, soups and with meat and fish dishes.
thyme, (Thymus vulgaris), pungent herb of the mint family (Lamiaceae) known for the aroma and flavour of its dried leaves and flowering tops. Thyme is native to Eurasia and is cultivated throughout the world.
The main difference between thyme and rosemary is that rosemary has a strong and pungent flavour than thyme. Thyme and rosemary are two popular herbs with culinary and medicinal uses. Both these herbs belong to the mint family and have a somewhat similar flavour profile.
Thyme is the leaf of a low-growing shrub in the mint family called Thymus vulgaris. Its tiny grayish-green leaves rarely are greater than one-fourth inch long. For use as a condiment, Thyme leaves are dried then chopped, or ground. Thyme is grown in southern Europe, including France, Spain, and Portugal.
- Oregano. Fresh or dried, oregano hits many of the same earthy, minty, savory and slightly bitter notes as thyme. ...
- Marjoram. You can also use fresh or dried marjoram in place of thyme. ...
- Basil. ...
- Savory. ...
- Poultry seasoning. ...
- Italian seasoning. ...
- Za'atar. ...
- Herbes de Provence.
- The Citrus-scented thymes: We grow three different citrus thymes - lime, lemon, and orange. ...
- Lime thyme is a light chartreuse green with a distinct scent and flavor of lime.
- Lemon thyme has green foliage edged in white. ...
- Orange thyme has small, green leaves and smells like a freshly-peeled orange.
To summarize, thyme and oregano, whilst sharing some similarities, are both very distinct herbs with different flavors. They can be used in place of each other in a number of different recipes, but it must be noted that their flavors are slightly different, and so you will not get exactly the same results.
Though there are something like 300 varieties of this herb, the most common types used in cooking are Thymus vulgaris (common thyme), Thymus citriodorus (citrus thyme, Thymus herba-barona (caraway thyme) and Thymus serpillum (wild thyme) – which is often found in United States.
Because the leaves of thyme are different in texture, it is easier to use them as parsley substitutes. The sharpness and woody aftertaste that thyme has makes it a good parsley replacement in a pinch. It is important to note that the flavor will not be the same because thyme has a more floral taste than parsley.
Thyme has a similar herbaceous quality to sage, but it's not nearly as strong. Of course it doesn't have the unique earthy flavor that sage brings, but it will do in a pinch. You can use equal parts fresh or dried thyme for fresh or dried sage.
Is thyme and basil the same?
What is this? Basil has the addition of a licorice-like taste that should be considered when using it as a substitute, as it will provide a distinctly different final flavor than thyme. Fresh basil is stronger in flavor than fresh thyme. Therefore, use half the amount of fresh basil in place of fresh thyme.
Thyme can also be replaced with sage in recipes calling for it. Some suggest replacing sage with thyme in similar amounts. If you need to replace thyme with sage in a recipe, I use a half tablespoon of sage for each spoon of thyme. This works exceptionally well as a substitute for meats like poultry.

The other most common hard herb that makes for a decent substitute is rosemary. Rosemary is also unique in flavor but it can almost always be used in place of thyme for both savory and sweet recipes.
Thyme is the dried leaf from the Thymus vulgaris shrub. The name “thyme” derives from the Greek word thymos which means “to fumigate”. This mostly likely refers to the aroma generated by the burning of thyme as incense in ancient Greek temples. The species name, vulgaris, is Latin for “common” or “widespread”.
Thyme contains chemicals that might help bacterial and fungal infections. It also might help relieve coughing and have antioxidant effects. People commonly use thyme for cough, patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), dementia, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
1. Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) As you might guess, common thyme is the most widely used culinary thyme. Common thyme grows well in most climates, ranging from zones 3 to 8.
Fresh thyme can usually found during the summer months, but dried thyme is available year round at most grocery stores.
Thyme is one of the most favored herbs in many different cooking styles. The flavor and smell of thyme enhances the cuisine it is used in, and gives dishes a delicacy that's not easy to achieve with any other herb. However, it is essential that the herb be used in the proper way, and to the best of its advantage.
Check the stems and branches. English Thyme grows in large circular mounds with tiny lavender-colored flowers, making it one of the easiest to identify. The deep-green leaves are flat and do not curl. A fragrant herb used in cooking, it is excellent for flavoring stews and meat dishes.
Oregano. Fresh or dried, oregano makes a great thyme substitute. The flavours are very similar, both being in the mint family, and it's an almost imperceptible switch. You can use oregano for thyme in virtually any recipe, no matter what type of cuisine it is.
What foods taste good with thyme?
Thyme (fresh and dried) pairs well with meats of all kinds, chicken, stews, soups, eggs, pastas, vegetables and beans. Fresh thyme is nice with fish and seafood. Think of thyme when you are making lasagna, sautéing or roasting vegetables, roasting chicken, pork, lamb, or beef, and making any sort of potato dish.
THYME. The odor is warm, herbaceous and reminiscent of sage. It has a slightly biting, spicy, rich taste with a lingering sharpness.
While you can use fresh herbs, after cooking them for 10 minutes or longer, the natural oils that make the herbs taste fresh are released. This means that even if fresh herbs are used, they will have the same impact as dried ones. In stovetop recipes, dried herbs generally work the same, or better than fresh herbs.
Thyme: Thyme and marjoram come from the same family, so it's natural that they share some common flavors. If you don't have any oregano on hand, use thyme.
Parsley, also known as Petroselinum crispum, is a member of the Apiaceae family. This leafy herb originated in the Mediterranean region and is still used heavily in the cuisines of the area.