Dried Rosemary
Dried rosemary is the dehydrated, needle-like leaves of the rosemary herb, a potent, piney, slightly resinous seasoning common in Mediterranean, Italian, and French cooking.
How to buy
Look for dried rosemary that's still deep green rather than gray or faded, with needles that feel slightly oily and smell strongly piney when crushed between the fingers; dull color and weak smell signal age. Whole dried needles hold their flavor longer than pre-crushed or ground rosemary.
How to store
Store in an airtight container away from light and heat; dried rosemary keeps a good amount of potency for about a year, though it gradually fades and turns more musty than piney over time.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Piney, resinous, and slightly bitter with a camphor-like edge. Dried rosemary is more concentrated and woodier-tasting than fresh, and its tough needles need longer cooking to soften and release their flavor.
- Texture
- Hard, needle-like, and sharp enough to be unpleasant if left whole and under-cooked; it's usually crushed or ground before use, or added early to long-cooked dishes so the needles have time to soften.
- Aroma
- A strong piney, camphor-like aroma with a faint eucalyptus note, more concentrated than fresh rosemary's brighter scent.
How to prepare
- Crushed — Rubbed between the fingers or ground to release its oils before adding to a dish.
- Infused in oil — Steeped in warm olive oil to mellow and flavor the oil for roasting or dressing.
- Added early to braises — Included at the start of long-cooked stews and roasts so the tough needles soften.
- Used in dry rubs — Mixed with salt, garlic, and pepper for roasted meats.
Classic dishes
American
- Rosemary dinner rolls — Soft rolls flavored with rosemary throughout the dough.
- Rosemary-crusted pork tenderloin — Pork roasted with a rosemary and garlic crust.
Italian
- Focaccia — A dimpled flatbread dough topped with rosemary and coarse salt.
- Rosemary roasted chicken — A whole chicken seasoned under the skin with rosemary before roasting.
- Osso buco — Braised veal shanks seasoned in part with rosemary.
- Porchetta — A rolled pork roast seasoned heavily with rosemary, garlic, and fennel.
- Ribollita — A Tuscan bean and vegetable soup seasoned with rosemary.
French
- Herb-crusted rack of lamb — A crust of breadcrumbs, garlic, and rosemary pressed onto the lamb before roasting.
- Herbes de Provence blend — Rosemary as a key component of the classic Provençal herb mix.
Mediterranean
- Roasted rosemary potatoes — Potatoes roasted with olive oil, garlic, and rosemary until crisp.
- Roast leg of lamb — Lamb studded with garlic and rosemary before slow roasting.
- Rosemary and garlic roasted vegetables — Mixed root vegetables roasted with rosemary until caramelized.
- Rosemary-infused olive oil — Olive oil steeped with rosemary for dipping and cooking.
- Rosemary white bean dip — Pureed white beans flavored with rosemary and garlic.
British & Irish
- Rosemary shortbread cookies — Savory-sweet shortbread flavored with rosemary.