Bay leaf
bay
Laurus nobilis
Herbal, piney, faintly tea-like, subtle.
What it is
Bay leaf is the dried or fresh leaf of Laurus nobilis, the Mediterranean laurel whose foliage crowned victors in the ancient world. On its own a bay leaf smells faintly of pine, tea, and eucalyptus; in a pot it works quietly, adding a savory backbone to soups, stews, beans, sauces, and rice over long cooking. The flavor is subtle and slow, which is why whole leaves are simmered in and then removed rather than eaten. Note that Indian bay leaf, or tej patta, comes from a different, cinnamon-related tree and tastes nothing like Mediterranean bay.
What it pairs with
Goes wrong with: quick dishes with no time to infuse.
Common in Italian, French, Indian, Middle Eastern cooking.
Whole vs ground
Bay is used as a whole leaf simmered into a dish and removed before serving. Ground bay is uncommon and easy to overdo.
How to handle it
Drop one or two whole leaves into soups, stews, beans, and sauces early so the flavor develops slowly. Always fish them out before serving.
Storage
Airtight and dark. Dried leaves keep useful flavor for about a year, then go flat.
Buying note
Whole dried leaves should still be green-gray and snap cleanly. Brown, crumbling leaves have little flavor left.
Classic dishes
bouquet garni, bean soup, tomato sauce, biryani.
Out of bay leaf? Substitutes
No substitute is exact. These are the closest by flavor behavior, with the ratio to start from and how the result will differ.
| Use instead | Ratio | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| A little thyme | use sparingly | more savory and present, lacks bay's quiet background note |
One odd thing
The laurel wreaths of ancient Greece and Rome were made from the same bay tree, Laurus nobilis, that flavors a pot of stew.