Ingredient guide / Culinary herbs
Tarragon: flavour, uses and substitutes
Gently anise-like, savoury and slightly sweet; the cultivar matters.
Artemisia dracunculus
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Three identifying features
- Long narrow flat leaves
- Flexible green shoots
- Anise-like scent
Fresh or dried?
Fresh French tarragon is especially aromatic; adjust dried tarragon cautiously.
When should it go into the pan?
Infuse briefly or add towards the end of a sauce.
What does it go with?
Eggs, chicken, mushrooms, mustard sauces and herb vinegar.
Cuisines & dish ideas
Try French-inspired egg, chicken and mustard-sauce dishes.
What can replace it?
Chervil provides a gentler anise note.
How should it be stored?
Wrap fresh sprigs and refrigerate, or freeze in portions.
Recipes using it
This ingredient has not been found in the existing recipe collection yet.
Sources and notes
Sources
- NC State Extension · Artemisia dracunculus · Accessed 2026-10-25
- BZfE · How-to Kräuter · Accessed 2026-10-25
Image: AI-generated (OpenAI). Image note: The illustrations were created with AI. They show culinary ingredients and are not a guide to identifying wild plants.