Out of Dill seed, one case

Dill seed substitute for pickling

4 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 4 options

Use Dried dill weed

Same amount as the dill seed

For pickling, replace dill seed with the same amount of dried dill weed, or with fresh dill: one flowering head for each 1 to 2 teaspoons of seed. With no dill at all, caraway seed in the same amount is the closest in flavor. Changing the dill does not affect the safety of a canning recipe.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Use the same amount, and up to double for a strong dill pickle.
Best for —: canned and refrigerator dill pickles
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full dill seed card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Dill seed substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of dill seed	Verdict
1	Dried dill weedcanned and refrigerator dill pickles	Same amountTweak it	Tweak it
2	Fresh dill headskosher-style dill pickles	1 head per 1 to 2 tspWorks	Works
3	Fresh dill frondsrefrigerator pickles	1 tbsp per 1 tspTweak it	Tweak it
4	Caraway seedsauerkraut and pickled cabbage	Same amountYou'll taste it	You'll taste it

What changesWhat changes, option by option4 options

Dried dill weed

greener and milder, without the sharp seed note

The dried leaves of the same plant, and the dill most cupboards have. It gives a softer, greener dill flavor than the seed.

Best for: canned and refrigerator dill pickles, dilly beans, pickled onions and carrots
Prep: Use the same amount, and up to double for a strong dill pickle.
Where it fails: It lacks the sharp, slightly bitter edge whole seed gives a deli-style pickle. The flakes float in the brine and cling to the pickles, which is cosmetic.

Home-canning guidance treats 2 tbsp dill weed and 1 to 2 tbsp dill seed as the same thing for a quart of pickles.

Fresh dill heads

fuller and greener, with the seed flavor underneath

The flowering top of the dill plant, with its green seeds and a little frond. Many older pickle recipes call for heads in the first place.

Best for: kosher-style dill pickles, fermented pickles, any jar where you want the dill to show
Prep: One head covers 1 to 2 tsp of seed, so 3 heads replace the 1 to 2 tbsp in a quart jar.
Where it fails: Heads are in season for only part of the summer and they vary in size; use the larger number of heads if yours are small.

Fresh dill fronds

lighter, fresh and grassy

The feathery leaves sold in supermarket bunches, and the mildest part of the plant. Start with about three times the volume of the seed, the usual fresh-for-dried rule, and add more to taste.

Best for: refrigerator pickles, quick pickled onions and cucumbers
Prep: Chop the fronds to measure them, or tuck whole sprigs down the side of the jar.
Where it fails: The leaf flavor is delicate and has little of the seed's sharpness. For a strong dill pickle, use dried dill weed or heads.

Caraway seed

earthier, the flavor of rye bread

The closest seed to dill seed: both get their main flavor from the same compound, carvone. It tastes more of rye bread than of dill, but it sits in the same place in a brine.

Best for: sauerkraut and pickled cabbage, pickled beets and carrots, deli-style cucumber pickles
Where it fails: It will not make a dill pickle. With no dill in the jar the pickle tastes of caraway, which is fine for a pickle and wrong if dill is the point.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeDill seed

In a pickle, dill seed is a whole spice that sits in the jar and gives up its flavor slowly: sharp, warm and a little bitter, the taste most people mean by dill pickle. It has no part in preserving the food. That is why it can be swapped freely, as long as the vinegar, water, salt and vegetables stay as the recipe gives them.

Tips for substituting dill seed

4 tips

Put the dill in the jar before the vegetables so it stays under the brine.
Keep seeds whole. Ground spices cloud the brine and darken the pickles.
Mustard seed, garlic and peppercorns are already in most dill pickle recipes. Leaving them in place keeps the jar tasting like a dill pickle even when the dill itself is milder.
If you have some dill seed but not enough, use it and make up the rest with dill weed.

Questions

5 questions

Can I use dill weed instead of dill seed in pickles?

Yes. Use the same amount of dried dill weed, or up to double for a stronger pickle; home-canning guidance treats 2 tablespoons of dill weed and 1 to 2 tablespoons of dill seed as equal for a quart. The flavor is greener and milder, and the flakes will show in the brine.

How much fresh dill replaces dill seed in pickles?

One fresh dill head for each 1 to 2 teaspoons of seed, or 3 heads for a quart jar. With fronds, start with about three times the volume of the seed, chopped (1 tablespoon per teaspoon of seed), or pack in whole sprigs.

Is it safe to change the dill in a canning recipe?

Yes. Dill is a flavoring, and swapping it at the amounts here or leaving it out does not change the acidity that makes the pickle safe. Do not change the vinegar, water, salt or vegetable amounts, or the processing time.

Can I leave dill seed out of pickles?

Yes. The pickles will be safe and will taste of the garlic, mustard seed and vinegar in the brine. They will not be dill pickles, so if that is what you want, use dill weed or fresh dill.

Do fennel seed or celery seed work in place of dill seed?

They work as pickling spices, not as dill. Fennel seed is sweet and tastes of licorice. Celery seed is savory and slightly bitter, and it is the usual seed in bread-and-butter pickles and relishes. Start with the same amount of fennel seed or a little less celery seed, and expect the jar to taste of that seed.