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Dried fenugreek leaves

Spices & seasonings · Dried herbs

Dried fenugreek leaves

Dried fenugreek leaves with a savoury, bittersweet herbal aroma, crumbled into butter chicken and curries.

Also called: kasuri methi, dried methi leaves

A kind of spices

13 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: Thamizhpparithi Maari, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Kasuri methi is dried fenugreek leaves, named after Kasur in Punjab. The small greenish flakes are crumbled between the palms and added near the end of cooking, giving the distinctive savoury, slightly bitter, maple-like aroma of restaurant curries. It is far more fragrant than the seeds and is not interchangeable with them.

Trigonella foenum-graecum

How it’s used

  • Butter chicken and paneer makhani
  • Dal makhani and other creamy curries
  • Methi parathas and naan
  • Rubbed over finished sabzis

Characteristics

Aroma
Strong, savoury, hay- and maple-like.
When cooked
Crush and add at the end; long cooking makes it bitter.
Sold as
dried
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Airtight jar away from light; replace when the aroma fades.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
323 kcal
Protein
23 g
Carbohydrate
58.35 g
Fat
6.41 g
Fibre
24.6 g
Sugars
— g

USDA FoodData Central: Spices, fenugreek seed (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Celery leaves or a pinch of fenugreek seed — Neither matches closely; leave it out rather than over-substitute.

Related ingredients

Recipes with dried fenugreek leaves

See all 13

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