Bay Leaves 20g

Recipes & Uses

Why Keep Bay Leaves in the Pantry?

Made for slow-cooked flavour
Bay leaves gradually release their aroma as a dish simmers, making them especially useful in stocks, soups, stews and sauces.

One leaf can flavour an entire pot
You generally don't need much. A whole leaf or two can quietly contribute to a large dish.

Useful across cuisines
Bay leaves aren't tied to one style of cooking. They're used across European, Mediterranean, Indian and many other cuisines.

An essential stock ingredient
Chicken, beef and vegetable stock all benefit from the subtle aromatic background bay provides.

A generous size for regular cooks
The 20g pack is a practical option if you frequently make soups, stocks, curries, casseroles, pickles or other slow-cooked dishes.

What Do Bay Leaves Taste Like?

Bay leaves have a flavour that is herbal, slightly floral, earthy and gently bitter.

But unlike herbs such as basil or oregano, bay isn't usually added to make a dish taste strongly of bay leaf.

Instead, it contributes a subtle background flavour that becomes part of the overall dish.

That's why you may not immediately identify bay in a good stock or stew — but you can often notice when that depth is missing.

How to Use Bay Leaves

Stocks & Broths

Add one or two leaves to chicken, beef or vegetable stock while it simmers.

The leaves slowly infuse the liquid with subtle aromatic flavour.

Beef & Lamb Stews

Add to hearty stews and casseroles alongside onion, garlic, herbs and stock.

Remove before serving.

Tomato Sauces & Ragu

Tuck a bay leaf into a slowly simmering tomato sauce, bolognese or ragu.

The longer cooking time gives the leaf time to release its flavour.

Curries

Bay leaves can be added during the early stages of a curry and allowed to simmer with the sauce.

Rice, Lentils & Grains

Add a single leaf to the cooking water when preparing rice, quinoa or lentils for subtle extra fragrance.

Pickling

Bay leaves can be included in pickling brines alongside other whole spices.

Why Use the Leaf Whole?

Bay leaves are designed to infuse a dish while it cooks.

Unlike many dried herbs, they're not normally crumbled into the finished meal.

Add them whole so they're easy to find once cooking is finished.

Important: remove whole bay leaves before serving.

Their job is to give the dish flavour — not to be eaten.

The Ingredient That Works in the Background

Bay leaf is a good example of why flavour isn't always about adding more salt, chilli or strong seasoning.

Sometimes a dish needs depth rather than intensity.

Put a bay leaf into a pot of stock or a slow-cooked tomato sauce and allow time to do the work.

As the dish simmers, the leaf gradually contributes its herbal aroma to everything around it.

Add it. Simmer it. Remove it.

Simple — but extremely useful.

Try It This Way

Next time you make a basic tomato pasta sauce, add:

Onion
Garlic
Tomatoes
One Bay Leaf
Salt and black pepper

Let the sauce simmer slowly for at least 20–30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf before serving.

It's a simple way to experience what bay brings to a dish without hiding it amongst dozens of other ingredients.

Beyond Stews

Once you've opened the pack, try Bay Leaves in:

• Chicken stock
• Beef stock
• Vegetable stock
• Beef stew
• Lamb casserole
• Bolognese
• Tomato pasta sauce
• Curries
• Lentil dishes
• Bean dishes
• Rice
• Pilaf
• Quinoa
• Braised meats
• Pickles
• Chutneys
• Poaching liquids
• Slow-cooker meals

Bay Leaves may not be the loudest ingredient in your pantry, but they're one of the most useful when you want slow-cooked food to develop deeper, more rounded flavour.

Important

Bay leaves are used to infuse flavour during cooking and should be removed before serving.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark and dry place to help preserve their aroma and flavour.