Dried parsley flakes are subtle and muted in flavor. In contrast to many other herbs whose flavors are concentrated when dried, parsley loses much of the brightness it has when it is fresh. When cooking it's best to think of them as completely different herbs and not as interchangeable ingredients in recipes.
Dried parsley has the advantage of holding up to long periods of cooking and at high heats. It can be added throughout the cooking process to allow its flavors diffuse into the dish. Dried parsley is good at supporting other herbs in recipes and is often a complement to garlic, oregano, and chile peppers.
You can use dried parsley in herb mixes for meatballs or braised meat dishes, oven-baked vegetables, soups and stews, or vinaigrettes.
Don't substitute dried parsley in recipes that call for the fresh herb. The flavor profile of dried parsley is much more subtle and the bright vibrancy of fresh parsley is not something the dried version can emulate.
There are many different types of parsley. The most common known to American consumers are curly leaf (sometimes called French parsley) and flat leaf (aka Italian parsley).
Additionally there is a type native to Japan and China that can be eaten as a food and type native to Germany that is grown for its roots which are used to flavor stews and soups. The leaves of German type (called Hamburg parsley, or parsley root) aren't used as an herb, but instead are employed ornamentally.
