Learn how to prepare, store, and cook with some of the most popular fresh herbs, including sage, basil, chives, and more.
Herbs are a simple and quick method to add flavor to a dish. Uncertain of where to begin? Use this infographic as a short guide to learn how to prepare and store fresh herbs as well as some recipe suggestions. Consider adding some basil and marjoram to your preferred tomato sauce or sprinkling some thyme and rosemary on a bird before roasting it. Make your own homemade chimichurri sauce to go with your favorite grilled meats or pesto to add to pasta. When making a homemade vinaigrette or creamy ranch dip, add your favorite chopped herbs. A salad with an Asian flair is a great place to use herbs like mint and cilantro. You could be more familiar with some plants than others. Try out a few at once until you discover some that you like.
Grow your own herbs for the most recent flavor. Herbs are among of the simplest plants to cultivate for novice gardeners, and they thrive in containers, so you don’t need a lot of room. Start with seedlings of herbs like basil, chives, cilantro, mint, and parsley so that you may begin collecting them as soon as you plant them. With well-drained soil, plant in a large container, and water often. You may have fresh herbs on hand anytime you need them if you place them in a bright location on a windowsill or outside near your kitchen door.
Basil
Basil is the only herb that perfectly captures the flavor of summer. The classic sweet Genovese basil that serves as the foundation of every delectable pesto is only one option; other types include Thai basil, which has overtones of anise, and opal basil, which has gorgeous maroon leaves.
Culinary Uses: Make your own pesto if you have a lot of basil on hand! When summer is done, you may freeze the pesto in ice cube trays and use the blocks to flavor soup or to top pasta. Fresh basil is at its peak and goes well with almost everything, including meat and seafood. Use it to top pizzas and salads that have just come out of the oven.
Prep: Basil is prone to bruising. The leaves should ideally be torn or chopped very coarsely. You may slice the delicate stems near the top of the plant and use them in soups. In the direction of the root end, the plant’s bigger stems are woody and less delicious.
Storage: Basil should not be kept in the refrigerator since the cold will cause it to wilt; instead, place the root ends in a small cup of water with a plastic bag loosely covering it on your kitchen counter. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. Basil leaves should first be blanched and dried before being put in the freezer. By doing this, they won’t become black. Use a dehydrator or lay the basil leaves out on a big baking sheet and bake at the lowest temperature setting in your oven until they are dry and crumbly to dry basil.
Cilantro
Cilantro is used in many different cuisines, including Mexican and Vietnamese, because of its strong flavor and scent. The dried seeds are sold whole or powdered as coriander, the stems are just as tasty as the leaves, and certain Asian dishes even call for the roots. The entire plant is edible.
Culinary Uses: Cilantro enjoys stating his opinion. It complements light foods best, such as chicken, fish, and tofu, where its fresh, green flavor really pops. (However, in reality, cilantro pairs well with almost anything.) It tastes great in curries, salsas, and soups. Fresh cilantro should be added to a meal just before serving since heat can dull its flavor.
Prep: The leaves can be eaten whole or sliced. Even though they are less delicate, the stems have just as much flavor as the leaves. You may cut the stems and boil them with other aromatics to add taste, or you can use them whole to improve the flavor of stock and soup.
Storage: Keep cilantro in your refrigerator in a jar with the leaves covered by a bag and the stems submerged in water. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. To freeze cilantro, first blanch the stems and leaves (this keeps the flavor and color), then dry them before putting them in the freezer. Alternatively, you might blend the stems and leaves in a food processor, then freeze the result in ice cube trays. Use a dehydrator or place the cilantro leaves on a large baking sheet and bake at the lowest temperature setting in your oven until they are dry and crumbly.
Dill
The range of pungent dill, a parsley related, extends from Greece to northern Europe. It’s the primary taste in dill pickles here in the US, but it also has a significant presence in a variety of other foods throughout the globe, from grape leaves to borscht.
Culinary Uses: Dill may be infused into food or used as a garnish to improve the flavor (like pickling). Fish, poultry, eggs, and smoked meats go well with it. It may be used alone in soups, stews, and sauces or mixed with other herbs like parsley or mint. It is preferable to use a gentle touch when adding fresh dill at the end of cooking because of its relatively pungent flavor.
Prep: Its soft, feather-like leaves can be ripped or sliced to use as a garnish. The stems’ sensitive sections can be cut and added to food to give it a special taste.
Storage: Dill should be placed in a plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator covered in a wet paper towel. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. The leaves may either be coarsely chopped and frozen in ice cube trays with a tiny bit of water, or they can be put in a plastic bag for freezing. To soups and sauces, add the combination one cube at a time. Use a dehydrator or lay the leaves out on a big baking sheet and bake at the lowest temperature setting in your oven until they are dry and crumbly to dry dill.
Marjoram
Marjoram is utilized in many Mediterranean dishes, much like oregano. Meats and vegetables pair particularly well with its strongly flowery taste.
Culinary Uses: Because marjoram is milder than oregano, it is more adaptable. Both softer foods like chicken, fish, and tofu as well as heartier meats like beef and lamb go great with it. It tastes well as a vegetable garnish as well as in soups, salad dressings, and pasta sauces. Just before serving, add it to a dish because heat might mellow the flavor.
Prep: The leaves can be eaten whole or sliced. Even though the stems may be woody, you don’t have to discard them. Use the stems to add flavor; you may add them whole to soups and stocks to improve their flavor.
Storage: Marjoram should be kept in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, covered in a wet paper towel. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. The leaves should be processed briefly in a food processor before being frozen in ice cube trays with a tiny touch of olive oil. To soups and sauces, add the combination one cube at a time. Use a dehydrator or lay the leaves out on a big baking sheet and bake at the lowest temperature setting in your oven until they are dry and crumbly to dry marjoram.
Oregano
Oregano is linked to both marjoram and thyme and is a member of the mint family. Compared to Mexican oregano, Mediterranean oregano has a milder taste. You may season spaghetti and pizza sauces with it, or you can add a little bit to your preferred chili recipe to give it a new taste profile.
Culinary Uses: Dark and gamy meats go best with oregano’s strong, woodsy taste. You may mix it in with your aromatics while you’re cooking to develop flavor because its taste withstands heat effectively. It tastes great in pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, and soups. Go gentle on the fresh oregano if you decide to use it as a garnish because it has a tendency to overpower a meal.
Prep: The leaves can be eaten whole or sliced. Even though the stems may be woody, you don’t have to discard them. The stems can be used intact to improve the taste of stock, soup, or pasta sauce. They should be utilized to build flavor.
Storage: Your refrigerator is a good place to keep oregano. Wrap it in a wet paper towel. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. The leaves should be processed briefly in a food processor before being frozen in ice cube trays with a tiny touch of olive oil. To soups and sauces, add the combination one cube at a time. Use a dehydrator to dry the leaves, or lay them out on a big baking sheet and cook them in your oven at the lowest temperature setting until they are crumbly and dry.
Parsley
Although parsley seldom has the chance to shine on its own, its mild flavor serves as the foundation for many soups, sauces, and stews. While tougher curly parsley makes a lovely garnish for platters, flat-leaved Italian parsley lends a gentle grassy taste and is a favorite for cooking.
Culinary Uses: You can use a lot of it without overpowering a meal because it is so subdued. Whole sprigs of parsley give stock, soups, and stews a vibrant, fresh flavor. You may eat leaves whole in salads, dips, or salsas, or you can cut them up and use them as a garnish. The ubiquitous flavor of parsley pairs well with anything from fish, chicken, and dark game meats to legumes and soft vegetables.
Prep: You may eat parsley leaves whole or chopped. Even after being cooked, the leaves retain their strength and color nicely. Even though they are less delicate, the stems have just as much flavor as the leaves. You may cut the stems and boil them with other aromatics to add taste, or you can use them whole to improve the flavor of stock and soup.
Storage: In a plastic bag in your refrigerator, keep parsley wrapped in a wet paper towel. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. The leaves may either be coarsely chopped and frozen in ice cube trays with a tiny bit of water, or they can be put in a plastic bag for freezing. To soups and sauces, add the combination one cube at a time. When dried, parsley loses a lot of its mild flavor but keeps a lot of its brilliant green hue. Use a dehydrator to dry the leaves, or lay them out on a big baking sheet and cook them in your oven at the lowest temperature setting until they are crumbly and dry.
Rosemary
This robust herb, which comes from the Mediterranean and has an unique pine scent, is used to flavor sauces, oils, breads, and roasts.
Culinary Uses: Because of its strong, woodsy taste, rosemary works best with roasted and grilled dark and gamy meats. Because of how well its flavor withstands heat, you may include it into your cuisine while using aromatics to develop flavor. It tastes great when steeped in oil and used to soups, breads, and pasta sauces. Use sparingly because rosemary is one of the strongest herbs and may easily overpower a meal.
Prep: The leaves of rosemary resemble pine needles. Unless they are being used as an infusion or to flavor a recipe without the intention of eating them, they should be chopped. The stems are flavorless and have a woody texture. The stems with the leaves still on them can be used to improve the flavor of stocks, soups, and sauces. To enhance the flavor of your food, lightly bruise rosemary stems with the blunt edge of a knife before adding.
Storage: In a plastic bag in your refrigerator, place rosemary that has been wrapped in a wet paper towel. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. Put the stems and leaves in a plastic bag and freeze. As needed, get rid of the leaves. Use a dehydrator to dry the leaves, or lay them out on a big baking sheet and cook them in your oven at the lowest temperature setting until they are crumbly and dry.
Sage
Sage has a particular taste and has been used in the Mediterranean for both culinary and medicinal reasons for a very long time. The delicate, round, silver-green leaves have a taste that is a little bit harsh and musty.
Culinary Uses: The flavor of sage is one that you either love or hate. Although we enjoy the earthiness it provides, it is frequently used with other herbs, such thyme or parsley, to balance the flavor. It goes nicely with grilled and roasted gamy meats and poultry as well as numerous root vegetables. Since its flavor is heat-resistant, you may cook with it with your aromatics to develop flavor or use it as a fresh garnish (but take caution unless you truly adore it!). It tastes great in breads, stuffing, soups, and sauces.
Prep: Long and almost fluffy, sage leaves are distinctive. Sage leaves are often chopped because of this and the fact that they have a very strong flavor. When flash-fried in a little oil, whole leaves may create a wonderful garnish. There isn’t much of a stem, but it can be utilized with the leaves as long as it is delicate (up to the leaf end).
Storage: Sage should be placed in a plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator covered in a wet paper towel. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. The leaves can be frozen in ice cube trays with a small amount of olive oil or in a plastic bag with a rough chop. To soups and sauces, add the combination one cube at a time. Use a dehydrator to dry the leaves, or lay them out on a big baking sheet and cook them in your oven at the lowest temperature setting until they are crumbly and dry.
Spearmint & Peppermint
Given their culinary use, these hardy perennials have a reputation for encroaching on gardens, but perhaps that’s not such a terrible thing. Most likely, the herb you purchase at the grocery store is spearmint. This species, sometimes referred to as common mint or garden mint, is the most useful for both sweet and savory meals. More menthol is present in peppermint, which is mainly utilized in candies, drinks, and sweets. Gems like apple mint, orange mint, pineapple mint, and chocolate mint are among the many varieties.
Culinary Uses: Mint is considerably more adaptable than we give it credit for. It may be used to flavor a cocktail, blend with other herbs to provide a rich and nuanced flavor, or stand alone to add a minty fresh edge to lamb or fowl. It tastes fantastic in salads, salsas, and chutneys. Don’t forget that it also works well as a flavoring and garnish for sweets! Try it in sauces and dips as well.
Prep: You may eat mint leaves whole, torn, or chopped. As long as there are no woody ends (pointing toward the base), the stems are also edible. Stems can be utilized in purees, juices, and cooking alongside aromatics.
Storage: Mint may be kept in your refrigerator wrapped in a moist paper towel in a plastic bag, or loosely wrapped in plastic and placed in a little water-filled jar. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. The leaves may either be coarsely chopped and frozen in ice cube trays with a tiny bit of water, or they can be put in a plastic bag for freezing. To soups and sauces, add the combination one cube at a time. Use a dehydrator to dry the leaves, or lay them out on a big baking sheet and cook them in your oven at the lowest temperature setting until they are crumbly and dry.
Tarragon
Tarragon has long, flat, delicate leaves. The French have most likely embraced its strong licorice-like flavor, making it a key component in classic sauces like sauce béarnaise as well as the seasoning blend fines herbes together with chervil, parsley, and chives.
Culinary Uses: Although tarragon is most famous for being the main component in béarnaise sauce because of its sweet anise taste, its applications go well beyond that. It complements eggs, fish, and poultry in especially, and it can infuse white-wine vinegar to serve as the foundation for a delicately sweet salad dressing. Near the end of cooking, add tarragon to maximize its distinctive taste.
Prep: The delicate leaves of tarragon can be cut, torn, or eaten whole. They bruise readily, much like basil. You don’t have to discard the stems because they might be woody and have a milder flavor than the leaves. The stems can be used intact to improve the taste of stock, soup, or pasta sauce. They should be utilized to build flavor.
Storage: In your refrigerator, keep tarragon wrapped in a wet paper towel in a plastic bag or loosely wrapped in plastic with the stem end in a little water-filled container. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. The leaves may either be coarsely chopped and frozen in ice cube trays with a tiny bit of water, or they can be put in a plastic bag for freezing. To soups and sauces, add the combination one cube at a time. Because tarragon loses a lot of taste when dried, unlike other herbs, you should combine it with butter, oil, or vinegar to maintain its distinctive flavor.
Thyme
Thyme is one of the most adaptable herbs available and is most commonly used as a background seasoning for stews and soups. Small, delicate leaves with a Mediterranean origin can be cut or used whole to flavor food, and whole sprigs can be used to flavor stocks and soups. Its flavor may be anything from flowery and fruity to acidic and lemony.
Culinary Uses: Thyme tastes fantastic both on its own and when combined with other herbs like parsley, sage, or rosemary. It goes nicely with just about anything, including soft vegetables, fish, poultry, and dark meat. It may be added to foods either at the start of the cooking process to increase taste or at the end as a garnish.
Prep: The little leaves of thyme can be cut or consumed whole. They bruise readily, much like basil. The stems of the sprigs are soft towards the blossom end but become woody as they descend. The best course of action is to remove the little, sensitive leaves from the stems and flavor soups and sauces with the remaining stems.
Storage: Thyme should be placed in a plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator covered in a wet paper towel. It’ll go on for a week to ten days. The leaves may either be coarsely chopped and frozen in ice cube trays with a tiny bit of water, or they can be put in a plastic bag for freezing. To soups and sauces, add the combination one cube at a time. Thyme has a musty taste when dried. Use a dehydrator to dry the leaves, or lay them out on a big baking sheet and cook them in your oven at the lowest temperature setting until they are crumbly and dry.