Fresh Herbs for Cooking and How to Use Them

DO YOU EVER FEEL OVERWHELMED WHEN YOU’RE GROCERY SHOPPING? NOT SURE WHICH HERBS AND SPICES TO BUY? HERE’S AN EASY TO FOLLOW, SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF FRESH HERBS FOR COOKING AND HOW TO USE THEM.

FRESH HERBS & HOW TO USE THEM

PARSLEY

ALSO CALLED “CURLY PARSLEY”. THE EASIEST WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE IT FROM ITALIAN PARSLEY IS IT’S BUSHIER APPEARANCE.

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

PARSLEY ISN’T AN OVERPOWERING HER. IT’S FLAVOR IS MORE SUBTLE AND MILD.

HOW DO I USE IT?

SINCE IT DOESN’T HAVE A TON OF FLAVOR, IT’S GREAT FOR USING AS A GARNISH TO ADD TEXTURE AND A POP OF COLOR WHEN YOU’RE SERVING A DISH.

As previously mentioned, curly parsley doesn’t make a big impression on the taste buds. As such, it’s primarily used as a garnish to add texture and a pop of color to a finished dish.

ITALIAN PARSLEY

SO YOU’VE GOT YOUR “REGULAR CURLY PARSLEY” & YOUR ITALIAN FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY. IT’S ALSO A BRIGHT GREEN COLOR, BUT THE LEAVES ARE FLAT AND SERRATED.

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

ITALIAN PARSLEY HAS A LOT OF FLAVOR. IT’S CLEAN & BRIGHT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PEPPER.

HOW DO I USE IT?

ITALIAN PARSLEY IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR GARNISHES. YOU CAN CHOP IT UP AND SERVE IT ON TOP OF PASTA DISHES, RICE, SOUPS & STEWS, ETC. YOU CAN ALSO USE IT WHEN MAKING MARINADES, SAUCES & DRESSINGS.

YOU’RE NOT LIMITED TO USING IT IN ITALIAN FOOD – IT’S REALLY VERSATILE!

CILANTRO

CILANTRO AND ITALIAN PARSLEY LOOK A LOT ALIKE. BUT THE EASIEST WAY TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IS THAT CILANTRO HAS SMALLER LEAVES AND THINNER STEMS. YOU CAN ALSO DO A “SNIFF TEST” – CILANTRO HAS A STRONGER SMELL!

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

CILANTRO IS KIND OF LIKE A SUPER STRONG PARSLEY. IT’S BRIGHT, FRESH & ZESTY WITH A LITTLE TANGINESS. SOME PEOPLE LOVE IT, SOME PEOPLE HATE IT – ODDLY ENOUGH SOME PEOPLE THINK IT TASTES LIKE SOAP!

HOW DO I USE IT?

IF YOU LIKE CILANTRO – YOU’LL WANT TO USE IT ALL THE TIME! IT’S A GREAT GARNISH FOR SOUP, RICE, PASTA, SALADS, ETC. YOU’LL ALSO SEE IT USED IN A TON OF MEXICAN CUISINE LIKE TACOS, GUACAMOLE, PICO DE GALLO, ETC.

SAGE

SAGE HAS A LIGHTER COLOR AND KIND OF A SOFT, FUZZY WHITE LEAF. THE LEAVES HAVE A LONGER, ROUNDER SHAPE..

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

SAGE HAS A SAVORY, RICH FLAVOR. IT’S NOT SUBTLE! IT’S GOT KIND OF AN EARTHY, LEMONY FLAVOR.

HOW DO I USE IT?

SAGE ISN’T A MILD HERB, SO YOU’LL WANT TO USE IT IN RICH DISHES. THINK: BROWN BUTTER SAGE SAUCE OR A SAGE CRUSTED ROAST.

MINT

THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MINT HERBS, BUT MOST OF THE TIME YOU SEE IT IN THE GROCERY STORE IT’S SPEARMINT. THE LEAVES ARE JAGGED & FEEL KIIND OF ROUGH WHEN YOU TOUCH THEM.

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

MINT IS FRESH & REFRESHING. IT’S A SWEETER TASTING HERB THAT CAN LEAVE A COOLING FEELING IN YOUR MOUTH.

HOW DO I USE IT?

MOST OF THE TIME, PEOPLE THINK OF MINT AS BEING A GARNISH OR USED IN SWEET RECIPES. BUT THERE ARE ARE ACTUALLY A TON OF DIFFERENT SAVORY AND SWEET RECIPES THAT USE IT. IT’S USED IT BAKING, ICE CREAM AND DRINKS LIKE MOJITOS AND JULEPS.

AND GREAT IN MARINADES, SAUCES & DRESSINGS. I EVEN USE IT IN MY JENNIFER ANISTON SALAD RECIPE!

DILL

DILL IS A DELICATE BRIGHT GREEN HERB THAT IS FLUFFY AND KIND OF FEATHERY LOOKING. SOMETIMES YOU’LL EVEN SEE LITTLE YELLOWISH FLOWERS AT THE TIPS.

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

DILL IS FRESH AND AROMATIC, IT’S CITRUSY AND HAS A BIT OF A GRASSY FLAVOR (IN A GOOD WAY). IT HAS A SUBTLE SWEETNESS AND IS SOMETIMES USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PARSLEY.

HOW DO I USE IT?

YOU DON’T WANT TO COOK WITH DILL, BUT USE IT AS A GARNISH OR TO FINISH A DISH. IT’S ALSO GREAT WHEN ADDED TO SALADS AND, SPREADS AND DIPS. THINK: POTATO SALAD, RANCH DRESSING, DILL PICKLES, TZATZIKI, ETC.

CHIVES

CHIVES LOOK THE MOST UNIQUE – SO THEY’RE EASY TO SPOT. THEY KIND OF LOOK LIKE A BUNDLE OF GRASS. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT CLOSELY, YOU’LL SEE THAT THE STEMS ARE ACTUALLY CYLINDRICAL & HOLLOW.

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

CHIVES ARE RELATED TO ONIONS AND GARLIC – SO THEY HAVE A SIMILAR FLAVOR. THEY HAVE A MILD ONION TASTE, KIND OF LIKE A LEEK.

HOW DO I USE IT?

CHIVES ARE A GREAT GARNISH AND PERFECT FOR SPRINKLING ON TOP OF DISHES LIKE SCRAMBLED EGGS, BAKED POTATOES, ON TOP OF A CREAMY CHICKEN DISH, ETC. BUT YOU CAN ALSO USE IT IN SALADS, DIPS & DRESSINGS – JUST DON’T HEAT IT OR IT WILL LOSE IT’S FLAVOR.

THYME

THYME IS ALSO UNIQUE LOOKING & EASY TO SPOT. THERE ARE A FEW DIFFERENT TYPES OF THYME (ENGLISH, FRENCH & GERMAN), BUT THEY ALL HAVE SMALL ROUND LEAVES ON A STURDIER STEM.

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

THYME IS A LITTLE MINTY & LEMONY, BUT EARTHY. KIND OF LIKE A MILD ROSEMARY.

HOW DO I USE IT?

THYME IS USED FREQUENTLY IN FRENCH & MIDDLE EASTERN RECIPES. YOU CAN PICK THE LEAVES OFF AND CHOP THEM UP OF OR DROP THE ENTIRE SPRIG INTO A RECIPE. THINK: BRAISED OR ROASTED MEATS, SOUPS AND STEWS, SAUCES, MARINADES, ETC.

ROSEMARY

ROSEMARY IS ANOTHER HERB THAT LOOKS UNIQUE. IT’S THE HERB THAT LOOKS LIEK A CHRISTMAS TREE!

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

ROSEMARY HAS A STRONG, BOLD FLAVOR AND AROMA. IT SMELLS LIKE PINE AND HAS A LEMON-PEPPER-PINE FLAVOR.

HOW DO I USE IT?

ROSEMARY IS ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE HERBS AND EASY TO USE IN RECIPES FOR ROASTS, MARINADES, SOUPS, STEWS, CASSEROLES, VEGETABLES, ETC.

MARJORAM

I’LL BE HONEST, I ONLY RECENTLY STARTED USING MARJORAM IN MY COOKING. IT’S AN HERB I DIDN’T SEE GROWING UP. IT LOOKS ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME AS OREGANO, WITH FLAT OVAL SHAPED LEAVES. BUT TASTES COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN OREGANO.

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

MARJORAM HAS A MILD, SWEET, DELICATE FLAVOR. IT’S GOT A TINY BIT OF SPICE, BUT NOT IN AN OVERWHELMING WAY.

HOW DO I USE IT?

FRESH MARJORAM HAS A MORE SUBTLE FLAVOR, WHILE DRY MARJORAM IS STRONGER. SINCE IT’S A DELICATE HERB, YOU DON’T WANT TO OVER-COOK IT & MAKE SURE YOU ADD IT LATER WHEN YOU’RE COOKING. IT’S A POPULAR SEASONING FOR MEAT, FISH & VEGETABLES – SO YOU’LL SEE IT USED IN A LOT OF MARINADES.

TARRAGON

I ALWAYS THINK TARRAGON LOOKS “FANCY” AND GROWN UP – BECAUSE IT HAS LONG, THIN, SHINY LEAVES.

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

TARRAGON HAS A SWEET FLAVOR WITH A HINT OF ANISE. THINK: FENNEL.

HOW DO I USE IT?

TARRAGON IS A POPULAR HERB IN FRENCH COOKING AND YOU’LL SEE IT USED IN BEARNAISE, CREAMY SOUPS, SAUCES, MAYONNAISE DIPS, PASTA & POTATO SALADS. JUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO COOK IT FOR TOO LONG OR IT WILL TASTE BITTER.

BASIL

MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU SEE BASIL AT THE GROCERY STORE, IT’S SWEET BASIL. BUT YOU MIGHT ALSO SEE THAI BASIL. SWEET BASIL IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE. THE LEAVES ARE A LARGE, TEARDROP SHAPE. YOU’LL USUALLY SEE THEM SOLD IN A CLAMSHELL OR AS LIVING BASIL – STILL ATTACHED TO A BIT OF DIRT!

WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?

BASIL IS SWEET AND A LITTLE PEPPERY – BUT BALANCED! MAKING IT SUPER VERSATILE AND ONE OF THE MOST USED HERBS.

How to use it:

SINCE IT’S GOT A MILD FLAVOR – IT’S GREAT IN A TON OF RECIPES. YOU CAN USE FRESH BASIL IN SALADS, SANDWICHES AND AS A GARNISH ON PIZZAS AND PASTAS. IT’S ALSO THE MAIN INGREDIENT IN PESTO SAUCE!

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HERBS, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND CHECKING OUT ALICE WATERS COOKING CLASS HERE! I ALSO LOVE THIS HERB STORAGE CONTAINER THAT KEEPS YOUR HERBS FRESH FOR WEEKS!