11 Common Herbs And How To Use Them

Knowing how to use your herbs and spices can go a long way to making a dish’s flavor grow exponentially. Here’s how to use some of the common herbs and spices when cooking!

11 common herbs and how to use them

Basil

Pairs well with: red meat, cheese, green vegetables

Whether you’re using a leaf or two to garnish or an entire basil plant for pesto, fresh basil is a great herb to add freshness to any dish.

If you’re looking to diversify your basil flavors, try going for a Thai basil, a sweet basil or holy basil, all of which have varying levels of spice and sharpness.

The most important thing to remember when cooking with basil is that the herb can lose its taste very quickly as it's cooked. For optimal taste, add basil at the very end of cooking your dish, using it as a garnish or as an uncooked pesto.

Rosemary

Pairs well with: green vegetables, yellow vegetables, red meat, poultry

Rosemary has a strong smell both in its fresh and dried state, making it a strong addition to any dish. That being said, you don’t need a lot of it, otherwise it will overpower your other flavors.

You can use full stems of rosemary in stews and while cooking, but make sure to remove the inedible stems before eating the dish. It’s also a good idea to chop up the leaves, as they can be very spiky even after being cooked. 

Oregano

Pairs well with: green vegetables, red meat, cheese

Most of us use oregano in its dried form in sauces, pizzas and pastas, but fresh oregano can really pack a punch if used properly!

The fresh version of the herb is much stronger than the dried, which is, in most cases, the opposite with other herbs. Mediterranean oregano has a savory taste more similar to basil, while Mexican oregano is more akin to lemon balm and mint, so keep that in mind as you add this herb to your dishes.

Mint

Pairs well with: red meat, fish, vegetables

There are so many kinds of mint out there that there are practically a million ways to use it. That being said, here are some general tips!

Mint can be used in many ways: raw in cocktails, blended in a pesto, dry in baked goods or cooked with lamb. Find out the specific kind of mint you need for any given recipe, as the varieties are different enough to create a difference in taste, no matter how it’s used. 

Sage

Pairs well with: red meat, fish, poultry

Sage has a pine and citrus flavor that pairs well with fatty meats and savory foods. On its own, sage can be a little overpowering and pungent, but pairing the herb with garlic, rosemary, bay leaves and thyme create a better overall flavor. 

Add fresh sage to a dish toward the end of the cook time, and add dried sage at the beginning so that it has time to mellow out. 

Thyme

Pairs well with: green vegetables, yellow vegetables, red meat, poultry

Sprigs of fresh thyme are excellent additions to savory roasts, soups and stews, as well as to vegetable and potato dishes.

As with most sprigs of herbs, the stalk itself can’t be eaten, so either remove the leaves prior to cooking or remove the whole sprig before eating. 

Bay leaf

Pairs well with: starches, red meat

Bay leaves are one of those herbs that are better dried rather than fresh, as the fresh version is just a little too strong to use in most dishes. 

The best way to cook with bay leaves is to simmer the whole leaf in the sauce, stew or soup it's flavoring. Bay leaves release more flavor the longer they are cooked, so keep that in mind if you set out to make a stew that takes hours to simmer. 

Dill

Pairs well with: Eggs, green vegetables, yellow vegetables, dairy

Dill has a strong taste that’s most aromatic and flavorful when fresh, rather than when dried. 

Because dill is such a delicate herb, make sure that you prepare it right before using it, otherwise it will go soggy and lose its fresh taste. You can use every part of the dill plant, including the stalk, leaves and flowers.

Tarragon

Pairs well with: Eggs, yellow vegetables, red meat, poultry, fish, legumes

While tarragon is not an exceptionally popular herb here in the United States, it’s considered one of the more popular herbs in fine French cooking. 

Dried tarragon is stronger than fresh tarragon, so keep that in mind. Sprigs of fresh tarragon do very well in vegetable and meat roasts, and especially well in a good ol’ béarnaise sauce, where it delivers a fresh and flavorful aroma along with other traditional herbs.

Cilantro

Pairs well with: Poultry, yellow vegetables, red meat

If you’ve heard cilantro and coriander used interchangeably, then you’re kind of right, kind of wrong. Coriander is the name of the seeds of the cilantro plant, while cilantro is the name of the leaves and stems. 

Cilantro has a powerful flavor that’s only really noticeable when a lot is used, so feel free to add in more cilantro than you think! If you like the taste, of course. Fresh cilantro is much better than dried, so keep it fresh in the fridge by dipping the stems in a cup of water. 

Parsley

Pairs well with: Fish, poultry, red meat, green vegetables, yellow vegetables, starches

Parsley, while seemingly bland, is a garnish that’s vastly underrated. Though it has little strong flavor on its own, it adds a slight bitterness to the dish it is flavoring, drawing out underlying flavors in the same way lemon juice and salt do.  

Parsley used in large quantities is great in chimichurri sauce and meatballs, but make sure to not cook parsley for too long, as it will lose the flavor it has.

Have fun cooking with these herbs!

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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/stevepb