Fresh herbs are one of the simplest yet most effective ways to elevate your cooking. Whether you’re making a savory sauce, dressing up a salad, or enhancing the flavor of a main dish, fresh herbs can bring a burst of flavor, color, and aroma to your meals. If you’re new to using fresh herbs, it can feel a bit overwhelming. With so many options and methods, how do you know where to start?
This guide is here to help! We’ll walk you through the basics of cooking with fresh herbs—what they are, how to prepare them, when to use them, and the best ways to pair them with different dishes.
What Are Fresh Herbs?
Fresh herbs are the leaves, stems, and sometimes flowers of certain plants used in cooking to add flavor, color, and aroma to dishes. They can be either soft herbs like basil, parsley, and cilantro, or hard herbs like rosemary, thyme, and sage.
The key difference between fresh and dried herbs is that fresh herbs contain more moisture and have a fresher, more vibrant flavor. Dried herbs, on the other hand, are more concentrated and are usually best suited for long-cooking dishes.
How to Prepare Fresh Herbs
Before using fresh herbs in your cooking, it’s essential to know how to prepare them properly.
1. Washing Fresh Herbs
Herbs often come with dirt or debris, so washing them is a must. To wash:
- Rinse herbs gently under cold water.
- Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to avoid bruising the delicate leaves.
- For herbs with thicker stems (like rosemary or thyme), strip the leaves off before washing.
2. Chopping and Cutting Fresh Herbs
While it’s tempting to throw whole sprigs of herbs into your dishes, finely chopping them will release more of their aromatic oils and infuse your dish with better flavor.
- Soft herbs (such as basil, parsley, cilantro) should be chopped finely, but gently. Using a sharp knife will help preserve the integrity of the delicate leaves.
- Hard herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, oregano) can be stripped from the stems and chopped coarsely or finely, depending on your dish.
A helpful tip: Do not use a dull knife—it can crush the herbs, releasing bitter flavors rather than enhancing the natural aromas.
When to Add Fresh Herbs to Your Dishes
One of the most common mistakes with fresh herbs is adding them at the wrong time during cooking. Timing is key to ensuring that the herbs retain their vibrant flavour and aroma.
1. Adding Fresh Herbs at the Start of Cooking
Some herbs, especially hard herbs like rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves, can handle longer cooking times and should be added early in the cooking process. These herbs will infuse their flavour into your dish and become milder over time.
- Use them for slow-cooked dishes: stews, soups, roasts, and sauces.
- Add them at the beginning and remove the stems before serving.
2. Adding Fresh Herbs at the End of Cooking
Most soft herbs, like basil, parsley, mint, and cilantro, should be added toward the end of the cooking process. This is because they are more delicate and their flavours can be lost if exposed to heat for too long.
- Use them as garnish: Sprinkle freshly chopped herbs on top of your dish right before serving.
- Toss them into salads or stir them into dressings, sauces, and salsas.
Storing Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs don’t last as long as dried herbs, but with the right care, they can stay fresh for up to a week or more.
1. Storing in Water
For herbs like basil, cilantro, and parsley, you can store them in water just like a bouquet:
- Trim the stems and place them in a jar or glass with water.
- Cover loosely with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator or at room temperature (depending on the herb). Basil prefers to stay at room temperature, while parsley and cilantro can be refrigerated.
2. Storing in the Refrigerator
Other herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, and sage, last longer when stored in the refrigerator. You can wrap them in a damp paper towel and place them inside a plastic bag, or store them in a breathable container.
Conclusion
Cooking with fresh herbs is a simple way to enhance your dishes with vibrant flavours and aromas. By learning how to handle, prepare, and pair herbs, you can elevate everyday meals and impress your guests with your culinary creativity. Start small, experiment with different herbs, and soon you’ll be able to intuitively use them to make your cooking even better. Happy cooking!
