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    Home » Recipes » Cooking With Herbs » 10+ Ways To Cook With Fresh Herbs (Very Tasty Recipe Ideas!)

    10+ Ways To Cook With Fresh Herbs (Very Tasty Recipe Ideas!)

    Published: Dec 18, 2020 · Modified: Mar 26, 2021 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    cook with fresh herbs graphic with basil on a cutting board

    Want to cook with fresh herbs more often? When you cook with fresh herbs, you can improve the smell, flavor, and therapeutic benefits of your meals. It’s one of the easiest ways to add fresh, bright flavors to your favorite dishes. Today I’ll share how!

    cutting board with fresh herbs for cooking including Thai basil dill and thyme
    Finding new ways to cook with fresh herbs has been my mission over the years — and at this point, I’m fully obsessed!

    The use of herbs in cooking is older than history itself, stretching back before humans started writing things down. Cultures around the world have used wild herbs and grown their own herbs for culinary, medicinal, and spiritual purposes.

    Let’s take a look at 10 different ways to cook with herbs.

    Want to get into growing your own herbs with an Aerogarden? Check out my free ebook!

    fresh herbs in stir fry with chicken and vegetables

    1. Add Herbs to Stir Frys

    Many common herbs for cooking taste delicious in stir frys. Different kinds of fresh herbs such as basil, mint, oregano, and cilantro are great additions at the last stage of the cooking process.

    Lately, I’ve been using my Aerogarden herbs – particularly the Thai basil – to finish off lunches like this chicken stir fry with frozen vegetables. Even a small amount of fresh herbs bring a brightness to heavy stir fry sauces.

    Are you thinking of starting an aerogarden? Get a break down on just how does Aerogarden work. Read this guide to learn more!

    making a cucumber veggie salad with fresh herbs
    Here I’m making a champagne vinegar based dressing with fresh herbs and a bunch of vegetables. In my house, we live off make-ahead salads like this one. They’re great for WFH lunches and busy nights when it’s my turn to cook and I need to meal prep ahead of time.

    2. Add Fresh Herbs to Salad Dressings

    If you’re new to herbs and their uses in cooking, making salad dressings with them can be a great place to start. Parsley, basil, thyme, mint, dill, chives, cilantro, can all be used to add flavor. They can even be added to the salad itself. A few tasty recipes to add herbs to include this tomato pesto pasta salad, cilantro jalapeno ranch, and this vinegar-based cilantro lime dressing.

    Looking for tasty salad recipes? Then check these out!

    fresh dill growing indoors in an aerogarden herb garden system
    Here I’m growing a variety of fresh herbs with the Aerogarden indoor herb garden system. This dill is going on mashed potatoes…

    3. Use Herbs as a Garnish

    Garnishes are a little gesture that makes a big difference. Adding color, contrasting flavor, and aesthetic beauty, garnishing with herbs is almost always a good call. In many Sip Bite Go recipes, you’ll see fresh herbs sprinkled on the end – just like at a restaurant.

    adding fresh dill to mashed potatoes

    Herbs can bring any side dish or main dish to life. Fresh dill added to mashed potatoes is a flavor combination you just have to experience for yourself.

    One of my favorite ways to garnish meat dishes with herbs lately is to make sous vide roasted whole chicken and sprinkle it with fresh parsley at the end. My family loves it.

    The dishes you garnish with herbs don’t all have to be fancy like this sous vide lemon chicken. Throw some fresh Italian basil on frozen pizza and it will very noticeably taste more gourmet.

    fresh herbs for cooking on cutting board

    4. Add Fresh Herbs to Marinades

    Some herbs used in cooking compliment meats, poultry, and fish really well. Rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, oregano, and savory are all great herbs for making marinades.

    Adding herbs doesn’t have to make the meal take longer to cook. For instance, fresh basil leaves can be added to marinate chicken breast with balsamic dressing. It will have a huge impact, but take about 3 seconds to add in to the marinade.

    For more ideas to make herby marinades, check out this guide on sous vide chicken marinades and sous vide steak marinades.

    fresh Thyme in Instant Pot chicken noodle soup
    Soups are one of the best ways to use fresh herbs. Here is fresh Thyme in Instant Pot chicken noodle soup.

    5. Use Herbs to Flavor Soups

    Lots of aromatic herbs for cooking can be added to soup. Which herbs you choose will depend on the other ingredients in the soup. Common soup herbs include bay leaves, parsley, marjoram, thyme, and oregano. Even a pinch of fresh thyme in an Instant Pot chicken noodle soup can change the flavor noticeably.

    pruning fresh herbs to cook with

    6. Infuse Oils With Herbs

    If you want to really impress your family and friends, consider infusing herbs into oil or butter to slather on this everything seed focaccia. Good choices include dill, mint, chives, bay leaves, basil, marjoram, rosemary, oregano, and thyme.

    biscuits with fresh herbs

    7. Use Herbs in Baking Recipes

    Whether you’re making a savory or sweet baked good, there’s a place for herbs in baking, too. Whether you’re adding lavender or thyme, it can really add to the final dish. Scones, corn bread, homemade focaccia, and biscuits are all great things to bake with herbs.

    fresh herbs with sous vide steak
    This sous vide porterhouse is topped with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

    8. Sous Vide with Herbs

    If you’re familiar with sous vide cooking, you know that herbs are usually involved in bringing big flavor to restaurant-style dinners. I love adding fresh rosemary to sous vide t bone steak for example. I’ll even pop some fresh herbs in the bag when meal prepping sous vide frozen steak.

    pesto made with fresh basil

    9. Add Herbs to Sauces, Dips, Pesto

    Whether you’re making pasta sauce or tzatziki, herbs are a great addition to sauces and dips. Common herbs for cooking sauces include basil, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. An easy way to make a sauce with fresh herbs is this under-an-hour tomato sauce from canned tomatoes. Or to make fresh spinach basil pesto, for a twist on an old classic (regular pesto).

    Only have a few minutes to throw together dinner? Add fresh basil to store bought alfredo sauce recipes and you’ll make a noticeable difference.

    sauteed mushrooms with fresh thyme

    10. Roast or Sauté Vegetables with Fresh Herbs

    Fresh veggies, a little olive oil, butter and garlic just need one final ingredient to become a jaw-dropping side dish: fresh herbs. For inspiration, see these sautéed mushrooms with thyme.

    fresh Mint in a cocktail glass

    11. BONUS IDEA: Add Fresh Herbs to Cocktails

    100% the only reason I’m growing fresh mint in my Aerogarden is to make batches of mojitos. There are all sorts of savory drinks you can make with fresh herbs and gin, rum, vodka, you name it!

    Are you thinking of buying an Aerogarden online? Learn where to buy Aerogarden and what setup and accessories you need.

    Cook With Fresh Herbs For Tasty Meals

    When you cook with fresh herbs, you can take your cooking to the next level. I hope this guide has inspired you to buy or grow a bunch of fresh herbs to experiment with in your kitchen.

    Are you looking for more great cooking advice and recipes? Don’t forget to check out my sous vide cookbook!

    And see what I’m cooking this week on Instagram @sipbitego and subscribe to the Sip Bite Go channel.

    Interested in a hydroponic gardening hobby? Chris from Happy Hydro share how his food hobby helped with PTSD and how to get started.

    preparing fresh herbs for cooking feature

    The perfect condiment makes the meal

    Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a true believer in pairing the perfect condiment with a meal to make it feel “complete”. For real — I’ll order a dish at a restaurant just because I’m excited to try the sauce or dressing.

    Here are some of my favorite kitchen supplies for making sauces on the fly:

    • Shun chef’s knife
    • Nice olive oil
    • Mandoline
    • A finishing salt, like Jacobsen’s black garlic sea salt
    • Bamboo cutting boards
    • Pyrex glass mixing bowls with lids
    • Aerogarden for having fresh herbs on hand
    • Mini mason jars for storing dressings in the fridge

    Inspire the inner home chef in you. Grab a copy of my free Sous Vide Beginners ebook and free cooking with herbs ebook.

    More delicious ways to cook with herbs

    • Cilantro jalapeno ranch sauce
    • Cilantro lime dressing
    • Fresh Italian basil topped homemade pizza
    • Tortellini pasta salad with cilantro
    • Sautéed mushrooms with thyme
    • Sautéed garlic dill carrots
    • Thai basil stir fry with frozen vegetables
    • Chicken breast sous vide marinades
    • Steak sous vide marinades

    Want more recipes? Find new ways to enjoy cooking with herbs here on Sip Bite Go and get my free ebook with herb recipes.

    My new cookbook is available! Check out The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

    « Jenna’s “Melting” Sous Vide Beef Short Ribs Recipe (+ VIDEO)
    How Does Aerogarden Work: A First Month Overview »

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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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