How To Cook With Herbs: 10 Cooking Herbs and How to Use Them

Every foodie should learn how to cook with herbs to add depth of flavour, dimension and colour to their dishes.

What's exciting is the world of cooking herbs is deep and diverse with hundreds of different varieties available, each one offering its own unique flavour and characteristics. So how do you know which herb is good for what?

We've put together a helpful guide that will teach you how to cook with herbs and find out which ones work well together, what foods they are best with and much more. Plus: find out how to make herbs last longer.

HOW TO COOK WITH HERBS: POPULAR HERBS

BASIL

This aromatic Mediterranean herb is a natural pairing with strong flavours like garlic, as demonstrated in this Italian pesto recipe. Basil is delicate enough for mixing with fruit, like this watermelon gazpacho, and is heavenly with tomatoes, as Italians already know.

ROSEMARY

Rosemary and roasted chicken were meant to be together (try this killer recipe). This robust herb adds loads of flavour to roasted meats and is great for sauces, sprinkling on breads and making stuffing.

DILL

Cucumber, fish, yogurt and beets are all great pairings with dill. This fragrant herb lends itself well to preparations such as warm potato salad with salmon and creamy tzatziki sauce.

MINT

Mint juleps and mojitos are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cooking with this highly aromatic herb. Mint adds freshness to sweet and savory dishes alike. Try it with roasted lamb, crostini, salads and burgers (especially this delightful prawn-chicken burger).

CORIANDER

You either love it or hate it, but coriander is one of the most versatile herbs in the kitchen. It is used across the globe to add pizzazz to recipes like Thai coconut soup, Mexican guacamole and Indian cauliflower and peas.

HOW TO COOK WITH HERBS: MORE IDEAS

This nifty infographic from Heiton Buckley offers suggestions on how to cook with different herbs and what ingredients they work best with – from oregano and tarragon to thyme, parsley and more. Take a look: