The Complete Guide to Fresh Herbs

Why Fresh Herbs Matter

Dried herbs have their place, particularly in long-cooked dishes where their concentrated flavour has time to rehydrate and infuse. But fresh herbs bring something entirely different: bright, volatile aromatics that lift a finished dish in a way dried versions cannot replicate. A handful of torn basil over pasta, a scattering of fresh coriander on a curry, chopped dill folded into a potato salad: these are not garnishes for appearance. They are essential flavour components.

Understanding which herbs to use, when to add them and how to store them will fundamentally change the way your food tastes.

Soft Herbs vs Hardy Herbs

Herbs fall into two broad categories, and the distinction determines how you use them in cooking.

Soft (Tender) Herbs

These have delicate leaves and stems that wilt quickly when heated. Add them at the end of cooking, or use them raw. Their flavour is fresh, bright and volatile, meaning it dissipates with prolonged heat.

• Basil: Sweet, peppery, slightly anise-like. The cornerstone of Italian and Thai cooking. Tear the leaves rather than chopping (a knife bruises them and causes rapid oxidation). Add to pasta sauces, salads, Thai curries and soups at the very last moment.

• Coriander (cilantro): Citrusy, slightly floral, polarising. Around 4-14% of the population perceive it as soapy due to a genetic variation in olfactory receptors. Both leaves and stems are usable; the stems have intense flavour and work well in pastes, marinades and stir-fry bases. The roots, common in Thai cooking, are the most flavourful part of all.

• Parsley: Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley has a clean, peppery, slightly grassy flavour and is one of the most versatile herbs in the kitchen. Curly parsley is milder and works as a garnish. Use flat-leaf parsley in gremolata (with lemon zest and garlic), tabbouleh, chimichurri, and stirred into soups and stews at the end.

• Mint: Cool, sweet, intensely aromatic. Essential for Middle Eastern salads, raita, Vietnamese summer rolls, new potato dishes and, of course, mint sauce for lamb. Garden mint (spearmint) is the variety most commonly used in cooking.

• Dill: Feathery, anise-scented, slightly sweet. Central to Scandinavian, Eastern European and Middle Eastern cooking. Pairs beautifully with fish, cucumber, yoghurt, potatoes, eggs and beetroot.

• Chives: Mild, oniony flavour with none of the sharpness of raw onion. Snip finely with scissors rather than chopping. Excellent with eggs, potatoes, cream cheese, smoked salmon and in compound butters.

• Tarragon: Anise-flavoured, slightly sweet, distinctly French. The key herb in bearnaise sauce, tarragon chicken and classic French vinaigrettes. Use sparingly; its flavour is potent.

Hardy (Woody) Herbs

These have tougher, woodier stems and firmer leaves. They withstand heat well and can be added early in the cooking process, where their flavour deepens and mellows.

• Rosemary: Piney, resinous, assertive. Chop finely or strip the leaves and add whole sprigs to roasts, stews, bread dough and roast potatoes. Remove whole sprigs before serving, as the woody stems are not pleasant to eat.

• Thyme: Earthy, slightly floral, subtly sweet. One of the most versatile woody herbs. Tiny leaves can be stripped from the stem by running your thumb and forefinger down the stem against the direction of growth. Essential in stocks, casseroles, roast chicken, mushroom dishes and French cooking generally.

• Sage: Earthy, slightly bitter, musky. Pairs exceptionally with pork, butter, squash and pasta. Sage leaves fried in brown butter until crisp are one of the simplest and most delicious sauces for fresh pasta or gnocchi.

• Bay leaves: Aromatic and slightly eucalyptus-like when fresh; more mellow when dried. Add to stocks, braises, milk infusions (for bechamel) and dried bean dishes. Remove before serving. Fresh bay leaves have a stronger, sharper flavour than dried.

• Oregano: Pungent, peppery, earthy. One of the few herbs that is arguably better dried than fresh. Central to Greek, Italian and Mexican cooking. Fresh oregano works well in salads, grilled meat marinades and pizza toppings.

Growing Herbs at Home

You do not need a garden to grow fresh herbs. A sunny windowsill, a small balcony or a few pots by the back door will sustain a useful herb supply year-round.

Indoor Growing

Most herbs need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. A south-facing windowsill in the UK is ideal. If natural light is limited, a basic LED grow light makes a significant difference.

Best herbs for windowsill growing: basil, chives, parsley, mint, coriander.

Containers: Use pots with drainage holes and a saucer underneath. Waterlogged roots are the most common cause of death for indoor herbs. Terracotta pots are better than plastic because they allow the soil to breathe and excess moisture to evaporate.

Soil: Use a well-draining potting compost. For Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage), mix in some horticultural grit or perlite to improve drainage.

Watering: Check the soil with your finger. If the top 2cm is dry, water thoroughly. If it is still moist, wait. Basil and parsley prefer consistently moist (not wet) soil. Rosemary, thyme and oregano prefer to dry out between waterings.

Outdoor Growing

Hardy herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, bay) are perennial in the UK and will survive outdoors year-round once established. Plant them in a sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil.

Soft herbs (basil, coriander) are annuals in the UK climate and need to be sown fresh each year. Basil should not go outside until all risk of frost has passed (usually late May in most of England). Coriander bolts quickly in hot weather; sow it in partial shade and make successive sowings every three weeks for a continuous supply.

Mint grows vigorously and will take over a garden if planted directly in the ground. Always grow it in a pot, even outdoors, to contain its spreading roots.

Harvesting

Regular harvesting encourages bushy growth. For basil, pinch off the growing tips just above a pair of leaves; this forces the plant to branch out. For woody herbs, snip sprigs from the tips, never cutting back more than one-third of the plant at a time. For chives, cut with scissors about 3cm above the soil.

Harvest herbs in the morning after the dew has dried but before the midday sun, when their essential oil content is highest.

Storing Fresh Herbs

The difference between herbs that last two days and herbs that last two weeks comes down to storage.

Soft Herbs

Treat soft herbs like a bunch of flowers. Trim the stem ends, place them in a glass of water, and cover the leaves loosely with a plastic bag. Store in the fridge (except basil, which blackens in the cold and should be kept at room temperature). Parsley, coriander, dill and mint stored this way will keep for 1-2 weeks.

Hardy Herbs

Wrap hardy herbs loosely in a slightly damp piece of kitchen paper, then place them in an open plastic bag or container in the fridge. They should keep for 1-2 weeks.

Freezing Herbs

Freezing is the best way to preserve fresh herbs for longer storage. Chop soft herbs finely, pack them into ice cube trays, top up with a little water or olive oil, and freeze. Once solid, pop the cubes into a freezer bag. Drop a herb cube directly into soups, stews or sauces as needed.

Hardy herbs can be frozen on the stem. Lay sprigs of thyme or rosemary on a tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. The leaves will come away from the stem easily when frozen.

Drying Herbs

Drying works best for hardy herbs, which retain much of their flavour. Soft herbs lose most of their character when dried and are generally not worth the effort.

Air Drying

Bundle 5-6 stems together with kitchen string and hang them upside down in a warm, dry, well-ventilated spot out of direct sunlight. They should be fully dry in 1-2 weeks. Strip the leaves from the stems and store in airtight jars away from light and heat. Properly dried herbs will keep for 6-12 months.

Oven Drying

Spread the herb leaves on a baking tray lined with parchment. Place in the oven at the lowest setting (around 50-60C, with the door slightly ajar if possible) for 2-4 hours, checking every 30 minutes. The herbs are ready when they crumble easily between your fingers.

Herb and Food Pairings

While there are no absolute rules, certain combinations have stood the test of time for good reason.

Using Herb Stems

Do not discard herb stems automatically. Parsley stems have as much flavour as the leaves (they are less visually appealing but perfect for stocks and sauces). Coriander stems are more flavourful than the leaves and are widely used in Thai curry pastes. Thyme stems can be added to stocks and removed later.

Collect herb stems, Parmesan rinds, and vegetable trimmings in a bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, make stock.

Common Mistakes with Fresh Herbs

Adding soft herbs too early. Basil, coriander, parsley and mint lose their fresh flavour when cooked for more than a minute or two. Stir them in at the end, or scatter over the finished dish.

Using dried herbs as a direct substitute for fresh. Dried herbs are more concentrated. If a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, use 1 teaspoon of dried. The flavour profile is also different: dried herbs are earthier and less bright.

Storing basil in the fridge. Basil is tropical and cold-sensitive. It blackens and wilts within hours in the fridge. Keep it on the worktop in a glass of water.

Ignoring less common herbs. Lovage (celery-like, excellent in soups), chervil (delicate, anise-flavoured, wonderful with eggs and fish), and sorrel (sharp, lemony, melts into sauces) are all worth seeking out.