The Ultimate Chef’s Guide To Herbs And Spices

Different herbs and spices are used in cuisines all around the world to impart flavor on foods. Using herbs and spices can revolutionize your cooking and help it to become more authentic. As you develop as a chef, you’ll use them more and more, and eventually become familiar with what typically works well with different types of foods.

If you’re new to cooking, you might be daunted by the huge range of herbs and spices on offer. But there’s nothing to fear – there are no hard and fast rules. The bottom line is, it’s all about the taste, and sometimes experimentation can lead to unexpectedly delicious results.

What Are Herbs and Spices For?

So, what are herbs and spices actually for? Firstly and foremost, they can be used to add flavor and aroma to dishes. You can transform even simple dishes by adding exciting combinations of flavors, perhaps a sweet twist or a spicy kick. Herbs and spices are often fragrant too, helping food to smell delicious – often the first thing that determines whether we want to eat a meal.

Herbs and spices can also be used to enhance the taste of the foods they are cooked with. We often rely on salt to bring out the flavor of a meal that tastes bland, but many other spices, such as cumin, can also bring a greater depth to the natural flavors of your food.[1]

Finally, herbs and spices can change or deepen the color of what we’re cooking. You’ve probably heard the saying that ‘We first eat with our eyes’, attributed to the 1^st Century Roman gourmand Apicius.[2] Well, Apicius was right, and color can give our food a more appealing look. A great example of this is Indian food, which is often a deep yellow, orange, or red color, due to spices such as turmeric or paprika.

Herbs and Spices 101

So, now we’re clear on what herbs and spices are for, we can start to look at them in more depth. First question: what’s the difference between an herb and a spice?

Herbs

Herbs are the friend of the physician and the pride of the cooks
Charlemagne, founder of the Holy Roman Empire

Herbs typically come from the leaves or greener parts of a plant, and can be found dried or fresh. They bring a fresh taste to meals, and when dried, this flavor becomes deeper and more concentrated, in some cases tasting wildly different from the fresh herb. This means that some dishes are best suited to fresh herbs, and others to dried herbs.

More tender and delicate herbs, such as basil, mint, parsley and chives, are often better tasting when fresh, as this can help showcase their flavors better. As they often have a more subtle taste, fresh herbs are best used in meals with shorter cooking times, or right at the end of more time-consuming dishes, to preserve their flavor. Fresh herbs also work better when garnishing your dishes, as they will be more fragrant, and the pop of brighter green can provide a stronger visual appeal to your dish.

For fresh herbs, there are two main storage methods. For the jar method, trim the stems of your herbs with a scissors or knife and place in a jar, filled about a third of the way with cold water. Cover the jar with a plastic bag and secure it with a rubber band at the base. Then, leave your jar on the fridge or countertop for as long as recommended.

The towel method requires you to wrap the herbs in a damp paper towel, then place them in a Ziploc bag. Then store in the fridge for as long as recommended.

Dried herbs

Dried herbs have a stronger and more concentrated flavor, developed through the drying process. Tougher herbs, like oregano, rosemary and thyme, can actually taste better when dried.

Unlike fresh herbs, most dried herbs actually benefit from a longer cooking time, as they release their concentrated flavors slowly as they cook. This is because in order to release their essential oils and flavor compounds, they need enough time to soak up moisture from oil, butter, fat or water. More delicate dried herbs, such as marjoram, basil and dill should still be added towards the end of your cooking time though, as their flavoring and oils will evaporate if cooked for too long, leaving behind an unpleasant taste.

Most dried herbs benefit from being crushed between the fingers or in a pestle and mortar before using – this helps to wake up the flavors, resulting in a more flavorsome result.

If you’re subbing dried herbs in for fresh, always start out with about half the amount called for fresh herbs in the recipe. You can always add more if the flavor isn’t strong enough, but its far harder to recover if you’ve added too much!

Unlike fresh herbs, dried herbs are best stored away from air, heat, and sunlight – a cupboard is perfect, just make sure it isn’t over your oven or grill as your herbs will get too hot, this means you shouldn’t keep them too close to the stove neither.

Spices

While herbs tend to come from the leaves or green parts of a plant, spices are usually derived from plant seeds, roots or bark. Their flavor is typically stronger, and spices can be used to add red, orange and yellow colors to your dishes too. Unlike herbs, spices are almost always used dried. Sometimes they are found whole – such as with peppercorns, nutmeg, strips of cinnamon, seeds and roots – and other times they are ground – ground cinnamon, turmeric, or cumin, for example.

Spice blends

Spice blends or mixes are simply combinations of different dried herbs and spices. Many recipes call for a specific mix of spices, so it can be useful to have these ingredients blended before you cook. Spice blends can be bought pre-mixed, or you can blend yourself at home.

Just like dried herbs, spices and spice blends should be stored in a cool, dry and dark place like a cupboard.

Fresh Herbs – Flavor Notes and Pairings

In this section, we’ll cover the most common herbs, what they taste like, and what foods they work well with.

Basil

Basil is a sweet and peppery leaf, popular in Italian cooking. It pairs well with a range of foods, including:

Chicken
Beef
Fish
Tofu
Bell peppers
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Zucchini

Basil is a key ingredient in pesto, and is also found in Italian tomato sauces, soups, stews, and some curries. When cooking with fresh basil, remember to add it to the pan at the end – if cooked for too long, its flavor will be ruined.

You can store basil using the jar method on your countertop for 7 to 10 days.

Chives

Fresh chives look almost like grass, and have a mild onion-y taste. Fresh chives work great with:

Chicken
Fish and shellfish
Eggs
Potatoes
Asparagus
Onions
Leeks

You can also use chives as a garnish, or in dips, soups, sauces and risottos. The best way to store chives is rolled in a damp paper towel in the refrigerator, where they’ll keep for 10 to 14 days.

Cilantro

Cilantro, or coriander, is a bit of a controversial herb. Some people love it for its bright, fresh and citrusy taste, while others think it tastes like soap! There is actually a genetic component to our perception of how cilantro tastes:

This perception is believed to be a result of an enzyme that changes the way one senses the taste of coriander—a genetic trait that is still being researched upon.
Afsaneh Khetrapal, BSc (3)

If you enjoy the taste of cilantro, you might find it works well with:

Chicken
Fish and shellfish
Lamb
Tofu
Lentils
Avocado
Tomatoes
Bell peppers

If you don’t like it, you’ll be disappointed to hear that it’s commonly found in salsas, guacamole, chutneys, soups, curries and salads! The best way to store cilantro is in a jar in the fridge for 7 to 10 days.

Dill

Dill has a citrusy, almost grassy taste, with a subtle sweetness. It works well with:

Fish and shellfish
Potatoes
Cabbage
Cucumbers
Carrots
Green beans
Tomatoes

You can also add dill to omelettes, potato salad, sauces, salad dressings, and dishes with yoghurt. To store dill, roll it in a damp paper towel and put it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass has a zesty, citrusy flavor, and is central to the fresh zing in many Asian foods, especially Thai dishes. Lemongrass complements:

Chicken
Beef
Pork
Fish
Bell peppers
Tomatoes

You’ll most commonly find lemongrass in Asian soups, curries, other rice dishes, marinades, and even some teas. Lemongrass is best stored rolled in a damp paper towel in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Marjoram

Marjoram is from the same family as oregano, and has a grassy and slightly sweet flavor.

Carrots
Mushrooms
Peas
Spinach
Zucchini
Tomatoes
Chicken
Beef

Marjoram works great in stuffings, salad dressings and brown butter sauce, as well as in soups and risottos. The best way to store marjoram is rolled in a damp paper towel in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 10 to 14 days.

Mint

The sweet, cooling sensation of mint can add a subtle freshness to a wide range of dishes. It is surprisingly flexible when used in moderation, working well alongside:

Carrots
Eggplant
Watermelon
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Zucchini
Beans
Lentils
Lamb

Mint is very versatile, and works well in a range of dishes from fruit salads to curries, cream sauces, marinades and soups. When preparing mint, cut with a sharp knife, and try not to bruise the mint by cutting back and forth over the same areas. You can store mint in the refrigerator using the jar method. Mint should keep for 7 to 10 days.

Oregano

Oregano tastes pungent and peppery, with a less sweet, more woody flavor than marjoram. It works well with a range of foods, including some stronger flavors, such as:

Artichokes
Bell peppers
Eggplant
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Zucchini
Chicken
Beef
Lamb
Fish

A staple in Italian cooking, oregano works well in tomato sauces, pizzas and salad dressings. Store it in the refrigerator using the paper towel method for 10 to 14 days.

Parsley

Parsley is a commonly used herb in European and Middle Eastern cooking which has a fresh, grassy flavor. There are two varieties: flat-leaf and curly. Flat-leaf parsley has a more robust flavor, whilst curly parsley is more typically used as a garnish. We love to pair parsley with:

Mushrooms
Peas
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Zucchini
Lamb
Beef
Chicken
Fish
Tofu

Parsley also works well in sauces, salads and as a garnish. Store it in a jar in the fridge for 7 to 10 days.

Rosemary

Rosemary is a peppery and woody yet somewhat floral herb with a complex bitter taste. It’s distinctive flavor and aroma works surprisingly well with a wide range of foods, such as:

Mushrooms
Peas
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Chicken
Lamb
Pork
Tofu

Rosemary also works very well in focaccia bread, soup, stews and tomato sauces. You can also have it on pizza, or with roasted veggies for a simple but delicious side. The best way to store rosemary is using the paper towel method and keeping it in the refrigerator for 10 to 14 days.

Sage

A member of the mint family, sage is a savory, woody herb that is used in a range of European and Middle Eastern dishes. Sage works well with:

Brussel sprouts
Eggplants
Peas
Winter squash
Pork
Beef
Turkey

Perhaps most famously, sage makes up one half of the traditional sage and onion stuffing. It also works nicely with roasted vegetables, as well as in salad dressings, soups, risottos, and tomato-less sauces such as brown butter sauce. Keep it stored in a damp paper towel for 10 to 14 days in the refrigerator.

Tarragon

An essential herb in French cuisine, tarragon is a peppery herb with a mildly licorice-y aroma. It works really well with the following:

Artichokes
Carrots
Leeks
Mushrooms
Potatoes
Spinach
Chicken
Beef
Lamb
Fish

Tarragon is great for salad dressings and garnishes – tarragon mixed with butter works really well over salmon or beef. It also works well in egg dishes like omelettes, and gazpacho. Store fresh tarragon in the refrigerator using the jar method. It will keep for 10 to 14 days.

Thyme

Thyme is another commonly used herb in Europe and the Middle East, with an earthy, minty and lemony flavor. In fact it goes really well with lemon and garlic, and also works really nicely with:

Carrots
Peas
Potatoes
Winter squash
Tomatoes
Chicken
Pork
Lamb
Duck
Fish

Thyme is another favorite for cooking with roasted veggies, and also works well alongside rice dishes and stews, or in dips and tomato sauces. Use the paper towel method to store thyme in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.

When and Why To Use Dried Herbs

Fresh herbs are wonderful and fresh, but don’t last as long as dried herbs. In this section, let’s check out the best dried herbs to keep in your cupboard.