Go through the List of 34 Cooking Herbs and have an endless supply in your kitchen all year round by growing them indoors or outdoors.
There are many herbs that you can use to add flavor to your salads and stews! Keeping that in mind, we have combined an exclusive List of Cooking Herbs that are going to come in handy while you prepare your favorite recipe!
1. Parsley
USDA Zone: 4-9
Botanical Name: Petroselinum crispum
Common Names: Peterselie, Prezzemolo, Peterselie, Persilja
Growing Requirements: Full sun to partial shade, evenly moist, mildly acidic soil, feeding with slow-release fertilizer before and during planting, seeds started indoors
Flavor Profile: Mildly bitter, similar to cilantro
Edible Parts: Leaves and stems
How to Cook: Use fresh leaves to garnish soups and salads. Cook dried herbs together with cheese-based sauces, pasta, and eggs.
Suitable Dishes: Foods containing a heavy garlic content, grilled meat, roasted chicken/lamb, vegetable curries of the French cuisine.
2. Cilantro
USDA Zone: 3-8
Botanical Name: Coriandrum sativum
Common Names: Dhania, Yuan-sui, Koriander, Koendoro, Kishnets posevnoi
Growing Requirements: Partial sun, moist and rich soil, nurture with water-soluble fertilizer after two weeks of growth
Flavor Profile: Zesty, lemon-like
Edible Parts: Raw or cooked leaves
How to Cook: You can add it at pre or post preparation of your meals.
Suitable Dishes: Soups, salads, curries, vegetables, fish and meats, making it one of the best in this list of cooking herbs.
3. Chives
USDA Zone: 3-10
Botanical Name: Allium schoenoprasum
Common Names: Oriental garlic, Asian chives, Chinese chives, Chinese leeks. Allium schoenoprasum
Growing Requirements: Full sun, consistent watering, all-purpose fertilizer (16:16:8), composting to 8-inches
Flavor Profile: Garlic-like and pungent
Edible Parts: Whole plant, including leaves and flowers
How to Cook: Toss chives at the end while cooking, sliced thinly, for a refined finish. You can also use coarsely chopped leaves as garnish.
Common Names: Common sage, garden sage, golden sage, kitchen sage, true sage, culinary sage, Dalmatian sage, and broadleaf sage
Growing Requirements: Full sun, well-draining soil, protection from aphids, powdery mildew, springtime pruning of heavy, woody stems
Flavor Profile: Refreshing flavors like lemon and mint
Edible Parts: Leaves
How to Cook: You can add fresh leaves to meat stuffings, sausages, sandwiches, and pork dishes.
Suitable Dishes: All kinds of meats, making it one of the best in this list of cooking herbs.
5. Thyme
USDA Zone: 2-5
Botanical Name: Thymus vulgaris
Common Names: English thyme, summer thyme, winter thyme, French thyme, or garden thyme
Growing Requirements: Part sun, loamy, sandy soil, even watering, occasional trimming to prevent leggy growth, light mulching in winters, prevention of root rot
Flavor Profile: Pleasant and pungent, like cloves
Edible Parts: Stems and leaves
How to Cook: Chop of young green leaves and add to roast chicken, ham, desserts or cocktails as a garnish.
Suitable Dishes: Festive foods like turkey, scalloped potatoes, bread, and French Cuisine.
6. Oregano
USDA Zone: 5-9
Botanical Name: Origanum vulgare
Common Names: Origanum majorana, sweet marjoram, marjoram, majorlane, majorane, and marjorlaine
Growing Requirements: Direct sun, warm indoor temperatures, adequate watering, monthly feeding, aphid control
Flavor Profile: Zesty; perfect for Italian dishes
Edible Parts: Dried and fresh leaves
How to Cook: Sprinkle on salads, pizzas, and sauces. Use as a garnish on seafood dishes or bake it along with poultry.
Suitable Dishes: All kinds of meats, cheeses, and sauces, making it one of the best in this list of cooking herbs.
7. Dill
USDA Zone: 3-7 (in summer) and 9-11 (in winter)
Botanical Name: Anethum graveolens
Common Names: Suva, soya, garden dill, dill weed
Growing Requirements: Full sun, loamy soil, ample moisture, summer planting and protection from winds
Flavor Profile: Sharp and tangy
Edible Parts: Fresh and dried leaves
How to Cook: Add fronds to lend an earthy flavor to bland foods like cottage cheese and soups. You can even chew the leaves for a sweet-scented breath.
Suitable Dishes: Cucumbers, salads and all kinds of cheese.
8. Rosemary
USDA Zone: 6-9
Botanical Name: Rosmarinus officinalis
Common Names: Salvia Rosmarinus, anthos
Growing Requirements: Full sun, loamy, sandy soil, regular pruning, even watering, occasional trimming of the blooms
Flavor Profile: Pungent, smoky and pine-like
Edible Parts: Stalks and dried and fresh leaves
How to Cook: Toss the leaves in the beginning or use them as garnishing, later on.
Growing Requirements: Direct sun, well-draining, loamy soil, feed the plant once every 3 to 4 weeks
Flavor Profile: Mixture of peppermint and spearmint
Edible Parts: Leaves and flowers
How to Cook: You can add catnip in salads and rub the meat with its leaves before roasting. Toss some dried and fresh leaves in your tea to have the sweet-spicy taste.
How to Cook: Use crushed leaves into meat dishes, fresh leaves can be used in smaller quantities as stuffing in meat, fish, in stews and soups as well.
Suitable Dishes: Mediterranean cuisines, pizzas, soups, and stews.
26. Marjoram
USDA Zone: 7-9
Botanical Name: Origanum majorana
Common Names: Sweet marjoram, Majorana hortensis
Growing Requirements: Full sun, well-drained soil with pH 6.7-7.0, feed the plant twice with a balanced fertilizer
Flavor Profile: Sweet and mild, similar taste to oregano
Edible Parts: Dried and fresh leaves
How to Cook: Use marjoram while roasting meat, or wrap it in a bundle to promote the taste of slow cooking dishes.
Suitable Dishes: Greek, Italian, and Middle Eastern cuisines, salads, stews making it one of the best in this list of cooking herbs.
How to Cook: Use fresh or dried leaves and flowers to make a herbal tea. You can use old leaves as a flavoring agent in dishes.
Suitable Dishes: Salads, Tea and beverages.
Check out our article on 20 types of mint that you can growhere!
28. Lemon Balm
USDA Zone: 4a-9b
Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis
Common Names: Balm mint, common balm
Growing Requirements: Full sun, fertile, well-drained, sandy soil
Flavor Profile: Similar flavor like lemongrass with an after taste of mint, citrus-like fragrance
Edible Parts: Leaves
How to Cook: Toss whole leaves in green salads or as garnishing in fruit salads. You can also add lemon balm leaves in seafood and chicken stews.
Suitable Dishes: Salads, soups, and sauces.
29. Holy Basil
USDA Zone:10b-11
Botanical Name: Ocimum tenuiflorum
Common Names: Holy basil, tulsi
Growing Requirements: Full sun, well-draining light soil
Flavor Profile: Spicy flavor, strong aroma, and taste
Edible Parts: Leaves
How to Cook: Holy basil is mostly used in Indian cuisines and considered pious among Hindu communities. You can use fresh or dries leaves in teas and other beverages as well.
Suitable Dishes: Thai dishes, soups, salads, and teas making it one of the best in this list of cooking herbs.
How to Cook: Use cilantro leaves for strong flavor in seasoning, garnishing, and in the marination.
Suitable Dishes: Stews, sauces, and salads.
32. Betel Leaf
USDA Zone: 9-11
Botanical Name: Piper betle
Common Names: Betel quid, paan
Growing Requirements: Partial shade, slightly acidic, sandy-loamy, wet soil. It needs hot and humid conditions
Flavor Profile: In crushed form, it oozes peppery scent
Edible Parts: Leaves
How to Cook: Mainly used as a mouth freshener in Asian countries. Though betel leaf is also used as a culinary herb in dishes to boost the aroma and flavor of cuisine.
Suitable Dishes: Mouth freshener, desserts, and beverages making it one of the best in this list of cooking herbs.
Common Names: Lemon beebrush, lippia, cedronella, erba, ning mang mabinchou, meng ma bincao
Growing Requirements: Well, draining, organic-rich soil. Avoid keeping the plant in direct sun for a long duration
Flavor Profile: It has a strong, lemon-like flavor with hints of a fruity aroma
Edible Parts: Leaves
How to Cook: Mainly used in beverages and fruit-based drinks, in Asian and European countries.
Suitable Dishes: It is used extensively in puddings, jams, and desserts. It also pairs well with seafood.
34. Wild Pansy
USDA Zone: 7-9
Botanical Name: Viola tricolor
Common Names: Heartsease, Heart’s-ease, Johnny Jumpup, Johnny-jump-up
Growing Requirements: Full to Partial Sun. They like rich and well-drained soil. Space them apart 7-12 inches
Flavor Profile: Mild with a peppery hint
Edible Parts: Flowers
How to Cook: Can be cooked with beef and stews for an added aroma.
Suitable Dishes: It is mainly used in salads and soups and also used to add color and minty flavor to cocktails making it one of the best in this list of cooking herbs.
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