Cooking and the holidays are a pair that cannot be separated. Food is definitely one of the most popular topics of the winter months. But what makes it so special? Is it the meats, cookies, cakes, vegetables, or candy? While you could get a million different answers to this question, I believe herbs are a key player. Herbs can elevate any dish to something greater. Cooking meat? There's an herb for that! Cookies? Them too! Herbs help create a more complex flavor, aroma, and a visual spark of appeal. While this article addresses many herbs known to go well with specific types of food, don't let that stop you from creating your own mixtures and preferences.
To help your holidays be extra special, start growing some fresh herbs to be added to your favorite meals, baked goods, and beverages. We are offering this special Holiday Herb Assortment for a limited time this season. Starting Oct 21st, get yours while supplies last!
Thyme - Has a spicy flavor with a minty edge to it. Use to neutralize powerful flavors or pair with sweets and fruits.
Parsley - Most often used as a garnish. Has a neutral flavor with a palette-cleansing effect.
Oregano - Unlike many herbs, oregano has a more powerful warm, earthy flavor when dried rather than fresh. Use with meat, veggies, and tea.
Mustard - Most often paired with juices, sauces, and marinades for its emulsifying characteristics.
Fennel - Usually used as a garnish or to flavor soups, salads, or sauces.
Dill - Flavor pickled dishes, salads, and vegetables. Perfect pair with potatoes, fish, chicken, turkey, and eggs.
Cilantro - Also known as coriander or Chinese parsley. Loses its flavor with cooking making it most popularly used as a garnish.
Arugula - Used as a salad green or herb for its nutty, peppery flavor.
Rosemary - An earthy flavor that pairs well with savory cooking or sweet flavors such as chocolate.
Chives - A relative of garlic and onion with thin grass-like leaves lacking the characteristic bulb. The entire plant is edible, including the flowers, and is only served raw or gently cooked.
Herbs are the perfect way to create complex flavors in cooked vegetables. But what works well? The answer to that question really depends on what vegetables you are cooking. For a quick go-to, try basil, dill, ginger, oregano, parsley, rosemary, or thyme. These herbs are so diverse, you can really use them with anything. For specific and unique spice recommendations based on the individual vegetable check out OneGreen Planet's article "Guide to Matching Herbs and Spices With the Right Veggies". Rhea Parsons walks through 25 of the most popular vegetables and discusses how different herbs and seasonings will affects their natural flavor profile. Don't endure another bland bag of mixed vegetables again. Spice things up and enjoy the art of cooking your harvest.
Just because we are entering the winter months does not mean you have to be done gardening. Try bringing the outdoors in with an indoor herb garden. Simply start your seeds in a container of your choice, and use a grow light. For growing herb seeds for culinary use indoors, we recommend using Minute Soil+ Amended Coco Coir. It contains enough nutrients for a whole growing season or 4-6 months. Add the hydrated growing medium to your container, plant your seeds, cover if needed, and grow according to the seed requirements. Enjoy fresh herbs from Thanksgiving to Spring. This is a great opportunity to get your herbs growing in time for spring transplanting. Don’t let the winter stop you from enjoying the best your food has to offer.
To get started, try one of our kits to get your going. We have kits directed towards Medicinal and Herbal Tea, Culinary Herbs, growing in Barnwood Planters, or producing a diversity of herbs in Vertical Stacking Planters. There is something for gardeners of all experiences. Involve the whole family in some winter fun!
Anyone can continue growing throughout the winter. Grow herbs indoors, microgreens in your kitchen, sprouts on the countertop, or stay outdoors if your local climate allows. For additional winter growing information for warm climates, check out our Winter Garden Success Page or “Winter Gardening in Zones 7, 8, 9, and 10”. Know your zones and take advantage of your full growing seasons.
12 comments
I would add lovage to the list! Stalks are a great stand in for celery in soups and stews, leaves are a great stand in for parsley, and it is a perrenial!
I love adding fresh herbs whenever I’m cooking chicken or seafood. I believe Basil and cilantro are two of the most versatile herbs in cooking. Using fresh basil instead of dry basil helps take your dish to the next level. It’s also a herb that beginners to gardening can grow. I consider it a easy care plant. As long as you keep the soil moist and give it adequate sunlight, it should grow healthy.
Basil is the best and really easy to grow. There’s nothing better than growing lemon basil and using that in drinks and cooking (mostly pork and poultry).
I had no idea some of these herbs could be used this way. Who would have thought mint with chicken? I need recipes now.
I absolutely love incorporating herbs into the dishes I cook. They add tons much flavor. So much so that it allows me to go a bit little on the salt I use. Thyme and oregago are two of my favorites for beef, almost anything goes with chicken, and there’s nothing like dill with Salmon. Yum!