When it comes to fresh herbs, I kind of wish sage was snack food, and go through parsley like most people go through underwear. Basil is a most beloved boat-floater, and during summer salsa season, nothing comes between me and a verdant bunch of deliciously soapy cilantro.However.
Right now, there are four half-used packs of fresh herbs (dill, sage, thyme, and &*#^$&*% oregano) sitting in my fridge. I can throw thyme in just about anything, but odds are the dill and oregano will make their homes in a Staten Island landfill very, very soon.
It’s a problem I often run into: I prefer cooking with fresh herbs because the flavor is markedly better than the dry ones, yet I rarely use a whole package before it goes bad. Freezing is always an option, but … I forget to do it. A lot.
In order to correct this behavior (and stop blowing $1.79 every time I need a teaspoon of dill), I embarked on a mission: a mission to find simple, healthy recipes that use up a buttload of leftover herbs. (And yes, “a buttload” is a true unit of measurement.) The results are below, and here’s what you need to know about ‘em:
- The herb is a primary ingredient.
- Each recipe is healthy and inexpensive according to the standards we usually use on this site. (See our FAQ.)
- I’ve only made dishes with the CHG tag, and can subsequently vouch for them. All other recipes come from individual food blogs (which I generally trust) or aggregate recipe sites (All Recipes, Epicurious, etc.), where they’ve garnered at least an 85% approval rating from reviewers.
- After each recipe title, I list the amount of the herb necessary to make the dish. Keep in mind that this is relative: two tablespoons of parsley isn’t a lot of parsley, but two tablespoons of rosemary is a LOT of rosemary.
- Remember: recipes can be scaled up or down, depending on how much you’re making.
BASILAll Recipes: Ham and Fresh Basil Pinwheels (4oz)
All Recipes: Peppers Roasted with Garlic, Basil, and Tomatoes (1/2 cup)
All Recipes: Roasted Mushroom Salad (1/2 cup)
All Recipes: Spicy Basil Chicken (1 bunch)
CHG/Cooking Light: Fresh Tomato Lasagna (2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon)
CHG/Weight Watchers: Light Pesto (2 cups)
CHG/Cooking Light: Light Tomato Sauce (2/3 cup)
CHG/Jamie Oliver: Tomato and Bread Soup (1 large bunch)
Cooking Light: Garlicky Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil (1/3 cup)
Cooking Light: Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella, Grape Tomatoes, and Basil (1/4 cup)
Cooking Light: Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Salad (1-1/2 cups)
Cooking Light: Tomato Basil Soup (1/3 cup + more)
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Basil Vinaigrette (1/4 cup)
Eating Well: Basil-Cinnamon Peaches (1/2 cup)
Eating Well: Green Bean Salad with Corn, Basil & Black Olives (1/3 cup)
Eating Well: Roasted Corn with Basil-Shallot Vinaigrette (1/4 cup)
Epicurious: Zucchini Basil Soup (1/3 cup)
CILANTRO
All Recipes: Fresco Salsa (1 bunch)
All Recipes: Green Chutney (1 bunch)
All Recipes: Roasted Tomatillo and Garlic Salsa (1 bunch)
All Recipes: Simple Texas Salsa (1/2 bunch)
Buff Chickpea: Cilantro-Jalapeno Hummus (1/2 cup)
CHG/Weight Watchers: Black Bean Salad with Fresh Corn (2/3 cup)
CHG/Gourmet Sleuth: Cactus Chili (1/2 cup)
CHG/Spring Street Natural Foods: Daikon (Jicama) Mango Slaw (1 bunch)
CHG/Mark Bittman: Falafel (1 cup)
CHG/Beyond the Great Wall: Grasslands Herb Salsa (2 cups)
CHG/Weight Watchers: Guacamole-Bean Dip Mashup (1 cup)
CHG/Beyond the Great Wall: Napa Cabbage and Red Onion Salad (1/2 cup)
Cilantro, Cilantro: Brown Rice Salad (1/4 cup)
Cooking Light: Fresh Corn-Cilantro Salad (2/3 cup)
Cookworm: Chickpea and Tomatillo Soup (1 cup)
Note: ease up on the olive oil.
Eating Well: Chilled Tomato Soup with Cilantro Yogurt Swirl (6 tablespoons)
Eating Well: Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette (1 cup)
Eating Well: Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cilantro Pesto (2 cups)
Epicurious: Sirloin Steak with Tomato and Cilantro Sauce (1 cup)
Simply Recipes: Mango Salsa (3 tablespoons)
YumSugar: Cilantro-Lime Rice (1/2 cup)
DILL
101 Cookbooks: Vibrant, Tasty Green Beans (1/3 cup)
All Recipes: Dill Gazpacho (1/4 cup)
All Recipes: Garlic Dill New Potatoes (1 tablespoon)
All Recipes: Maple Dill Carrots (1-1/2 tablespoons)
Cooking Light: Cucumber Soup (2 teaspoons & multiple sprigs)
Eating Well: Chicken Noodle Soup with Dill (3 tablespooons)
Eating Well: Lemon and Dill Chicken (2 tablespoons)
Farmgirl Fare: Beyond Easy Beer Bread (2 tablespoons)
Kitchen Parade: Lemon Asparagus Pasta (1/3 cup)
Recipe Girl: Red Pepper Confetti Asparagus (1/2 cup)
Slashfood: German Potato Salad with Fresh Dill (1/4 cup)
A Veggie Venture: Chard & Chickpeas with Feta (1/4 cup)
MINT101 Cookbooks: Fresh Pea Salad (1 cup)
Note: ease up on the pumpkin seeds.
All Recipes: Mint Tea Punch (12 sprigs)
All Recipes: Tomato, Cucumber, and Red Onion Salad with Mint (1/2 cup)
CHG/Epicurious: Cranberry Relish with Grapefruit and Mint (2 tablespoons)
CHG: Limeade (1 medium bunch)
CHG/Mojito Company: Mojitos (6 leaves per drink)
CHG/Cook’s Illustrated: North African-Style Chickpea Salad (2 tablespoons)
Christine Cooks: Watermelon, Cucumber, and Mint Salad (1/4 cup)
Cooking Light: Chocolate-Mint Pudding (1/2 cup)
Cooking Light: Fresh English Pea Salad with Mint and Pecorino (1/4 cup)
Cooking Light: Peas and Pods (2 tablespoons)
Cooking with Amy: Zucchini Mint Soup (1/4 cup)
Eating Well: Minted Peas with Rice and Feta (1/4 cup)
Ellie Krieger: Shrimp Salad with Cucumber and Mint (1 cup)
Epicurious: Eggplant with Tomato-Mint Sauce and Goat Cheese (3 tablespoons)
Epicurious: Mango in Ginger and Mint Syrup (1/3 cup)
Epicurious: Mint Dressing (1/2 cup)
Epicurious: Quinoa with Corn, Scallions, and Mint (1/2 cup)
Israeli Kitchen: Pink Grapefruit-Mint Sorbet (1 cup)
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Cannellini Beans in Mint Marinade (1/2 cup)
Noble Pig: Limoncello Lemonade (1/2 cup)
Once Upon a Feast: Blueberry Mint Granita (1/2 cup)
Smitten Kitchen: Broiled Eggplant with Capers and Mint (1/4 cup)
Note: cut olive oil a bit.
OREGANO
Cooking By the Seat of My Pants: Tomato Basil Soup with Zucchini, Bell Peppers, and Oregano (1/4 cup)
Gluten Free-Bay: Cabbage Salad with Lime and Fresh Oregano (3 tablespoons)
Epicurious: Herb-Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta (~3 tablespoons)
Ellie Krieger: Marinated Lamb Chops (2 tablespoons)
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Marinated Garbanzo Beans (1/2 cup)
PARSLEY
CHG: Curried Chickpeas and Black Beans (2/3 cup)
CHG/Ellie Krieger: Parsley Shallot Sauce (1/2 cup)
Delicious Dishings: Israeli Couscous with Parsley and Shallots (1/2 cup)
Eating Well: Parsley-Olive Relish (1/2 cup)
Fearless Kitchen: Fennel, Parsley and Caper Salad (1/4 cup)
Food for Life: Whole Wheat Linguine with Artichoke Hearts, Feta, and Pine Nuts
Note: use low-fat feta.
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Middle Eastern Bean Salad (1 cup)
Note: ease up just a little on the dressing for less fat.
Use Real Butter: Turkey Burgers (1/2 cup)
ROSEMARY
All Recipes: Black Olive and Rosemary Foccacia (~1/3 cup)
All Recipes: Roast Chicken with Rosemary (1/4 cup)
All Recipes: Rosemary Roasted Pork Tenderloin (1/4 cup)
Eating Well: Pork Tenderloin with Mustard, Rosemary, & Apple Marinade (2 tablespoons)
Eating Well: Rosemary Red Wine Marinade (2 tablespoons)
Edible Therapy: Rosemary Lemonade (1 cup)
Epicurious: Garlic-Rosemary Roast Chicken (3 tablespoons & garnish)
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Red Onions, Rosemary, and Parmesan (2 tablespoons)
Note: go a little easy on the oil and cheese.
Martha Stewart: Rosemary Balsamic Marinade (6 sprigs)
Orangette: Chickpea-Tomato Soup with Fresh Rosemary (2 sprigs)
Pink Bites: White Beans with Rosemary (2 tablespoons)
Simply Recipes: Rosemary Chicken Skewers (2 tablespoons)
SAGE
All Recipes: Creamy Polenta with Roasted Corn and Fresh Sage (3 tablespoons)
Note: to keep fat down, use low-fat milk and cut a little of the olive oil
Andrea’s Recipes: Risotto with Onions and Sage (20 leaves)
CHG: Pumpkin Orzo with Sage (30 leaves)
Epicurious: Butternut Squash and Sage Soup with Sage Breadcrumbs (~2 tablespoons)
Green Lite Bites: Lemon Sage Chicken Packs (25 leaves)
The Kitchn: Pasta with Butternut Squash, Sage, and Pine Nuts (1/2 cup)
Note: cut the pine nuts by at least ¼ cup.
Whipped: Sweet Potatoes with Kale, Caramelized Red Onions, and Fresh Sage (1 tablespoon)
Yum Sugar: Sage Lady (3 leaves per drink)
TARRAGON101 Cookbooks: Baked Peas with Tarragon Yogurt and Pistachios (1/2 cup)
Alton Brown: Tarragon-Chive Vinegar (24 sprigs)
CHG/Kitchen Diaries: White Bean and Tarragon Soup (1/4 cup)
Eating Well: Lemon-Tarragon Bean Salad (1/4 cup + 4 sprigs)
Note: follow directions for salad only (not the fish).
Eating Well: Warm Quinoa Salad with Edamame and Tarragon (2 tablespoons)
Epicurious: Green Pea Soup with Tarragon and Pea Sprouts (3 tablespoons)
Epicurious: Carrot Soup With Orange and Tarragon (2 teaspoons plus sprigs)
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Grilled Chicken with Tarragon-Mustard Marinade (2 tablespoons)
Note: the oil’s only in the marinade, so much of it won’t be consumed.
Simply Recipes: Chicken Salad with Tarragon (2 tablespoons)
Note: use low-fat mayo
Simply Recipes: Grilled Chicken with Tomato Tarragon Sauce (3 tablespoons)
THYME
Andrea’s Recipes: Chicken with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Shallots, and Thyme (4 sprigs)
Note: ease up on the oil.
The Bitten Word: Raspberry-Thyme Smash (2 sprigs per drink)
CHG/Bobby Flay: Parmesan Crusted Portobello Mushrooms (2 tablespoons)
Cooking Light: Turkey-Mushroom Casserole (1-1/2 tablespoons)
Epicurious: Thyme-Roasted Sweet Potatoes (1/3 cup)
Figs with Bri: Carrot Leek Soup with Fresh Thyme (2 tablespoons)
Joy the Baker: Honey Roasted Plums with Fresh Thyme and Greek Yogurt (1/2 cup)
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Roasted Butternut Squash with Lemon, Thyme, and Parmesan (2 tablespoons)
Martha Stewart: Thyme, Shallot and Lemon Marinade (16 sprigs)
Pinch My Salt: Sweet Potato Biscuits with Bacon and Thyme (1 heaping tablespoon)
MULTIPLE HERBS
All Recipes: Fresh Mint and Cilantro Melon Salad (3 T cilantro & 1/3 c mint)
Andrea’s Recipes: Parsley Cilantro Marinade and Dipping Sauce (1 c parsley & 1 c cilantro)
Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone: Creamy Herb Dressing (3 T dill & 1 T parsley)
Cooking Light: Catfish with Dill Sauce (1/2 c dill & ½ c parsley)
Cooking Light: Chicken Salad with Peas and Fresh Herb Vinaigrette (1/2 c parsley & 2 t thyme)
Cooking Light: Fusilli with Green Beans and Oregano (1/2 c parsley & 2 T oregano)
Cooking Light: Lemon-Herb Grilled Chicken, Corn on the Cob, and Onions (1 T oregano & 1 T rosemary)
Cooking Light: Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Herbs and Parmesan (1 T parsley + 2 t thyme + 2 tarragon)
Cooking Light: Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Thyme (1/4 c parsley & 2 t thyme)
DLife: Tilapia with Fresh Herbs and Lime (1/2 c parsley & 1 t rosemary & 1 t thyme)
Eating Well: Mint Pesto (1-1/2 c basil & ¾ c mint)
Eating Well: Parsley Tabbouleh (2 c parsley & ¼ c mint)
Ellie Krieger: Green Herb Dip (2 t thyme & 2 t mint & 1/3 c parsley)
Ellie Krieger: Tuscan Vegetable Soup (1 T each thyme & sage)
Epicurious: All Star Herb Salad (2 oz. each parsley, dill, tarragon, & mint)
Epicurious: Butter Lettuce and Radish Salad (1/2 cup assorted herbs)
Epicurious: Green Goddess Dressing (2 T dill & 2 T basil & 1 T mint)
Epicurious: Grilled Red Onions with Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary (1-1/2 t rosemary & ½ cup parsley)
Epicurious: Spicy Cilantro Sauce (1/2 c parsley & ½ cup cilantro)
Fine Cooking: Grilled Pork Chops with Herb Rub (1 T sage & 1 T rosemary)
Fresh Catering: Fattoush (1/2 c parsley & ½ c mint)
A Fridge Full of Food: Chicken Noodle and Fresh Thyme Soup (1 T thyme & 2 t rosemary)
Garden of Eating: Cider-Glazed Delicata Sauce with Sage (1/4 c sage & 1 T rosemary)
Juan Carlos-Cruz: Herbed Zucchini Noodles (1 T each parsley, thyme, & oregano)
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Chicken Soup with Oregano and Garbanzo Beans (2 T oregano & ½ c parsley)
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Sage, Rosemary, and Garlic Dried Herb Rub (1 c rosemary & 3 c sage)
Kalyn’s Kitchen: Sausage and Basil Marinara (1/4 c oregano & ½ c basil)
Simply Recipes: Watermelon Salad with Feta (1/2 c mint & ½ c parsley)
A Veggie Venture: Lentil Salad with Tomatoes, Dill, and Basil (1/4 c dill & ¼ c basil)
Wasabi Bratwurst: Fresh Tarragon Salad Dressing (1/2 c parsley & 3 T tarragon & 1 t rosemary)
Readers ... any suggestions? What'd I miss?
(Photos courtesy of Iowa State University, Novel Eats, Grabbit, and Thrifty Fun.)
