If you have backyard planters or an herb garden growing on your kitchen window sill, you may always be looking for recipes where you can use fresh herbs so your growing efforts don't go to waste. Basil leaves atop a homemade pasta dish, mint leaves in a handcrafted cocktail or mocktail, rosemary-infused olive oil. You get the picture. Most of the time, fresh herbs are a delicious addition to a dish, but there are some recipes you shouldn't prepare with fresh herbs. Here are 10 dishes in which you should never use fresh herbs.
Braised Dishes
Braised dishes like braised meats tend to fare better with dried herbs since they will be cooked for a longer amount of time. Dried herbs can better withstand an extended cooking time under all of that heat.
Try stirring in dried herbs right before adding any liquid, then let everything simmer for a while. Make sure you are working with good-quality dried herbs, too. If you open a jar and cannot smell the aroma of the herb, it's time to replace it.
Casseroles
You may be programmed to think fresh herbs are always best, but not when it comes to casseroles. Baked chicken and dumplings casserole, lasagna, and even tuna casserole are all some dishes to skip the fresh herbs and use dried herbs instead.
Baking can change the color and taste of the herbs, which can ultimately alter your recipe, so if you want to add fresh herbs, do so right at the very end for a pop of fresh color and flavor.
Chilis
Chili is also another dish that is great for dried herbs. Dried herbs tend to have a deeper, spicier flavor than fresh herbs and this flavor usually gets released over a longer cooking time. When making a dish like chili, most home cooks like to cook their chilis low and slow, which is why dried herbs are a great choice when whipping up a homemade chili.
Compound Butters
Compound butter is a mixture of butter and other supplementary ingredients, like dried herbs and spice blends, that are used to enhance flavors in dishes. Like a sauce, compound butter is used to add flavor to proteins and vegetables and is best made using dried herbs over fresh herbs. Compound butter is typically cut into rounds and served atop grilled meats, poached fish, and roasted vegetables, but you can also serve it as a spread for baked goods, bread, muffins, and waffles.
Dry Rubs
A good example of a cooking method where dried herbs, along with spices, will be superior, and preferred over fresh herbs and spices, is when creating a dry rub. A dry rub is typically used for meats that will be slow-cooked or cooked off in a smoker. This is why it is called a dry rub. Dry rubs can be used on fish, meats, or even to season stews. Some great dried herbs to use in your own dry rub include bay, chervil, marjoram, mint, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme. You can also use a simple Herbes de Provence as well, which is a classic dry rub.
Marinades
Marinades consist of three essential components: an acid such as citrus, vinegar, or wine, an oil such as avocado oil, olive oil, or sesame oil, and a flavoring agent like dried herbs and spices. These three elements work together to transform both the taste and texture of recipes. Marinades are usually meant for meats that will be cooked at a higher temperature and/or for a longer period of time, so if that is the case for your recipe, opt for dried herbs instead of fresh herbs.
Roasts
Whether you enjoy roasted meats like chicken or roasted root vegetables, any dish that is roasted is going to pair better with dried herbs instead of fresh herbs. Hearty herbs with strong aromatics and woody stems like bay, oregano, sage, and thyme, all retain their flavor really well once they are dried and pair perfectly in cold-weather dishes like roasts, soups, and stews.
Sauces
If you are making a homemade pasta sauce, you may want to opt for dried herbs instead of fresh herbs. Sauces are usually bubbling away on the stovetop for a decent amount of time so all the delicious flavors will meld together beautifully. Dried herbs will add a nice flavor to your recipe and withstand the longer cooking time.
Soups
Soups are another dish that should use dried herbs instead of fresh ones. If you want to use fresh herbs in your favorite bowl of soup, add them to the recipe for a finishing touch at the very end. Serve up with a piece of crusty baguette bread or a handful of crackers and you have a delicious dish to enjoy for lunch or dinner.
Stews
Just like homemade sauces, homemade stews are usually boiling away all day in an Instant pot or a slow cooker, which will wilt fresh herbs quite quickly. Instead, open up that spice cabinet in your kitchen and grab a handful of your favorite dried herbs.
Dried herbs have a more concentrated taste than fresh herbs, which naturally contain more water and can essentially dilute their flavor, so just be sure to be conservative when using your dried herbs in any recipe.
