Cooking with Herbs and Spices: Handy Equivalents and Tips

A quick snip of a fresh herb into a dish instantly kicks the flavor (and appearance!) up a notch. Following are some popular combinations.

BASIL

 

A natural snipped in with tomatoes; terrific in fresh pesto; other possibilities include pasta sauce, peas, zucchini

CHIVES

Dips, potatoes, tomatoes

CILANTRO

Mexican, Asian and Caribbean cooking; salsas, tomatoes

DILL

Carrots, cottage cheese, fish, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes

MINT

Carrots, fruit salads, parsley, peas, tabouli, tea

OREGANO

Peppers, tomatoes

PARSLEY

The curly leaf is the most common, but the flat-leaf or Italian parsley is more strongly flavored and often preferred for cooking. Naturals for parsley include potato salad, tabouli, egg salad sandwiches

ROSEMARY

Chicken, fish, lamb, pork, roasted potatoes, soups, stews, tomatoes

THYME

Eggs, lima beans, potatoes, poultry, summer squash, tomatoes

Approximate equivalent amounts of different forms of herbs are:

• 1 tablespoon finely cut fresh herbs
• 1 teaspoon crumbled dried herbs
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground dried herbs

Begin with ¼ teaspoon of most ground spices or ground dried herbs for these amounts; adjust as needed. Use more herbs when using a crumbled dried or a fresh form.

• 4 servings
• 1 pound of meat
• 1 pint (2 cups of soup or sauce)

(Red pepper intensifies in flavor during cooking; add in small increments.)

When doubling a recipe, do not double spices and herbs. Increase amounts by 1½ times. Add more if needed.