Home Herb Garden: Grow Your Own

Fresh herbs make great recipes taste even better. However, buying those tiny little packs at the supermarket can really burn a hole in your wallet, particularly if you like using them regularly. Stop throwing your money away. Even in the smallest apartment, you can easily have a home herb garden. Here are 5 herbs to grow at home.

1. Basil

Think of basil as your “starter herb” – perfect for even a gardening novice. It grows rapidly and can survive anywhere from a sunny window to a tiny patio. When it comes to cooking, it’s an essential ingredient to all things Italian, and allows you to throw together a beautiful tasting dish with very little effort. It also smells wonderful.

Basil Recipes to Try:

• Fresh Basil Pesto
• Honey Basil Lemonade

2. Parsley

Garnishing dishes – big deal, right? However, don’t forget that you eat with your eyes first, and a well-dressed dish will always taste more delicious. Parsley lends itself to lots of light dishes, such as fish, chicken and herb-laden pastas. Bonus: don’t worry about that garlic breath. Eating a sprig of parsley is a natural breath freshener.

Parsley Recipes to Try:

• Summer Polenta with Chimichurri and Tomatoes
• Spanish Spice-Rubbed Chicken with Parsley Mint Sauce

3. Cilantro

Few herbs divide the world quite like cilantro. While some think it tastes like soap, many find it a crucial ingredient for cooking a whole variety of dishes – particularly for Mexican and Asian dishes. Try sprinkling it on your tacos or adding to dishes near the end of cooking. Like many fresh herbs, adding at the beginning of cooking can damage the vibrant flavor.

Cilantro Recipes to Try:

• Herbed Quinoa and Chickpea Salad
• Cilantro Beef Tacos

4. Rosemary

Not only is rosemary an infinitely useful herb, it grows like crazy and can live outside through all kinds of weather. Try chopping up the leaves and adding to tomato sauces, add a sprig to a jar of olive oil for instant pizazz or use the wooden stems to make kebabs (they’ll infuse both veggies and meats with their flavor).

Rosemary Recipes to Try:

• Baja Style Rosemary Chicken Skewers
• Rosemary Grilled Sweet Potatoes

5. Mint

Mint comes in handy for all sorts of uses in the kitchen, from refreshing summer drinks, a unique garnish for fresh peas to a great marinade for lamb. Additionally, it’s ridiculously easy to grow and makes a fragrant addition to your porch or windowsill. Word to the wise: mint grows like crazy. It’s best to plant it in a container.

Mint Recipes to Try:

• Lemon Braised Chicken and Beans with Mint Pesto
• Cucumber Mint Shrub Soda

More Apartment Gardening Tips:
Grow Your Own: Apartment Container Gardening
Vertical Gardening

 

Did we miss your favorite recipe? What are your top tips for growing herbs? Let us know below!

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