8 Inventive Recipes with Fresh Herbs

When taken beyond a garnish, fresh herbs have the ability to transform a dish. We've gathered 8 of our favorite herb-incorporated recipes for you to add to your repertoire.

More herb recipes:
6 dishes with fresh oregano
13 dishes with specialty herbs
8 tasty tarragon recipes


Grilled Fingerlings with Dill
Ingredients
6 pounds fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise (if very small, keep whole)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh dill
Coarse sea salt, for finishing (optional)
Preparation
1. Prepare a grill for medium heat (350° to 450°). In a large bowl, toss potatoes with oil, kosher salt, and pepper.
2. Set out 4 sheets heavy-duty foil (each about 12 by 26 in.). Oil foil; divide potatoes among sheets, arranging them cut side down in a single layer on the short half of each sheet. Fold other half of each sheet over potatoes and crimp edges to seal.
3. Grill packets, crimped sides up, covered, rotating halfway through, until potatoes are tender when pierced through foil, 20 minutes. Open packets; if potatoes aren't brown on cut sides, cook longer.
4. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Toss with butter and dill. Arrange on a platter; sprinkle with coarse sea salt if you like.
Make ahead: Up to 3 days ahead, grill potatoes, remove from foil, and chill. Reheat in an oiled baking pan in a 450° oven until hot, 15 minutes, then proceed with step 4.


Thai Red Curry Mussels
Ingredients
1 shallot, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 3-in. pieces and crushed with a mallet or hammer
1 can (about 14 oz.) coconut milk
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste*
2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and beards pulled off*
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves, plus slivered leaves
2 limes, cut into wedges
Preparation
1. Sauté shallot and garlic in oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until very fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lemongrass and cook 1 to 2 more minutes. Pour in coconut milk, then stir in curry paste, fish sauce, and sugar. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
2. Add mussels, stir until well coated, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mussels open, 5 minutes. Stir in chopped basil and spoon into wide, shallow bowls, discarding any unopened mussels. Garnish with slivered basil and serve with lime.

Dill
Dill
Lemongrass
Lemongrass

*Find curry paste in your market's Asian-foods aisle. A mussel's "beard" is the clump of filaments it uses to attach itself to rocks.

Rosemary
Rosemary


Ginger-Rosemary Lemon-Drop Cocktails
Ingredients
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 piece unpeeled ginger, about 1 1/4 in. by 1 1/4 in., sliced into 1/8-in.-thick coins
2 sprigs rosemary (5 in. each), plus 8 sprigs (1 1/2 in. each) for garnish
1 cup fresh lemon juice (at least 5 lemons)
1 lemon
1 1/2 cups citron vodka
Preparation
1. Make lemon concentrate: In a medium saucepan, bring 2/3 cup sugar, ginger, 5-in. rosemary sprigs, and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Let steep at room temperature 20 minutes. Strain into a medium bowl, discarding rosemary and ginger, and stir in lemon juice.
2. Pour remaining 2/3 cup sugar onto a plate. Slice 2 thin slices from lemon and quarter the slices. Insert a 1 1/2-in. rosemary sprig through center of each quarter. With a wedge cut from remaining lemon, moisten the rims of 8 cocktail glasses. Twist rims gently in sugar to coat.
3. Fill a large pitcher half-full with ice cubes. Pour in vodka and lemon concentrate and stir vigorously. Strain into glasses, dividing evenly. Float a rosemary-skewered lemon quarter in each.

Parsley
Parsley


Parsley Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce
Ingredients
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus 1/2 cup leaves
1 large egg
About 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon
48 round won ton wrappers (about 9 oz.)
6 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Preparation
1. Make ravioli: Combine cheeses, chopped parsley, egg, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Lay 8 wrappers on a flat surface and spoon 1 tbsp. cheese mixture onto center of each. Working with 1 wrapper at a time, moisten edge with water and top with another wrapper, pressing to seal tightly. Transfer ravioli to a greased baking sheet, cover, and repeat to make more ravioli. Preheat oven to 250°.
3. Cook 4 or 5 ravioli at a time in boiling water until dough is tender, 3 minutes. Transfer to greased baking sheet in a single layer, cover with foil, and keep warm in oven.
4. Meanwhile, make sauce: Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling, until light golden, 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and parsley leaves. Layer ravioli and sauce on a platter.

Chive
Chive


New Potato and Chicken Salad with Yogurt
Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds small red thin-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
3 cups loosely packed small lettuce leaves (3 to 4 in. long)
1 cup loosely packed chervil sprigs
1 cup small, tender flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1/2 cup fresh marjoram leaves
1/2 cup fresh tarragon leaves
3 cups sliced and small pieces cooked chicken
1 1/3 cups plain whole milk yogurt
1/2 cup chopped chives
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
About 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
About 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Preparation
1. Put potatoes in a large saucepan with water to cover. Cover pan and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, then rinse occasionally with cold water until room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, put lettuce, chervil, parsley, marjoram, and tarragon in a large bowl and chicken in a second large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk yogurt, chives, oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Slice potatoes crosswise, add to chicken, and toss with about 2/3 cup dressing. Toss greens and arrange on plates. Spoon chicken mixture on top. Grind pepper generously over each serving. Serve with remaining dressing and more salt to add to taste.

Sage
Sage


Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Apple Sage Sauce
Ingredients

1 cup apple cider, divided
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves, divided
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb.), cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons butter
Preparation
1. Prepare a grill for medium heat (350° to 450°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 5 to 7 seconds). Whisk together 1/2 cup cider, the vinegar, oil, shallot, salt, and 1 tbsp. sage in a large bowl. Add pork pieces to bowl and set aside.
2. When grill is hot, remove pork, reserving marinade, and cook, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center of meat reads 150°, about 20 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil to rest.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring marinade and remaining 1/2 cup cider to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, 6 to 7 minutes. During last minute, whisk in butter.
4. Cut pork into 1/4-in. slices, drizzle portions with sauce, and sprinkle with remaining sage.

Cilantro
Cilantro




Grilled Corn on the Cob with Cilantro Queso Fresco Butter
Ingredients

6 ears corn on the cob in husks
About 1/4 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup queso fresco (Mexican-style fresh cheese)*
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lime zest
2/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Preparation

1. Remove silks from corn but leave husks intact. Put corn in a large bowl with 1/4 cup salt and water to cover. Soak about 1 hour.
2. Heat a grill to medium-high (350° to 450°). Meanwhile, whirl queso fresco, butter, mayonnaise, and lime zest in a food processor until fairly smooth. Add cilantro and pulse to blend. Spread half the butter mixture on a plate and spoon the rest into a small bowl.
3. Grill corn, covered, turning occasionally, until tender (peel back husks to check), 10 to 15 minutes. Peel back husks from cobs and tie with a strip of husk. Roll cobs in butter mixture on plate to coat (use a flexible spatula to help), then set on a platter. Serve with remaining butter and more salt to add to taste.
*Find queso fresco at well-stocked grocery stores and Latino markets.

Mint
Mint


Mojito Shrimp
Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. peeled, deveined shrimp (21 to 30 per lb., tails on)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Mint Springs
Mojito Marinade
20 chopped fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup sugar
1 thinly sliced shallot
1/3 cup light rum
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Preparation
Mojito Marinade
1. In a medium bowl, combine mint leaves, sugar, and shallot. Pound with a wooden spoon to crush coarsely.
2. Whisk in rum, lime juice, oil, lime zest, and salt. Whisk until salt dissolves
Mojito Shrimp
1. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for high heat (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 in. above cooking grate only 1 to 2 seconds). Meanwhile, put shrimp in a 1-gal. resealable plastic bag and pour in marinade. Seal and marinate at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Remove shrimp, reserving marinade. Thread shrimp onto 6 or 7 (10- to 14-in.) metal or bamboo skewers.
3. Arrange shrimp on grill and baste with marinade (dab some mint and shallot onto shrimp); close lid. Cook until shrimp are just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn shrimp over, baste again, and close lid. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until browned but still moist in center (cut to check). Transfer shrimp to a platter, drizzle with lime juice, and garnish with mint sprigs.

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