Growing herbs is a great activity to try at home, whether you're looking to save money on ingredients, or you just want to enjoy a new hobby. Herbs can be very easy to care for and you'll also be able to add your homegrown herbs to your favorite dishes. Not only will this add some depth of flavor, but if you’re trying to eat 30 different plants in a week for a healthy gut biome, you can count each different herb as ¼ plant point.
Herbs don't have to be grown in a garden either. If you're short on space or just feel like brightening up a room in your house, you can easily grow them indoors. Whether you choose a pretty plant pot or decide to repurpose your old homewares — such as mugs, bowls, and teapots — a little touch of greenery can turn any area of your home into a calm, serene space.
To make the process easier, we'd recommend buying your herb plants from your local grocery store or garden center, so all you need to do is take care of them according to the label.
Caring for and growing herbs can be very easy with a little know-how. So, we've put together a list of the easiest herbs to grow at home, complete with some hints and tips on how to take care of them. We've also added a difficulty rating out of five (with one being the easiest herbs to grow).
You'll no doubt want to enjoy the fruits of your labor. That's why we've prepared a list of taste pairings and gathered some delicious recipes that we've featured in the past — and although some are seasonal suggestions, they can be enjoyed at any time as your herbs will grow all year round!
Chives
Chives have a flavor that's similar to onions, however the taste is much milder. This makes them a great substitution for onions, scallions, and leeks in most recipes. To get the best flavor from your chives, chop them up finely and add them to your dish raw.
Growing chives is very easy to do at home, as these herbs are relatively unfussy and don't need much space for their roots to grow.
Difficulty rating: 1
Growing chives
Light: Chives like to have at least five hours of direct sunlight each day, so your windowsill is the perfect place for them.
Water: These plants tend to thrive better in moist soil, but letting the soil dry out slightly won't do them too much damage. To check if your chive plant needs watering, stick your finger into the top inch of soil. If it feels dry, then it'll need topping up with a little water.
Harvesting: Chives are very easy to harvest. All you'll need to do is snip the stems around 2 inches above the soil.
Preparing: Easily cut your chives using scissors. Cooking chives for too long can cause them to lose their flavor, so they're best when added right at the end of the cooking process or as a garnish.
Taste pairings:
- Smoked salmon
- Anchovies
- Tuna
- Crab
- Steak
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Creamy sauces such as mayonnaise
Our chive recipes:
Oregano
Like basil, oregano is one of the most widely used herbs and has a peppery taste that can be quite strong. You'll normally find it in Mediterranean cooking, including on pizza and in sauces. Oregano is mostly consumed in its dried form as the flavor is more subtle, but fresh oregano is also used as a garnish on some dishes.
Growing oregano is very easy to do at home, and you don't need a particularly green thumb to make this herb thrive.
Difficulty rating: 1
Growing oregano
Light: Just like chives, these plants enjoy full sun, so a bright windowsill is the perfect spot for them.
Water: Oregano is particularly resistant to dry spells, so let the surface of the soil go dry before watering. Once per week should be enough.
Harvesting: To harvest your oregano, you can snip the very bottom of the stems (before the growth node). This will allow more stems and leaves to form.
Drying: Because it's a very fragrant herb, it's much easier to control the flavor of dried oregano compared to the fresh leaves. Luckily, you can dry your homegrown oregano to use in your favorite recipes.
To dry your oregano, tie a bunch together using an elastic band and hang it upside down somewhere in your kitchen. It might help to place a paper bag over the herbs to protect them from dust and catch any bits of leaf that fall off during the drying process. Your oregano should be dry and ready for use in about four to six weeks.
Preparing: If you're using dried oregano, you can break the leaves from the stem and crumble them up in the palm of your hand. Store them in an airtight container for up to six months and add them to your favorite dishes.
For fresh oregano, it's best to remove the stems before chopping the leaves. Unlike some other herbs, such as chives, cilantro, and dill, oregano won't lose its flavor when it's cooked, so you can add it at any point in the process for an instant hit of flavor.
Our oregano recipes:
Parsley
Parsley has a fresh, grassy taste that can be slightly peppery. Due to its light taste, this herb can be used in a wide variety of dishes. If you like to add parsley to your meals, then why not try growing it yourself at home?
Difficulty rating: 1
Growing parsley
Light: Parsley likes environments that get a lot of sun, so a bright windowsill would be the perfect place for your plant.
Water: This plant grows best in moist soil and watering once or twice a week is usually enough. Don't worry too much if you forget as this herb is quite forgiving and will quickly perk back up once you give it a little drink.
Parsley likes good drainage, so it's best to use a pot with small drainage holes and place a small plate underneath to catch any excess water.
Harvesting: Your parsley plant will be ready for harvesting once the stems have three leaves growing out the top. To harvest parsley, simply cut the stems at their base. It's best to start with the outer sections first, as these will be the most mature, giving the innermost sections more time to grow.
Preparing: Although parsley stems are edible, they have a much more bitter taste compared to the leaves, so you may want to remove them before cooking. Then, you can chop the leaves finely with a sharp knife. You can still use the stalks up by chopping them finely and adding them sparingly to stocks.
Taste pairings:
- Fish
- Turkey
- Eggs
- Mushrooms
- Onion
- Potatoes
- Butter
- Chicken
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Basil
- Chives
- Sage
- Thyme
Rosemary
Rosemary has dark green and silver pine-like needles and a complex lemony pine taste that can sometimes be slightly peppery. This herb is most commonly used in Mediterranean cooking as well as Greek recipes.
Growing rosemary at home is easy, as the herb is quite hardy and can tolerate heat, sun, and periods of drought, meaning it won't take too much looking after.
Difficulty rating: 1
Growing rosemary
Light: These plants like plenty of sunlight, so a sunny windowsill that gets at least six hours of light a day is ideal
Water: Rosemary doesn't need a lot of watering, and you'll only need to give it a drink when the soil is completely dry. To prevent overwatering, it's best to plant your rosemary in a pot with drainage holes and place a small plate underneath to catch any excess water.
Harvesting: You can harvest your rosemary at any time by cutting around six inches off the top of the stem.
Drying: Just like oregano, rosemary can be dried by placing it in a paper bag and hanging it in a cool, dry place for up to three weeks. You can also dry rosemary by laying it out on a baking sheet and putting it in the oven on the lowest possible temperature for around three hours.
Preparing: Rosemary sprigs can be thrown into your cooking as they are, but you can also run your finger along the length of the stem to remove the leaves. Then, you can either add them straight to your pan or chop them with a sharp knife.
Our rosemary recipes:
Sage
Sage has a soft pine taste with pungent hits of pepper, mint, and lemon. This herb is mainly used in British and Italian cooking, often to season meats and sauces.
If you like the taste of this fragrant herb, then you'll be pleased to know that growing sage at home is very easy and it would make the perfect addition to your indoor herb garden.
Difficulty rating: 1
Growing sage
Light: Like most herbs, sage likes plenty of light, so a sunny windowsill would be ideal.
Water: When it comes to watering, sage is fairly forgiving and can tolerate dry spells well. To make sure you're not overwatering, only give your plant a drink when the soil is dry.
Harvesting: You can harvest your sage plant by pinching off the leaves whenever you need the herb for your dishes.
Drying: Sage is another herb that can be dried at home. To do this, it's best to cut the stems around six inches down and tie them together. Cover them in a paper bag and hang them in a cool, dry place to dry for around a week.
Once your sage is dry, you can remove the leaves and crumble them up using your hands. Store your dried herbs in an airtight container for up to six months.
Preparing: When cooking with sage, you can chop it finely with a sharp knife before adding it to your dish.
Taste pairings:
- Pork
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Beef
- Lamb
- Cheese
- Potatoes
Our sage recipes:
Tarragon
Tarragon has a distinctive licorice taste that's similar to fennel. This herb is most commonly used in French cooking, especially spring-time dishes.
This flavorful herb can add a tasty punch to any dish, and you'll be glad to know that growing tarragon is easy enough to do at home.
Difficulty rating: 1
Growing tarragon
Light: Tarragon plants like plenty of light, so a sunny windowsill would make the perfect place for it to grow.
Water: Like sage, tarragon can handle periods of drought, so let the soil go completely dry before giving it a thorough watering.
Harvesting: Tarragon is best when used fresh, so you might want to harvest your leaves as and when you need them for your dishes. The leaves can become bruised very easily, so it can be a good idea to snip the stems with a pair of scissors to avoid damaging them and releasing their flavorsome oils too early.
Preparation: Tarragon leaves can be used whole or chopped up. It's best to prepare tarragon immediately before adding it to the pot, to prevent the leaves bruising and losing their flavor.
Our tarragon recipes:
Basil
Basil is native to Central Africa and South East Asia but is most commonly used in Mediterranean cooking, particularly in Italian dishes. This herb has a sweet, slightly peppery taste.
Growing basil is easy to do at home, and it can fare well in an indoor setting.
Difficulty rating: 2
Growing basil:
Light: These plants like plenty of sunlight (at least four hours of full sun each day), so your windowsill can be a great place for them.
Water: Basil plants like plenty of moisture, so try to water your herb at least once a week.
Harvesting: Basil grows well when the leaves are removed often, so you might want to snip the more mature leaves as soon as they're established. This gives them plenty of room to grow new ones and stops flowers from growing (which can cause the herb to taste bitter).
Preparation: When using basil in your cooking, it's often best to tear the herb rather than chopping it up. This will bruise the leaf and help it release more oils, which will add much more flavor to your dish.
Don't worry if you can't use your harvested basil all in one go because you can easily freeze it by adding the chopped leaves to ice cube trays with a little olive oil. Once you're ready to use them, you can take your flavored cubes out and add them directly to the pan to melt.
Taste pairings:
- Beef
- Chicken
- Tomatoes
- Strawberries
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
Our basil recipes:
Dill
Dill comes from the same family as parsley and has a light, grassy, citrusy flavor that can sometimes taste like licorice. It's commonly used in European dishes, particularly in preserves such as pickles.
This herb can add extra depth to your dishes and a little can go a long way. Luckily, when you grow dill at home, only using a little at a time won’t lead to waste.
Difficulty rating: 2
Growing dill
Light: Like most herbs, dill needs plenty of sunlight to grow, so a windowsill that gets at least six hours of sun each day is perfect.
Water: Dill likes moist soil that isn't overly damp. To keep your plant healthy, it's best to only water your dill when the first inch of soil is dry.
Harvesting: Harvesting dill is very easy. All you'll need to do is pinch off the leaves.
Preparing: Every part of the dill plant is edible. Just chop it up with a sharp knife before adding it to your dish at the end of the cooking process.
Taste pairings:
- Fish
- Lamb
- Cream cheese
- Lemon
- Beetroot
- Mustard
- Garlic
Our dill recipes:
Thyme
Thyme is another very common herb that's used in a wide range of cuisines from around the world. This herb has a woody, floral taste that's similar to rosemary, and can add an instant savory flavor to any dish.
Like most other herbs, growing thyme is quite easy to do at home. These plants are a little fussier than some others in this list, but once you know what to do, it'll be a breeze.
Difficulty rating: 3
Growing thyme
Light: Thyme likes plenty of sunlight, more so than any other herb, so it’s important to find a space in your home that receives a lot of light for at least eight hours each day. If you don't have a sunny place, then you can substitute thyme for rosemary or oregano for a similar flavor.
Water: Thyme plants tend to prefer drier climates, it's best to let the soil dry out completely before giving it a thorough watering. This herb also doesn’t fare well in humid areas, so it might be a good idea to grow your thyme plant in a dry room away from the humidity of your kitchen.
Harvesting: This herb is very easy to harvest and the stems can be cut just before the growth node (where a leaf meets the stem).
Preparing: To prepare your thyme, either add the whole sprig to your dishes during cooking or run your fingers along the stalk to remove the leaves.
Taste pairings:
- Beef
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Cheese
- Eggs
- Onions
- Fish
Our thyme recipes:
Cilantro
Cilantro (also called coriander) is often described as sweet and citrusy, but it can also be slightly earthy and peppery. This herb is most commonly used in curries, chillis, sauces, and marinades.
In the US, the leaves are referred to as cilantro and the term coriander is used to describe the seeds. Elsewhere, such as in the UK, both the leaves and the seeds of the plant are usually referred to as coriander.
Cilantro is one of the more difficult herbs to grow, as it’s a little fussier about the conditions it grows in compared to other herbs. However, with a little know-how growing cilantro indoors is still possible even for beginners and, once you find the perfect spot for it, your cilantro plant is bound to flourish.
Difficulty rating: 4
Growing cilantro
Light: The main thing to remember is that these plants don’t like too much direct sunlight, so a more shaded area of your kitchen is best. Somewhere like an open shelf, countertop, or kitchen table would be great.
Water: Cilantro likes moist soil but won't handle overwatering. About one inch of water per week is enough to keep the soil damp. Good drainage is essential for cilantro plants, so it's best to grow it in a pot with drainage holes and place a small plate underneath to catch any excess water.
Harvesting: Once your cilantro plant reaches six inches, the leaves will be mature enough to be harvested. Start with the larger leaves first, cutting them at the very base of the stem to encourage future growth. For smaller leaves, cut the stems around two inches below the leaf.
Coriander seeds are usually ready for harvesting around two to three weeks after the flowers bloom in the spring and summer. At this point, you can snip the stems and place them upside down in a paper bag. After around two weeks the seeds will dry out and drop away from the flower ready to be used in your cooking.
Preparing: Like chives, cilantro leaves can lose their flavor when they're cooked for too long, so it's best to chop them up and add them at the very end or use them as a garnish. However, the stems are a little hardier and are packed full of flavor, so these can be removed, chopped, and added to soups, stews, and curries during the cooking process.
Coriander seeds will need to be fried and ground up in a pestle and mortar before you use them in your dishes. Generally, coriander seeds can last anywhere up to three years, while ground coriander should be used within a few months. So, it's usually best to store your seeds and grind them as needed.
Our cilantro recipes:
Mint
Mint is one of the most universal herbs, with the menthol taste lending itself nicely to both sweet and savory dishes. Multiple varieties of mint exist, including spearmint and curly mint. Peppermint is another variety, however due to its strong taste it isn't commonly used in cooking, and is reserved for peppermint tea, oil, and menthol.
Although this plant is a little fussier than most other herbs, growing mint at home is well worth the effort. Just follow the tips below and you'll have a beautiful fragrant herb to add to your favorite recipes.
Difficulty rating: 5
Growing mint
Light: Mint plants don't like a lot of direct sunlight, so an open shelf, counter, or table would be the perfect place for it to grow.
Water: Mint grows naturally near areas of water, so they like plenty of moisture and humidity to thrive. Water your mint plant as soon as the soil shows signs of drying out but avoid overwatering. About one inch of water every week is usually enough.
Mint plants like a lot of humidity, which shouldn't be a problem if it’s growing in your kitchen and you're cooking and generating steam regularly. However, if you notice the soil drying out quickly in between watering, you may need to mist your mint plant. This can be done with fresh water in a spray bottle. One or two spritzes each day should be enough to keep your mint plant moist.
Harvesting: You can start harvesting from your mint plant as soon as the leaves have grown. Just pinch the leaves off as you need them or cut the stems just below the first or second set of leaves.
Preparing: Mint is usually a little more forgiving than other herbs when it comes to cooking and you can usually prepare it in any way you'd like. For most cooking purposes, if you're adding it to soups or sauces for example, it's best to chop the mint leaves up before adding them to your pan. However, you can also add them whole if you'd like to flavor meat or vegetables.
For drinks, the mint will need to be bruised by crushing it in your hands or using a pestle and mortar before going in your glass. Mint makes a great addition to cocktails or your usual glass of water, but it also makes a great tea. For advice on making peppermint tea, along with other herbal teas, just take a look at our guide to calming drinks that help you sleep and relax.
Our mint recipes:
What herbs go with what meat?
Dried herbs can add an intense flavor to your dishes, but fresh herbs can offer a brighter, more delicate taste. It's also much more rewarding to add your own homegrown herbs to your meals.
Due to their individual flavor profiles, different herbs go best with different meats. We've compiled a handy list, so you'll always know which herbs to pair with:
Chicken
Whether you're cooking up a grilled chicken breast or a comforting casserole, herbs can help to add an extra dash of flavor to your dish. These herbs are great for chicken dishes:
Turkey
No matter if it's for Christmas, a roast dinner, or a stir-fry, your turkey is often the main aspect of your meal, which means the seasoning is important. If you're not sure which herbs would be good for turkey, then any of these would be perfect:
Beef
Beef can provide a great base for any dish. Whether you're cooking a steak, stir-fry, or a full joint of roast beef, adding a few herbs can help to bring your dish to the next level. If you're wondering what herbs go with beef, then you might like to give one (or a few) of these a try:
Lamb
Lamb is a beautiful springtime meat with a unique taste that makes it the perfect accompaniment for a wide range of flavors. If you're wondering which herbs to use for lamb, then you might want to give one of these a try:
Fish
Most fish have a delicate flavor. This means strong-tasting herbs could overpower your dish. Whether it's a parsley sauce for your cod or a sprinkling of fresh dill on your salmon, it’s best to stick to delicate herbs for fish, such as:
Growing herbs can be a great mindfulness activity to calm your thoughts and ease your worries — and it can also help save you a bit of money on your weekly grocery shop! Whether you just choose to grow your favorite herb or create a whole indoor herb garden on your windowsill, the important thing to remember is to be patient and have fun with it.
A garnish of herbs can add the perfect finishing touch to your dishes, helping to add more flavor and extra flair to your presentation. Don't forget to check out our selection of plates, bowls, and serveware to ensure you have a beautiful foundation. And for even more plating advice, take a look at our cooking tips and food presentation ideas to help you serve up showstopping dishes every time.