How to Match Herbs and Spices to Vegetables

Pair artichokes with parsley, bay leaves, coriander, and paprika., Prepare asparagus with dill, marjoram, nutmeg, rosemary., Combine beetroot with pepper, coriander, thyme, dill, chives, ginger, cloves, and sage., Match broccoli with sage, chives...

103 Steps 8 min read Advanced

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Pair artichokes with parsley

    Coriander (and curry, incidentally) should be added before cooking.

    Everything else can be added during or after.

    There are a plethora of ways you can prepare artichokes, too.

    Try LifeGuide Hub's article on the different methods of artichoke preparing to see if one strikes your fancy.

    Grilled artichokes? Yes, please.

    Risotto with Artichokes? Definitely worth a try.

    Have you tried artichokes with a lemon aioli or even barbecued? There's lots to experiment with when it comes to this veggie.
  2. Step 2: bay leaves

    Chives and tarragon are good, too.Use these herbs and spices to flavor your butter and then give your asparagus a nice herbed sauté.

    You can steam asparagus, roast asparagus, blanch asparagus...the list goes on.

    But a tried and true recipe favorite? Bacon-wrapped asparagus.

    Mmm. , All of these herbs and spices go well with the under-appreciated beetroot and can be placed nicely into a soup, stew, salad, or dip.

    Need some ideas? Try a few of these LifeGuide Hub favorites:
    Make Beetroot Soup Make Beetroot Dip Make Beetroot Salad Pickle Beetroot , The veggie you don't appreciate until you reach adulthood.

    This versatile veggie goes well with tons of herbs and spices and can be made spicy and savory or creamy and cheesy.

    With this one, it's pretty hard to go wrong.

    Broccoli is a great veggie for almost any diet.

    If you're watching your calories, try it steamed.

    Watching your carbs? Even broccoli cheese soup is low in carbohydrates.

    And in almost any recipe, broccoli will gladly welcome whatever spice you choose. , Brussels sprouts certainly get a bad rap, but prepared the right way will make you wonder why you spent years avoiding them.

    Use these herbs and spices to lessen the strong taste of this veggie.

    Have you ever tried Brussels sprouts with maple syrup? Delicious.

    But if you're looking for a more basic recipe, you can boil, saute, roast, or braise them with some herbs and that should do the trick. , Sometimes cabbage needs a bit of help – and if you do it right, it can transform this veggie into a memorable dish.

    Herbs are a must with cabbage – the above ones are great, but you could also keep it simple with just a bit of pepper and butter.

    Bacon never hurts either.This is especially helpful for the cabbage soup diet.

    It gets pretty boring, so you'll need herbs and spices to gladly come to the rescue in this situation. , Or if you're looking to go a little more exotic, they can also pair with coconut and curry, cinnamon and nutmeg, or ginger.

    You knew you could make carrot soup and make carrot cake, but did you know you could make carrot pancakes? And if you're not looking to bust out the slow cooker or your baking skills, a simple roasted carrot dish goes nicely with just about any meal. , Cauliflower is great in an onion/dijon/bacon combination, too.

    Actually, cauliflower is great with most things because it's able to take on just about every flavor.

    With a little olive oil, it does well with thyme, tarragon, and parsley, too.There's hardly a spice you could go wrong with when it comes to this versatile veggie.

    Cauliflower is a savior for those avoiding starchy vegetables and carbohydrates.

    You can make mashed cauliflower that tastes just like potatoes, make cheesy cauliflower breadsticks, and even cauliflower gratin. , Zucchini (or courgette) is a very basic vegetable that only needs very basic spices.

    It's similar to cauliflower in that it can be used in many different ways and as a substitute for other, less healthy ingredients.

    Here are a few ideas to challenge your zucchini skills:
    Make Fried Zucchini with Meat Make Quinoa Zucchini Boats Make Stuffed Zucchini Make Zucchini Noodles Make Baked Zucchini Strips , Cucumber likes to stay light and refreshing, so pair it with more light and refreshing herbs and spices.

    A healthy go-to recipe that should be in your arsenal is a simple cucumber salad.

    You could also try frying cucumbers or turning them into a cucumber and cream cheese sandwich. , Also known as aubergine, this vegetable is great when it's given a little kick, like with garlic, curry, or soy sauce.

    Baked, fried, or grilled, it's all good.

    Why not do "Meatless Mondays" and make a vegetarian eggplant lasagna for dinner? If that doesn't sound up your alley, try stuffed eggplant, eggplant parmigiana, or eggplant fritters. , Green beans are cheap, easy to prepare, healthy, and filling.

    What's not to like? And to top it off, they don't need too many herbs and spices to be delicious.

    Just sprinkle on the aforementioned flavors and your job is practically done.

    Here are some ideas to try:
    Make Fried Green Beans Make an Appettizer With Green Beans and Bacon Stir Fry Green Beans Make Ham and Green Beans , Leeks are sort of onion-y in flavor, and are sometimes even used as a substitute.

    If you have a favorite onion recipe or favorite herbs to pair with onions, try pairing the same ones with leeks.Just some butter and garlic works well, too (throw in some ginger if you're feeling crazy).

    Leeks are considered a "gourmet onion." LifeGuide Hub has a great article on different ways to prepare leeks, in addition to great recipes on potato leek soup and vegan leek quiche. , Lettuce is a staple of practically any kind of diet.

    Since it's so watery and simple, it can easily be overpowered, so be careful.

    Just a dash of your chosen herbs will do.

    Lettuce wraps are a great idea to avoid starchy breads, and a simple lettuce salad is a nice complement to virtually any dish.

    Feeling frisky? How about a peanut butter, lettuce, and cheese sandwich? , Mushrooms – a topping, a flavor, or even an entire dish.

    Mushrooms themselves have a good flavor, but then can be emphasized even more with the right spices and herbs.

    They're easily made spicy and tangy, or can be toned down for a more savory touch.

    They too can take on just about anything, so feel free to experiment.

    Kick the ground beef habit and try a portobello mushroom sandwich.

    With your mushroom sandwich, how about a side of garlic mushrooms or stuffed mushrooms? Surprisingly, they'll all have different flavors. , You can throw onion in to just about any recipe – curries, stir fries, sandwiches, salads, soups – you name it, it could probably do for an onion.

    Take into account the flavor of the dish before you season the onions; since onions can take on a variety of flavors, you want one that matches the specific dish you're creating.

    The simplest thing you can do with a new supply of onions is to grill them.

    But you could also make onion dip, onion rings, or even try your hand at onion soup. , Peas are great as an add-in just like onions (and are good in just about as many things) or great on their own, especially when cooked in herbs and spices.

    They too don't need a lot of flavor to make them pungent, so add your flavors little by little until you reach your desired outcome.

    This is a good time to try making split pea soup.

    You could also spice up your recipe book with potato and pea samosas. , It's hard to mess up a potato.

    They're good on their own, and they're good with a number of spices, too.

    Try tossing the herbs in a bit of olive oil and using it to roast your potatoes.And if you're feeling super indulgent, don't forget the cheese and butter! The number of things you can do with potatoes is practically endless.

    However, here are just a few LifeGuide Hub favorites:
    Make Simple Mashed Potatoes, Make Potato Wedges, Make Roast Potatoes, Make Potato Latkes, and Make Saffron Potatoes. , You can also use these guidelines for spinach, too.

    This healthy veggie is growing in popularity and pairs nicely with anchovies, beef, butter, chicken, garlic, lemons and olives.For dinner tomorrow, try making pasta with Swiss chard and mushrooms.

    You could also try experimenting with LifeGuide Hub's spinach dip and spinach pie recipes and working in silver beets.

    Silver beets, or Swiss chard, has about a dozen names (perpetual spinach, spinach beet, crab beet, bright lights, sea kale beet, etc.) If you see something that looks like silver beet or Swiss chard but it's labeled something else, it's probably just a regional term. , Tomatoes are another great staple to many diets.

    They're versatile and healthy and with the right spices, can add a definite kick of flavor to any meal.

    And if they're grown in your garden, eating them is even more rewarding.

    You know pizza and pasta, but have you ever made your own with fresh tomato sauce? It can make all the difference.

    The same goes for tomato soup, too.

    When it's fresh and homemade, it's infinitely better.
  3. Step 3: coriander

  4. Step 4: and paprika.

  5. Step 5: Prepare asparagus with dill

  6. Step 6: marjoram

  7. Step 7: nutmeg

  8. Step 8: rosemary.

  9. Step 9: Combine beetroot with pepper

  10. Step 10: coriander

  11. Step 11: chives

  12. Step 12: ginger

  13. Step 13: cloves

  14. Step 14: and sage.

  15. Step 15: Match broccoli with sage

  16. Step 16: chives

  17. Step 17: oregano

  18. Step 18: rosemary

  19. Step 19: garlic

  20. Step 20: marjoram

  21. Step 21: and nutmeg.Ah

  22. Step 22: broccoli.

  23. Step 23: Pair Brussels sprouts with rosemary

  24. Step 24: parsley

  25. Step 25: caraway

  26. Step 26: nutmeg

  27. Step 27: oregano

  28. Step 28: or marjoram.

  29. Step 29: Try cabbage with bay leaves

  30. Step 30: garlic

  31. Step 31: marjoram

  32. Step 32: nutmeg

  33. Step 33: chives

  34. Step 34: and parsley.

  35. Step 35: Eat carrots with parsley

  36. Step 36: chives

  37. Step 37: or thyme.

  38. Step 38: Prepare cauliflower with basil

  39. Step 39: ginger

  40. Step 40: nutmeg

  41. Step 41: oregano

  42. Step 42: coriander

  43. Step 43: or mint.

  44. Step 44: Try courgette (or zucchini) with garlic

  45. Step 45: parsley

  46. Step 46: and oregano.

  47. Step 47: Match cucumber with rosemary

  48. Step 48: mustard

  49. Step 49: pepper

  50. Step 50: or chives.

  51. Step 51: Combine eggplant with garlic

  52. Step 52: parsley

  53. Step 53: rosemary

  54. Step 54: and oregano.

  55. Step 55: Try green beans with garlic

  56. Step 56: nutmeg

  57. Step 57: and pepper.

  58. Step 58: Match leeks with mustard

  59. Step 59: parsley

  60. Step 60: bay leaves

  61. Step 61: paprika

  62. Step 62: and celery salt.

  63. Step 63: Prepare lettuce with basil

  64. Step 64: chives

  65. Step 65: tarragon

  66. Step 66: and parsley.

  67. Step 67: Pair mushrooms with ginger

  68. Step 68: pepper

  69. Step 69: parsley

  70. Step 70: and thyme.

  71. Step 71: Cook onions with paprika

  72. Step 72: celery salt

  73. Step 73: pepper

  74. Step 74: coriander

  75. Step 75: garlic

  76. Step 76: marjoram

  77. Step 77: or sage.

  78. Step 78: Try peas with tarragon

  79. Step 79: parsley

  80. Step 80: nutmeg

  81. Step 81: marjoram

  82. Step 82: and basil.

  83. Step 83: Pair potatoes with garlic

  84. Step 84: nutmeg

  85. Step 85: paprika

  86. Step 86: pepper

  87. Step 87: rosemary

  88. Step 88: or thyme.

  89. Step 89: Prepare silver beets (Swiss chard) with nutmeg

  90. Step 90: coriander

  91. Step 91: marjoram

  92. Step 92: bay leaves

  93. Step 93: garlic

  94. Step 94: or rosemary.

  95. Step 95: Try tomatoes with basil

  96. Step 96: tarragon

  97. Step 97: garlic

  98. Step 98: chives

  99. Step 99: oregano

  100. Step 100: paprika

  101. Step 101: fennel

  102. Step 102: parsley

  103. Step 103: or thyme.

Detailed Guide

Coriander (and curry, incidentally) should be added before cooking.

Everything else can be added during or after.

There are a plethora of ways you can prepare artichokes, too.

Try LifeGuide Hub's article on the different methods of artichoke preparing to see if one strikes your fancy.

Grilled artichokes? Yes, please.

Risotto with Artichokes? Definitely worth a try.

Have you tried artichokes with a lemon aioli or even barbecued? There's lots to experiment with when it comes to this veggie.

Chives and tarragon are good, too.Use these herbs and spices to flavor your butter and then give your asparagus a nice herbed sauté.

You can steam asparagus, roast asparagus, blanch asparagus...the list goes on.

But a tried and true recipe favorite? Bacon-wrapped asparagus.

Mmm. , All of these herbs and spices go well with the under-appreciated beetroot and can be placed nicely into a soup, stew, salad, or dip.

Need some ideas? Try a few of these LifeGuide Hub favorites:
Make Beetroot Soup Make Beetroot Dip Make Beetroot Salad Pickle Beetroot , The veggie you don't appreciate until you reach adulthood.

This versatile veggie goes well with tons of herbs and spices and can be made spicy and savory or creamy and cheesy.

With this one, it's pretty hard to go wrong.

Broccoli is a great veggie for almost any diet.

If you're watching your calories, try it steamed.

Watching your carbs? Even broccoli cheese soup is low in carbohydrates.

And in almost any recipe, broccoli will gladly welcome whatever spice you choose. , Brussels sprouts certainly get a bad rap, but prepared the right way will make you wonder why you spent years avoiding them.

Use these herbs and spices to lessen the strong taste of this veggie.

Have you ever tried Brussels sprouts with maple syrup? Delicious.

But if you're looking for a more basic recipe, you can boil, saute, roast, or braise them with some herbs and that should do the trick. , Sometimes cabbage needs a bit of help – and if you do it right, it can transform this veggie into a memorable dish.

Herbs are a must with cabbage – the above ones are great, but you could also keep it simple with just a bit of pepper and butter.

Bacon never hurts either.This is especially helpful for the cabbage soup diet.

It gets pretty boring, so you'll need herbs and spices to gladly come to the rescue in this situation. , Or if you're looking to go a little more exotic, they can also pair with coconut and curry, cinnamon and nutmeg, or ginger.

You knew you could make carrot soup and make carrot cake, but did you know you could make carrot pancakes? And if you're not looking to bust out the slow cooker or your baking skills, a simple roasted carrot dish goes nicely with just about any meal. , Cauliflower is great in an onion/dijon/bacon combination, too.

Actually, cauliflower is great with most things because it's able to take on just about every flavor.

With a little olive oil, it does well with thyme, tarragon, and parsley, too.There's hardly a spice you could go wrong with when it comes to this versatile veggie.

Cauliflower is a savior for those avoiding starchy vegetables and carbohydrates.

You can make mashed cauliflower that tastes just like potatoes, make cheesy cauliflower breadsticks, and even cauliflower gratin. , Zucchini (or courgette) is a very basic vegetable that only needs very basic spices.

It's similar to cauliflower in that it can be used in many different ways and as a substitute for other, less healthy ingredients.

Here are a few ideas to challenge your zucchini skills:
Make Fried Zucchini with Meat Make Quinoa Zucchini Boats Make Stuffed Zucchini Make Zucchini Noodles Make Baked Zucchini Strips , Cucumber likes to stay light and refreshing, so pair it with more light and refreshing herbs and spices.

A healthy go-to recipe that should be in your arsenal is a simple cucumber salad.

You could also try frying cucumbers or turning them into a cucumber and cream cheese sandwich. , Also known as aubergine, this vegetable is great when it's given a little kick, like with garlic, curry, or soy sauce.

Baked, fried, or grilled, it's all good.

Why not do "Meatless Mondays" and make a vegetarian eggplant lasagna for dinner? If that doesn't sound up your alley, try stuffed eggplant, eggplant parmigiana, or eggplant fritters. , Green beans are cheap, easy to prepare, healthy, and filling.

What's not to like? And to top it off, they don't need too many herbs and spices to be delicious.

Just sprinkle on the aforementioned flavors and your job is practically done.

Here are some ideas to try:
Make Fried Green Beans Make an Appettizer With Green Beans and Bacon Stir Fry Green Beans Make Ham and Green Beans , Leeks are sort of onion-y in flavor, and are sometimes even used as a substitute.

If you have a favorite onion recipe or favorite herbs to pair with onions, try pairing the same ones with leeks.Just some butter and garlic works well, too (throw in some ginger if you're feeling crazy).

Leeks are considered a "gourmet onion." LifeGuide Hub has a great article on different ways to prepare leeks, in addition to great recipes on potato leek soup and vegan leek quiche. , Lettuce is a staple of practically any kind of diet.

Since it's so watery and simple, it can easily be overpowered, so be careful.

Just a dash of your chosen herbs will do.

Lettuce wraps are a great idea to avoid starchy breads, and a simple lettuce salad is a nice complement to virtually any dish.

Feeling frisky? How about a peanut butter, lettuce, and cheese sandwich? , Mushrooms – a topping, a flavor, or even an entire dish.

Mushrooms themselves have a good flavor, but then can be emphasized even more with the right spices and herbs.

They're easily made spicy and tangy, or can be toned down for a more savory touch.

They too can take on just about anything, so feel free to experiment.

Kick the ground beef habit and try a portobello mushroom sandwich.

With your mushroom sandwich, how about a side of garlic mushrooms or stuffed mushrooms? Surprisingly, they'll all have different flavors. , You can throw onion in to just about any recipe – curries, stir fries, sandwiches, salads, soups – you name it, it could probably do for an onion.

Take into account the flavor of the dish before you season the onions; since onions can take on a variety of flavors, you want one that matches the specific dish you're creating.

The simplest thing you can do with a new supply of onions is to grill them.

But you could also make onion dip, onion rings, or even try your hand at onion soup. , Peas are great as an add-in just like onions (and are good in just about as many things) or great on their own, especially when cooked in herbs and spices.

They too don't need a lot of flavor to make them pungent, so add your flavors little by little until you reach your desired outcome.

This is a good time to try making split pea soup.

You could also spice up your recipe book with potato and pea samosas. , It's hard to mess up a potato.

They're good on their own, and they're good with a number of spices, too.

Try tossing the herbs in a bit of olive oil and using it to roast your potatoes.And if you're feeling super indulgent, don't forget the cheese and butter! The number of things you can do with potatoes is practically endless.

However, here are just a few LifeGuide Hub favorites:
Make Simple Mashed Potatoes, Make Potato Wedges, Make Roast Potatoes, Make Potato Latkes, and Make Saffron Potatoes. , You can also use these guidelines for spinach, too.

This healthy veggie is growing in popularity and pairs nicely with anchovies, beef, butter, chicken, garlic, lemons and olives.For dinner tomorrow, try making pasta with Swiss chard and mushrooms.

You could also try experimenting with LifeGuide Hub's spinach dip and spinach pie recipes and working in silver beets.

Silver beets, or Swiss chard, has about a dozen names (perpetual spinach, spinach beet, crab beet, bright lights, sea kale beet, etc.) If you see something that looks like silver beet or Swiss chard but it's labeled something else, it's probably just a regional term. , Tomatoes are another great staple to many diets.

They're versatile and healthy and with the right spices, can add a definite kick of flavor to any meal.

And if they're grown in your garden, eating them is even more rewarding.

You know pizza and pasta, but have you ever made your own with fresh tomato sauce? It can make all the difference.

The same goes for tomato soup, too.

When it's fresh and homemade, it's infinitely better.

About the Author

H

Heather Martinez

A passionate writer with expertise in crafts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.

92 articles
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