Combining herbs and spices with vegetables helps you enrich their best flavor characteristics, as well as providing a pleasant complement to any dish. Given the wide range of options available, however, it is difficult to know where to start. If you're willing to experiment a little in the kitchen, get ready to wow your taste buds.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Pairings - Group 1
Step 1. Pair the artichokes with parsley, bay leaves, coriander and paprika
Coriander (and curry) should be added before cooking the artichokes. All other aromatic herbs and spices should be added during cooking or at the end. There are many ways to cook artichokes. Try this wikiHow article and find out if any of the artichoke-based preparations excite your imagination.
Grilled artichokes? Why not. Artichokes risotto? Definitely to try. Have you ever tried artichokes with lemon or grilled aioli sauce? There are many recipes that you can prepare with this type of vegetable
Step 2. Pair the asparagus with dill, marjoram, nutmeg and rosemary
Chives and tarragon also pair very well with asparagus. Use these aromatic herbs and spices to flavor the butter with which you will then stir-fry your asparagus.
For example, you can prepare steamed asparagus, roasted asparagus, blanched asparagus, and the list of asparagus-based recipes continues, including definitely the one of asparagus wrapped in bacon
Step 3. Combine the beetroot with pepper, coriander, thyme, dill, chives, ginger, cloves and sage
All these aromatic herbs and spices go very well with beetroot, a slightly mistreated vegetable, but which can be perfect for a soup, a stew or to prepare a sauce. Do you need some ideas for a recipe? Try some of these preparations:
- Beetroot soup;
- Beetroot sauce;
- Beetroot salad
- Pickled beets
Step 4. Pair the broccoli with sage, chives, oregano, thyme, rosemary, garlic, marjoram and nutmeg
Broccoli… one of those vegetables that are not fully appreciated until one becomes an adult. It is actually a very versatile vegetable that can be combined with many aromatic herbs to obtain complex and fragrant flavors. It is very difficult to go wrong with broccoli.
Broccoli is perfect for any diet. If you have to be careful with your calories, try steamed broccoli. Do you need to keep your carbohydrate consumption under control? Try making a great cheese broccoli soup that is very low in carbohydrates. You can incorporate your chosen spices into virtually any broccoli recipe
Step 5. Pair the Brussels sprouts with rosemary, parsley, cumin, nutmeg, oregano or marjoram
Brussels sprouts have a bad reputation, but prepared the right way will make you regret avoiding them for so many years. It uses all these aromatic herbs and spices to soften the strong flavor of this fantastic vegetable, complex and fragrant flavors. It is very difficult to go wrong with broccoli.
Have you ever tried Brussels sprouts with maple syrup? They are delicious. However, if you are looking for some basic preparations for this type of vegetable you can boil them, brown them in a pan, roast them or braise them, obviously adding some aromatic herbs to give an extra boost to the final flavor
Step 6. Try cabbage with bay leaves, lemon, garlic, curry, marjoram, nutmeg, chives and parsley
Sometimes the flavor of cabbage needs a little help and, when prepared correctly, can be made into a memorable dish. Herbs are a must with cabbage and the ones listed here are perfect, but if you prefer you can enjoy the cabbage in a simple way, with a pinch of pepper and a little butter. Adding a few cubes of bacon certainly doesn't hurt.
This is especially useful if you want to make a cabbage-based soup, which without herbs and spices would be really boring
Step 7. Eat carrots paired with parsley, basil, curry, chives, sage or thyme
If you like to experiment with something exotic from time to time, you can try pairing them with coconut milk and curry, cinnamon and nutmeg, or ginger.
Sure you've already made carrot soup or carrot cake, but maybe you didn't know you can make carrot pancakes too? But if you don't feel like putting your chef skills to the test, a simple dish of roasted carrots is perfect for any meal
Step 8. Pair the cauliflower with basil, dill, ginger, curry, nutmeg, oregano, coriander or mint
Cauliflower is also great in combination with onion, mustard and bacon. In fact, cauliflower can be combined with any recipe, being a vegetable that can absorb any flavor very well. Seasoned with a good extra virgin olive oil it also goes very well with tarragon, thyme and parsley. It's hard to spot a spice that can't be paired with this versatile vegetable.
Cauliflower comes to the aid of all people who do not like starchy vegetables with a high rate of carbohydrates. You can make a mashed cauliflower (it will taste like potatoes), a cauliflower and cheese flan, or cauliflower au gratin
Step 9. Try pairing the zucchini with garlic, basil, parsley and oregano
Zucchini is a very common vegetable that does not require the use of complex spices. Like cauliflower, zucchini can also be used easily in many recipes or as a substitute for other less healthy ingredients. Here are some recipes to test your cooking skills:
- Sautéed courgettes as a side dish to meat;
- Quinoa stuffed courgettes;
- Classic stuffed courgettes;
- Zucchini noodles;
- Baked zucchini.
Step 10. Pair the cucumber with rosemary, dill, mustard, pepper, basil or chives
Cucumbers are a fresh and light vegetable, so accompany them with fresh, mild-flavored herbs and spices.
A quick and healthy recipe that should not be missing in your cookbook is a simple cucumber salad. Try making fried cucumbers too, or use them for a great cucumber and cheese sandwich
Part 2 of 3: Pairings - Group 2
Step 1. Pair the eggplant with garlic, parsley, mint, sage, curry, basil, rosemary or oregano
This vegetable is great topped with strong flavored ingredients like garlic, curry, or soy sauce. Eggplants are delicious when baked, fried or grilled.
Why not sometimes give up on meat by preparing excellent vegetarian aubergine lasagna? If you think they are not for you, try the classic stuffed aubergines, a parmigiana or perhaps breaded and fried
Step 2. Try green beans paired with garlic, basil, dill, nutmeg or pepper
Green beans are an inexpensive, easy to prepare, healthy and very appetizing vegetable. What more do you want? To complete the list of positive qualities of green beans, it must be said that they don't even need to add a lot of herbs or spices to be delicious. Combine them with one or more of the herbs just mentioned, and your kitchen work is practically done. Here are some ideas to try:
- Fried green beans;
- Green beans wrapped in bacon;
- Stir-fried green beans;
- Green bean salad.
Step 3. Pair the leeks with mustard, parsley, dill, bay leaves, thyme, paprika or celery salt
Leeks taste similar to onion, and can sometimes be used in its place. If one of your favorite recipes is onion-based, or if you love pairing it with a particular spice, try it with leeks. Leeks are also excellent simply sauteed in a pan with butter and garlic (if you want to dare a little add a pinch of ginger).
Leeks are considered the "gourmet onions". On wikiHow you can find a great article on how to cook them, in addition to other ideas including for example a Vichyssoise (cold potato and leek soup) or a vegetarian leek quiche
Step 4. Pair the lettuce with basil, chives, thyme, tarragon, dill or parsley
Lettuce is the staple of virtually any type of diet. Being a vegetable with a high water content and a very simple flavor, it could easily get lost when paired with intense flavors, so be careful. A simple pinch of the chosen herbs will suffice.
Lettuce wraps can be a great idea to avoid using flour, and a simple lettuce salad is the perfect side dish to any dish. Do you fancy something simple and tasty? Why not make a great sandwich with lettuce, tomato and cheese?
Step 5. Pair the mushrooms with ginger, pepper, cumin, parsley and thyme
Mushrooms can be used to garnish or flavor a recipe or even as a complete dish. While having their own well-defined flavor, they can be improved by using the right combination of spices and herbs. You can choose a spicy and spicy note or a more classic one for a dish that is still tasty and savory. Mushrooms are also easily combined with almost any ingredient, so feel free to experiment.
Instead of making the usual sandwich, why not try a good mushroom sandwich. As a side dish you could cook garlic mushrooms or stuffed mushrooms. You will be surprised by the variety of different flavors
Part 3 of 3: Pairings - Group 3
Step 1. Combine the onions with paprika, celery salt, pepper, coriander, basil, garlic, marjoram and sage
Onions can be easily added to almost any recipe, including curries, wok preparations, sandwiches, salads, soups, etc. Think about the flavor of the dish you want to achieve before seasoning the onions, as they can take on multiple flavors… try to find the specific one that matches the dish you are creating.
The simplest dish you can make with onions? Grilled onions of course. Or you can try your hand at an onion-based sauce, onion rings or a classic and delicious onion soup
Step 2. Try pairing the peas with tarragon, mint, parsley, nutmeg, sage, marjoram or basil
Peas are a great addition to many recipes, as seen for onions, or a complete dish, especially when paired with herbs and spices. It won't take a lot of aromas to give off their intense flavor, so add the herbs and spices in small, gradual amounts, until you reach the desired flavor.
Try making a classic pea soup. You can increase the number of spicy recipes in your cookbook by adding a truly fabulous one, that of samosas
Step 3. Pair the potatoes with garlic, nutmeg, pepper, paprika, rosemary or thyme
It is very difficult to get a recipe wrong with potatoes, being an already delicious element in itself, and that goes very well with a good number of aromatic herbs and spices. Try flavoring extra virgin olive oil with your chosen herbs and use it to roast your potatoes. If you are not on a diet, or if you want to treat yourself to a special meal, don't forget some butter and cheese!
The number of dishes you can prepare with potatoes is practically infinite. Here are some of the many interesting recipes: mashed potatoes, wedges, roast potatoes, potato pancakes and saffron potatoes
Step 4. Pair chard with nutmeg, basil, coriander, sage, marjoram, bay leaves, garlic or rosemary
You can also use this guideline when preparing spinach. These very healthy vegetables are growing in popularity by pairing very well with anchovies, beef, butter, chicken, garlic, lemon and olives.
- Try making a pasta sauce with chard and mushrooms for your next dinner. Use chard as a substitute for spinach to make a sauce or quiche.
- Swiss chard can have multiple names so, in the supermarket, if you notice leaves similar to chard but called differently, it is possible that it is a regional term.
Step 5. Try tomatoes paired with basil, tarragon, garlic, chives, dill, mint, oregano, paprika, fennel, parsley or thyme
Tomatoes are another of the basic ingredients of many diets. They are a very versatile and healthy element that, combined with the right herbs and spices, adds a touch of flavor to any dish. If you are lucky enough to have one or more tomato plants in your garden, eating them will be even more satisfying.
You surely already know how to make pizza and pasta sauce, but have you ever tried to make a sauce using fresh tomato? The result can be significantly different. The same thing goes for the tomato soup. When the tomatoes are fresh and homemade, all recipes are much tastier
Advice
- Always use more fresh herbs than dried herbs.
- The taste of dried aromatic herbs is generally more intense than fresh ones. So, if you are using dried herbs to replace fresh ones, reduce the amounts listed in the recipe.
