Top 10 Culinary Herbs to Grow at Home

Explore essential herbs that add flavor and fragrance to your everyday cooking.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

There’s nothing quite like cooking with fresh herbs—plucked straight from your garden or windowsill and sprinkled into soups, pastas, or salads. Not only do they elevate the flavor of your meals, but they also bring beauty, fragrance, and even health benefits into your home.

Whether you have a backyard herb patch or a sunny kitchen ledge, these top 10 culinary herbs are perfect for growing at home—and even better for everyday use in the kitchen.

🌿 1. Basil

Flavor: Sweet, peppery, slightly minty
Best For: Pesto, caprese salad, pasta, Thai dishes
Growing Tip: Loves warmth and sun—keep it moist and pinch off flower buds to encourage leafy growth.

So many varieties give you different flavors in your cooking. We love the Seed Needs Variety 8 pack. It comes with 8 different species which is great for experimenting with your cooking. https://amzn.to/3Tbt7BB

🌿 2. Parsley

Flavor: Fresh, slightly peppery
Best For: Garnishes, sauces, tabbouleh, soups
Growing Tip: Grows well in pots or garden beds; flat-leaf has stronger flavor than curly.

We typically only grow and cook flat leaf variety. From our Italian recipes to our middle eastern recipes this definitely gets a lot of use. https://amzn.to/4erU0uH

🌿 3. Thyme

Flavor: Earthy, slightly lemony
Best For: Roasted vegetables, poultry, stews, marinades
Growing Tip: Low-maintenance perennial; prefers full sun and well-drained soil.

This is a staple in all of our stewed dishes and when we are grilling steaks and braising. Makes for a great boquet garni or serves as a great basting brush when tied together. https://amzn.to/463wrGH

🌿 4. Rosemary

Flavor: Piney, robust, aromatic
Best For: Roasts, focaccia, infused oils, grilled meats
Growing Tip: Needs full sun and infrequent watering—be careful not to overwater.

🌿 5. Mint

Flavor: Cool, refreshing
Best For: Teas, cocktails, salads, desserts
Growing Tip: Very fast-growing—keep it in its own container to prevent spreading.

This is a must when grilling steak just like thyme. It goes well with absolutely everything from Mediterranean dishes to steaks, and our personal favorite garlic rosemary fries. https://amzn.to/446Y2p0

🌿 6. Chives

Flavor: Mild onion
Best For: Eggs, potatoes, dips, soups
Growing Tip: Grows well indoors and outdoors; trim regularly to promote fresh growth.

Seed Needs has an amazing two pack with common chives and garlic chives. If you haven't had garlic chives before I suggest you start growing them, game changer. https://amzn.to/45LUfPc

🌿 7. Oregano

Flavor: Bold, slightly bitter, peppery
Best For: Italian, Greek, and Mexican cuisine—pizza, pasta, sauces
Growing Tip: Likes full sun and dry conditions—less is more when it comes to watering.

We love growing 2 varieties (Greek and Mexican). We cook a lot of Latin dishes as well as mediterranean which both call for the unique flavor of oregano but different varieties. https://amzn.to/3GimI4C (Greek Oregano)

🌿 8. Cilantro (Coriander)

Flavor: Bright, citrusy
Best For: Salsas, curries, tacos, rice dishes
Growing Tip: Quick to bolt in heat—plant successively every few weeks for a longer harvest.

Key to many asian and latin dishes. We don't use this as much as the others but we definitely use it when we are making street tacos. Also this plant is a bonus as the seeds we all know are coriander, so two birds one stone. https://amzn.to/44BKFNw

🌿 9. Sage

Flavor: Savory, warm, slightly peppery
Best For: Stuffing, poultry dishes, browned butter sauces
Growing Tip: Thrives in warm, dry conditions; a little goes a long way in cooking.

Sage is super underrated in many peoples gardens, whether using it for culinary purposes or ornamental this plant is great for either. https://amzn.to/4elFHHY

🌿 10. Dill

Flavor: Fresh, grassy, slightly tangy
Best For: Pickles, fish, potato salad, dressings
Growing Tip: Tall and feathery—grow in a sunny spot and harvest regularly for best flavor

Again we do a lot of middle eastern cooking and lots of pickling and there is no better herb to use for these applications than dill. Plus dill seeds can be harvested and used as well.

🍽 Tips for Using Culinary Herbs

• Add soft herbs (basil, parsley, chives) at the end of cooking to preserve their bright flavors.

• Hard herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage) can be added earlier in cooking to infuse dishes.

• Dry or freeze extras for use in the off-season—just store in airtight containers.

• One thing we have found to be ultra helpful when harvesting our herbs is a place for them to dry out that is covered from bugs and wind. We use a collapsible herb drying rack that makes harvesting so much easier. https://amzn.to/4npHYGq

🌿 Growing your own herbs means fewer trips to the store and fresher, more flavorful meals every time.

Final Thoughts

Cultivating culinary herbs at home is a simple joy with big rewards. Whether you’re just starting a kitchen windowsill garden or expanding your backyard beds, these ten herbs are delicious, versatile, and beginner-friendly.

Once you experience the difference fresh herbs make in your cooking, you’ll never want to go without them again.