Herbs, herbs, herbs (to the tune of “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha”): Sure, we’re excited about all the tender herbs popping up at the farmers' market—a welcome dose of color and freshness after so many months of brown, lumpy roots and tubers (no offense, potatoes)—but why should they get all the attention?
This time of year, herbs aren’t the only bold-flavored leafy things out and about. There are plenty of other characters that can bring the same pizzazz and brightness to your recipes—if you just give them a chance.
Here’s a rundown of our favorite not-herbs that can be treated in much the same way you would the usual suspects—basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, and mint. Throw a handful into a salad, whiz them into a vibrant sauce, or shimmy them into a sandwich. And since they’re also great when combined with proper herb-herbs, feel free to mingle and merge to your heart’s content.
Celery Leaves
These magical yellow-green leaves live on the top of stalks and tucked inside the core of a celery bunch; they’ve got an even more intense celery flavor than the stalk itself and are delicious in a salad, vinaigrette, or Bloody Mary.
Arugula
Skip the feathery salad and throw a handful on top of anything mild or fatty (ricotta! pizza! risotto!) to add a pop of peppery flavor. Arugula also makes for a deliciously spicy pesto.
Watercress
Fiery and slightly sour, we like it in sandwiches, buzzed into green sauces, and chopped into a mustardy potato salad.
Fennel Fronds
The feathery wisps that crown the top of a bulb of fennel are a built-in garnish for any dish that contains the bulb itself. But fronds can also be used wherever you want fennel’s signature fresh, anise-y flavor but without the bulb’s crispy crunch.
Scallions and Chives
For a more delicate onion-y flavor that doesn’t dry out your mouth with intense heat, turn to these little alliums. Scallions and chives can be eaten raw—and with abandon!—for lots of flavor without the overwhelming fire you get from red or yellow onions.
Pea Sprouts and Shoots
Leggy and leafy and so adorable it almost hurts, pea sprouts and shoots are sweet, slightly grassy, and about as springy as spring gets. They go well with—you guessed it—peas and will do good work on top your pea mash, pea pasta, or pea soup.
These would all be pretty cool in a pesto, TBH:
