Fresh herbs are a great way to bring the flavors of your dishes to life. Unfortunately, they can be expensive to buy at the grocery store and they aren’t always in season.

Although you can use their dried counterparts in your favorite recipes, they just don’t deliver the same flavor profile. Fortunately, you can enjoy fresh herb flavor all year long and you don’t need a ton of space to do it.

Not only do you want to select herbs that are easy to grow, but you’ll also want to select versatile options that pair well with a diverse selection of recipes. The following list of easy-to-grow culinary herbs can help you get started.

Basil tops the list because it is so versatile and is super easy to grow from seed. All you need is a small pot and sunny windowsill and you can have fresh basil at your fingertips all year long.

BASIL

Basil is also an important ingredient in fresh pesto recipes and it pairs beautifully with tomato-based pasta sauces. For a unique twist, add julienned basil and Brie cheese to sourdough bread for a fabulous grilled cheese sandwich.

The fresh leaves (cilantro) of young plants are a staple in Mexican cooking. Fresh cilantro is a key ingredient in homemade salsas and also adds a unique flavor dimension to salad greens.

CILANTRO (CORIANDER)

Cilantro is also very easy to grow from seed. You can extend the life of your plant by keeping it plucked down and keeping it in cooler areas.

Rosemary can also be started from seeds, but you may find it easier to pick up small plants from your local garden center each spring.

ROSEMARY

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