What are the best herbs to put in spaghetti sauce? (9 unique flavors)

In this blog post, we will answer the following question: What are the best herbs to put in spaghetti sauce? We will talk about 9 unique spices that you can add to your spaghetti sauce to make it even more delicious!

What are the best herbs to put in spaghetti sauce?

WHO estimates, around 80% of the developing world is indigent on complementary and alternative medicines which are  prodigiously derived from herbal material (2).

Below we will describe the best 9 herbs to put in spaghetti sauce, that according to many chefs should be indispensable in our kitchens:

  1. The Basil

Basil, like oregano, is one of the most widely used aromatic herbs in Italian cuisine. This aromatic plant, therefore, goes well in any dish with an Italian accent or other southern dishes: Mexican or Spanish. Think of spaghetti sauce, tomato soup, and vegetables such as eggplants, zucchini, and peppers … A basil leaf accentuates the natural aromas of this dish or these products.

And speaking of spaghetti sauce, basil lets you make one of the best sauces around pesto! It is easy to prepare and requires a few ingredients. 

Studies showed that the compound linalool, alpha-terpineol and carvacrol and the essential oils of oregano, basil, and thyme were most active against insects (1).

  1. The Dill

Dill belongs to the fennel and chervil family. This aromatic plant has an anise flavor that pairs perfectly with (fatty) fish. Tip: sprinkle the dill leaves just before serving. If you put them in too long in advance, they lose much of their aroma.

Freshly chopped dill is also a delight in a fresh yogurt or heavy cream dressing. Or why not in a potato salad? In short: dill goes perfectly with all your side dishes during a convivial barbecue. 

In traditional medicine dill fruit has carminative, aromatic stimulant, stomachic and diuretic properties. The emulsion of seed oil in water (dill water) is useful in relieving flatulence, colic pain, vomiting and is a household remedy to correct gastric disorders in children. The dill fruit contains petroselinic acid triglyceride, beta-sitosterol, glucoside, coumarins and flavonoids as well as large quantities of fats and proteins. It is also used in veterinary medicine (1).

  1. The Tarragon

If you are told tarragon, you are probably thinking of béarnaise sauce. It is true! Fresh tarragon and tarragon vinegar are the main ingredients in this sauce, which is perfect for a good steak and fries, but also for pasta. But there is much more you can do with tarragon. This aromatic plant also goes very well with poultry and all kinds of salads.

Studies investigated the inhibitory effect of methanol extracts of 20 herbal species on human platelet aggregation, a factor in conditions such as thrombosis. Allspice, basil, marjoram, tarragon and thyme strongly inhibited the platelet aggregation induced by collagen (1).

  1. Don’t forget the Parsley

Parsley is one of the most versatile aromatic herbs. Whether you include it in a recipe for fish, potatoes, eggs, in a soup … it belongs everywhere. Above all, don’t forget it when preparing your tomato soup, tortilla, or omelet. Explosions of flavors guaranteed.

Parsley has a number of possible medicinal emblematics including, antimicrobial, antianemic, menorrhagic, anticoagulant, antihyperlipidemic, antihepatotoxic, antihypertensive, diuretic effects, hypoglycaemic, hypouricemic, antioxidative and estrogenic activities (2).

  1. The Coriander

Cilantro is an aromatic plant that blends in perfectly with exotic dishes. This herb is indeed the aromatic par excellence in many Mexican, Thai, and Indian dishes. Are you a big fan of tacos? Do you like spicy soups? Then the following recipes are for you.

Coriander is an important component of curry and is widely used in Asian dishes. It contains d-linalool as one of the main flavor chemical compounds (1).

  1. This will surprise you: Mint

No, mint isn’t just there to give you fresh breath. This aromatic plant is delicious in many recipes and, it is true, brings them a touch of freshness. Think smoothies, mocktails, or a cucumber and goat cheese toast. Finish your dishes with a few mint leaves and summer comes to your table.

Rosmarinic acid was reported by studies to be the second most frequently occurring caffeic acid ester, following chlorogenic acid, and to have antioxidant activity equivalent to that of caffeic acid. The authors detected rosmaric acid in rosemary, balm, sage, thyme, oregano, marjoram, savory and also in peppermint (1).

  1. Yes, Rosemary

Rosemary allows you to prepare fantastic marinades for your meats. This fresh herb also pairs well with vegetables such as zucchini as well as potatoes. So your Hasselback potato gratin will be even better with rosemary. Do you want to play the card of total surprise? So invite the rosemary for dessert with a lingonberry pavlova. A delight!

Antioxidant properties of rosemary have been well documented. Rosemary was considered both lipid antioxidant and metal chelator. Rosemary extract was found also to scavenge superoxide radicals (1).

  1. Indispensable: Sage

Sage and veal? A shocking duo. Not to mention the sage and lamb: a marvel! Do you prefer vegetarian options? No problem: sage works with eggs in a wonderful tortilla or with vegetables in a good pancake.

Salvia officinalis L, commonly known as sage (Dalmatian sage), is used in foods for flavoring and seasoning. It was found that, along with rosemary, it had the best antioxidant activity among the numerous herbs, spices and teas tested. Its extracts are also well known as efficient antioxidants (1).

  1. Finally: Thyme

Thyme is the classic aromatic plant that is part of the bouquet garni, along with parsley and bay leaf. This small bouquet of aromatic herbs cooks at the same time as the other ingredients, for example in a soup or a stew.

Phenolic compounds such as flavonoids found in thyme may help to protect against cardiovascular disease and intestinal cancer (1).

How to preserve aromatic herbs?

Without their roots, aromatic herbs cannot be stored for long: a maximum of one week. If you want to keep them longer, wrap them in a damp paper towel. Then put them in the bottom of your refrigerator.

Freeze them – Wash them, then let them dry. Store them in portions in a box or plastic bag. Write down their freezing date and place them in the freezer. Herbs can be stored in the freezer for 3-6 months (3).

Please note: you can freeze basil and dill, but we recommend that you freeze only the leaves.

To keep mint, rosemary, and thyme longer, it is better to dry them, not to freeze them. It’s not complicated: preheat your oven to 50 ° C, place your aromatic herbs on a baking sheet and dry your herbs in the oven for 1h30 to 2h. Then store them in a paper bag. 

They will stay good for a year as well.

Final thoughts

Well, once you’ve seen the maze of names, shapes, and sizes, another thing to keep in mind is the most appropriate type of sauce in each case. There is not a single preparation for each pasta, but there are specific rules that will make the final recipe tastier.

Have you found the inspiration for your delicious meals? Show us the result in the comments section!

 References

  1. Mahmood, Sidra, Shahzad Hussain, and Farnaz Malik. Critique of medicinal conspicuousness of Parsley (Petroselinum crispum): a culinary herb of Mediterranean region. Pak J Pharm Sci, 2014, 27, 193-202.
  2. Peter, Kuruppacharil V., ed. Handbook of herbs and spices: volume 3. Woodhead publishing, 2006.
  3. Lambert,A. Preserving Herbs. 2022. University of South Dakota.

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