A basic Italian herb garden will include maybe 8 or 9 of the most popular herbs , but there are over 50 herbs and spices used regularly in Italian recipes. What really makes Italian cuisine stand out so significantly is in the broad use of all of these frequently used herbs and spices from around the world. Some, like nutmeg and mace, are from evergreen trees that take up to 9 years before you can harvest the seed, making it rather inconvenient for most home gardens. However, for the most part, these herbs and spices can easily be grown and added to our favorite Italian dishes.
Of course a discussion must start with the essential Italian herbs – basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, parsley and sage. There are over 40 varieties of basil but it is “Sweet Basil” that is most used in Italian dishes. It is easily propagated and will grow to about 18″ before it flowers and starts to seed.
Oregano, sometimes called wild marjoram, like basil is a member of the mint family grows perennially. It is the Mediterranean variety that has a sweeter more delicate flavor.
Rosemary is a favorite if for nothing else than its bouquet. Its essential oil permeates whatever sauce or meat it is combined with. It is perennial and can be shaped with some persevering pruning. By the way, their stems make great skewers for kabobs!
Thyme is a hearty perennial herb that grows to about 8” in high bush. Continual harvesting keeps it full. When harvesting thyme, remember that dried thyme is a more flavorful herb than fresh, and dried ground is stronger than chopped.
Italian Parsley is more than just a garnishment as its curly leafed cousin is. It is sweeter and tenderer and it blends well with other herbs to enhance their flavor. It is a biennial, if you can keep it that long, that is sensitive to too much sun or water.
Sage is a perennial beauty of the mint family. It is one of those herbs that is great for many things – cooking, tea, medicine, aroma, beauty, the list seems almost perpetual.
Here are another 40+ herbs used extensively in Italian recipes from appetizers to desserts. Many are used just as extensively and must be considered for an Italian herb garden:
Allspice
Anise Seed
Arrow Root,
Bay Leaves
Borage
Capers
Caraway Seed
Cardamom
Celery
Celery Seed
Chervil
Chives
Cilantro
Cinnamon
Cloves
Cumin
Dill
Dill Seed
Fennel Seed
Garlic
Ginger
Horseradish
Juniper Berries
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Lemon Verbena
Lemongrass
Mace
Marjoram
Mint
Mustard leaves
Mustard seed
Nutmeg
Onion
Paprika
Pepper
Poppy Seeds
Red Pepper
Saffron
Sesame Seed
Sorrel
Summer Savory
Tarragon
Turmeric
Vanilla
