When asked, nearly every American says that they wish they could grow some or all of their own food.
And here’s the thing – they can!
It doesn’t matter how little space you have, it’s super easy to grow some herbs indoors and add a little extra flavor to your food.
And these are the best herbs for indoor gardens, you can’t go wrong with growing them!
Basil
Basil is very easy to grow indoors and it’s a big part of much of the world’s culinary heritage.
It works really well with tomatoes and once you’ve got it, you can just pinch off some of the leaves and then use them in any way that works for you.
If you grow a substantial amount of basil, you can also try your hand at making your own pesto.
Keep it in sunlight and keep it warm and replace it when the stems become woody.
Bay Laurel
Bay leaves have a very distinct taste and add real character to soup or stew or even a lasagna.
You can harvest leaves as you need them or dry them and store them for long-term use.
The older the leaf, the stronger the flavor.
They are easy to grow but you need to keep an eye out for pest infections and dose them with neem oil if they occur.
Chervil
With a fine flavor between anise and parsley, chervil is an essential ingredient in every French kitchen and a staple of the “fines herbes” mix.
You must have it for a quality Bearnaise sauce and it goes wonderfully with seafood, eggs or potatoes.
You can cut off leaves for a salad or to add to cooked dishes.
You can also soak them in vinegar to add something to dressings.
They need to be kept cool, moist and given regular but moderate doses of sunlight.
The leaves are best consumed young, so replanting every 6-8 weeks is a must.
Chives
Their onion-alike taste makes chives very useful in garnishes and to add a little boost to salads and soups.
You can cut off the leaves with scissors and as long as you leave around 2 inches of growth behind, they’ll resprout without effort.
It’s best to buy a chive plant rather than growing one from seed and then it needs lots of bright light to flourish.
Mint
There are so many types of mint that you’re bound to find at least one that you love.
Mint can add character to desserts, teas, salads and much more.
As long as you keep them moist and in the sun, mint will thrive pretty much anywhere, making it ideal for growing indoors as well as out.
Oregano
You can’t have pizza without it and it adds so much to Italian dishes as well as those from the Middle East and Central and Southern America too.
Snip the stems off and then strip off the leaves to add them to dishes, if you dry them out, oregano leaves gain added impact.
Don’t let oregano dry out and ensure it always has plenty of light for the best results.
Parsley
Parsley isn’t just for garnishing things (though it is a nice garnish) and it can be used for both its color and flavor in salads, soups and even sauces (cod in parsley sauce anyone?)
Pinch off the stems at the base and then take the leaves from them.
Start with some rich potting soil and then always keep parsley in bright, strong light.
Rosemary
We love rosemary with lamb but it’s great with pork and chicken too and it works a treat in soups or even infused into olive oil.
Just cut off sprigs at the length you need and toss them into dishes as needed (or mince the springs if required).
It’s a bit fussier than some herbs and likes to be hot and sunny in summer, but cool during the winter months.
Thyme
One of the tastiest herbs of them all is thyme and it grows so easily indoors.
Pop it in some fast-draining soil and then leave it to bask in a warm, sunny place.
Water when the soil feels dry or if it starts to wilt.
Final Thoughts On Best Herbs for Indoor Gardens
Each of these herbs is super tasty and super easy to grow indoors, so why not begin growing your own herbs, today?
If you want to get started growing herbs with zero hassle check out our picks for the very best herb garden kits or call one of our favorite online nurseries to get a head start on things.
Then you might also want to read our plant-based diet primer to come up with some ideas as to how you can best use herbs in your kitchen.
