Healthy Henry logoChef Healthy Henry
All guides

Basil Is a Finishing Move

Not a background herb. A last decision.

Basil is at its best when it still tastes like itself: bright, sweet, and a little peppery.

Long cooking flattens that. That is why so many good tomato dishes get basil at the end, torn by hand, stirred in off heat, or scattered over the plate. You are not hiding basil inside the sauce. You are letting people taste it.

If the recipe calls for dried basil, use a light hand and give it time in the liquid. Fresh basil and dried basil are related ideas, not interchangeable ones.

Read the full Chef's Notes post