I think parsley is an herb that people should appreciate more, and here are my tips and recipes for Cooking with Fresh Parsley! In this post you’ll find lots of tips for growing parsley, and a bit about why I love parsley so much! And for everyone who loves parsley, there are 36 amazing recipes using it.
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Even though I grew up with a mom who would nibble the garnish of parsley from her plate when we ate in restaurants, I was well into adulthood before I developed a real appreciation of this grassy-flavored herb. Now I can’t get enough of it!
Some cooks adore the flat-leaf Italian parsley and ignore the curly type, but I like both, and actually prefer curly parsley in some salads where it adds an interesting texture.
In summer I love to use parsley combined with fresh mint, which I think brings out the flavor of both! And even though I grow parsley in my herb garden, I think one of the things that’s so great about parsley is that it’s inexpensive in the grocery store all year, making it easy to keep cooking with parsley all winter long when you just want a bit of fresh herb flavor.
Tips for Growing Parsley:
- In the garden parsley is a biennial, which means the plant will produce leaves for two years, although sometimes the first year the production is much less.
- I find it’s relatively easy to grow, and if you neglect your plants a little in the fall they’ll drop their seeds which keeps parsley plants coming up in that spot year after year.
- If you start parsley from purchased seed you’ll have to be patient because the seeds take a long time to germinate (although soaking them overnight before planting can help a lot.)
- Parsley plants do best when they’re trimmed through the season to remove seeds and dead leaves.
- There are two different types of parsley, flat leaf and curly parsley, and they are grown the same way.
What does fresh Parsley taste like?
I think most people who enjoy parsley would agree that it has somewhat of a grassy flavor, but in a good way! I’ve seen the flavor described as “a mild bitter”. But most of all I think it’s a fresh herby flavor that really goes well with many foods.
What Foods go with the flavor of fresh Parsley?
In many parts of the world, parsley is combined with other leafy herbs and eaten as a salad green, and I’ve come to love salads that have a generous amount of parsley. I also like it very much as an ingredient in ground meat dishes and soups or stews. I think parsley works especially well with tomatoes, cucumbers, dried beans, beef, chicken, lemon, garlic, mushrooms, peppers, and squash, but it’s good with many other flavors.
Parsley Recipes from Kalyn’s Kitchen and my food blogging friends:
This favorite Tuna White Bean Salad is a classic recipe that I made lower in carbs by using more tuna, adding celery, and using fewer beans!
Cheesy Zucchini with Garlic and Parsley is a delicious and quick way to cook zucchini and this is a perfect recipe for parsley fans!
Before I even had a blog my friend Massoud taught me to make this Middle Eastern Tomato Salad, and that may have been the beginning of my appreciation for parsley!
I think parsley and Feta is such a brilliant combination and I love it in this Cucumber Salad with Parsley and Feta!
Tuna Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Parsley, and Mint is a delicious summer salad that’s kind of a variation of my favorite Middle Eastern Tomato Salad, with the addition of tuna.
Tabbouleh Salad with Almonds uses almonds, parsley, and mint and much less bulgur wheat to make a more carb-conscious version of Tabbouleh Salad!
Grilled Sausage and Summer Squash with Lemon and Herbs is an absolutely WOW summer dish that’s a perfect recipe to use some parsley!
This Balela Salad (Middle Eastern Bean Salad) is a bit of a splurge on carbs, but I love this combination of flavors so much!
Grilled Middle Eastern Turkey Burgers are a recipe where the sum is so much greater than the parts, and if you think ground turkey can’t possibly be that exciting you have to try this recipe!
For years I’ve been a huge fan of Fattoush Lebanese Salad and this is something I make every summer when I have fresh mint and parsley in the herb garden. And of course I use low-carb pita chips for this favorite salad!
Spicy Grilled Eggplant is my brother Rand’s favorite eggplant recipe, and I like this with lots of parsley!
The fresh mint and parsley give this Lebanese Lentil Salad that middle-eastern salad flavor I love so much!
Parsley with Beans and Grains:
Parsley with Vegetables:
Parsley with Meat, Poultry, or Fish:
Parsley in Salads:
Parsley in Sauces and Dressings:
Parsley in Soup:
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