What to Do with Leftover Herbs

What do you do when you've bought cilantro or dill or tarragon for a recipe and now have a half a bunch of herbs languishing in your refrigerator? Don't let them go to waste; instead try some ideas from our food editors.

First off: Pesto. And think beyond basil: Use any combination of tender herbs, such as parsley, mint, and cilantro, and your choice of nuts to make Leftover-Herb Pesto.

Dress up your favorite potato salad by adding herbs. Laura likes this light, flavorful recipe that uses chives, chervil, and tarragon, but use whatever you have.

A mix of herbs or a pinch of one will add bright, green flavors to a grain salad like this quinoa one. Our barley salad is all about the herbs; just be easygoing about which ones you use.

Food editor Greg Lofts' favorite way to use up herbs is to gently warm olive oil in a pan and add the herbs to the oil, then let it cool down before straining. This makes an herb-infused oil for vinaigrettes or to use as a finishing oil.

Use your oil in this Classic Vinaigrette or whisk three to four parts herb-infused oil into one part red- or white-wine vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Sweeten lemonade and tea with an herbal simple syrup -– or just mix the herbal syrup with sparkling water or soda for a refreshing summer drink. Greg recommends using leftover mint, basil, tarragon, or cilantro for this: “Add a handful of herbs in with equal amounts sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool to room temp, strain, and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.”