Basil may be the darling of herb gardens everywhere, but there’s a world of flavor waiting beyond its green leaves. Whether you’re craving something citrusy, earthy, or uniquely aromatic, underrated herbs can take your cooking—and your gardening—to the next level.
These lesser-known options are easy to grow and full of fresh, exciting flavor. Give your herb garden a refresh with these hidden gems you’ll wish you’d discovered sooner.
Lovage
Lovage has a bold, celery-like flavor with hints of parsley and anise. It’s excellent in soups, stews, and potato dishes, and you can use the stalks like celery. This perennial is easy to grow and can get impressively tall.
Salad Burnet
With a light, cucumber-like taste, salad burnet adds freshness to salads, dressings, and herb butter. It’s one of the first herbs to sprout in spring and thrives in partial shade. Bonus: it looks pretty with its lacy, serrated leaves.
Chervil
Sometimes called “French parsley,” chervil has a mild anise flavor that pairs beautifully with eggs and seafood. It prefers cooler weather and dappled sun, making it perfect for early spring or fall gardens. Use it fresh to retain its delicate taste.
Vietnamese Coriander
This spicy-sour herb is a fantastic basil alternative for Southeast Asian dishes. Unlike traditional cilantro, it’s more heat-tolerant and easier to grow in warm climates. Use it in soups, salads, and noodle bowls.
Epazote
A staple in Mexican cuisine, epazote has a bold, pungent flavor and is traditionally used to flavor beans. It also helps reduce the gas beans can cause. Grow it in full sun, but be aware—it can spread if left unchecked.
Anise Hyssop
This licorice-scented herb is part of the mint family and beloved by pollinators. The leaves can be steeped for tea or added to salads and baked goods. It’s beautiful, tasty, and drought-tolerant.
Fenugreek
Fenugreek leaves offer a slightly bitter, nutty flavor that enhances curries and flatbreads. It’s commonly used in Indian cooking and is easy to grow from seed. Both the seeds and leaves are edible.
Sorrel
With a lemony tang, sorrel perks up soups, sauces, and salads. This perennial herb grows quickly and thrives in cooler weather. Harvest young leaves for the best flavor.
Lemon Balm
Milder than lemon verbena, lemon balm brings a gentle citrus note to teas, desserts, and savory dishes. It grows like mint and can be invasive if not contained. The calming aroma makes it great for stress-relief teas.
Perilla (Shiso)
Popular in Japanese and Korean cuisine, perilla has a complex flavor—part mint, part basil, with hints of cinnamon and anise. Use it to wrap rice, chop into salads, or garnish noodles. It grows easily in sun or partial shade.
Basil will always have its place, but these underrated herbs deserve a spot in your kitchen and garden too. Whether you're looking to expand your culinary palette or grow something unexpected, these flavorful picks are sure to impress.
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