Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories
updated Jun 5, 2019
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Herbs are confusing. Or maybe it’s the recipes that are confusing. If a recipe calls for a quarter cup of minced parsley, how much of the bunch will you need to pull from the fridge? How tightly should you pack the measuring cup? Let’s discuss.
First, “1/4 cup minced parsley” vs. “1/4 cup parsley, minced.” In a perfect world, an instruction for “minced parsley” would have you mince first and then measure, while “parsley, minced” would have you measure and then mince. But this is a distinction that sometimes gets lost.
Never fear! Whether you measure minced or whole, the amount actually comes out to be about the same. (Try it both ways and you’ll see!) Go with whichever method feels easiest and most logical to you.
However you’re measuring, you want to fill the measuring cup to the brim. Tap the cup against the counter to make sure the herbs have settled, but it’s not necessary to pack them down.
At the end of the day, herbs give you a lot of leeway. If you use a little more or a little less than the recipe recommends, it’s not likely to make a big difference in the recipe.
What tips do you have for working with fresh herbs?
It’s Reader Request Week at The Kitchn! This post was requested by karaakins.
(Image: Faith Durand)
