Growing your own herbs and vegetables means you always have an endless repertoire of new tastes and flavours to thrill your taste buds. This all purpose vegetable seasoning recipe is a case in point. What’s more, this recipe is packed with health boosting anti-oxidants.
I started experimenting with all-purpose blends when I got tired of having to make a new blend for my dear wife every time she tried a new recipe to which she wanted to add a seasoning blend. We eat lots of mixed cooked and steamed vegetables and since the harvest from the food garden is constantly changing, this is one of the first recipes I came up with.
Like the vegetable harvest from the food garden, the recipe lends itself to endless variations:
- Any other basil instead of the sweet basil – Thai basil is especially nice.
- Garlic, garlic chives or spring onion instead of chives.
- Thyme instead of lemon thyme
- Pineapple sage instead of sage
- Summer savory instead of winter savory
- Any mint instead of spearmint.
- Dried spices (not included in the original recipe) such as peppercorns, mustard seed, paprika and cayenne.
You don’t need to have all the herbs on hand to make the blend. Any three or more will do. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand substitute with dried herbs. Use one third of the fresh quantity. Blending fresh and dried herbs and leaving out some makes for endless variations.
There’s never a dull moment in a family herbalist’s garden.
Suggested Uses for Your Vegetable Seasoning Blend:
- If you have a steamer, make a mixed bed with the herb sprigs. Then put the vegetables on top and steam.
- Chop the herbs fine, mix, and sprinkle over cooked or steamed vegetables 10 minutes before serving.
- Season casseroles and goulash dishes.
- Make a dried herb blend. Dry herbs, mix together and store in airtight glass containers. We usually do this in autumn after we’ve harvested and dried the summer herb harvest.
Need more inspiration?
For more inspiration to make your own seasoning blends see:
The Classic Bouquet Garni Recipe With A Modern Twist
How To Create Your Own Gourmet Herb and Spice Blends
Cooking With Herbs and Spices – Mini Masterclass
All Purpose Vegetable Seasoning With Fresh or Dried Herbs
Ingredients
- 3 parts sweet basil
- 3 parts chives
- 3 parts marjoram
- 2 parts lemon thyme
- 2 parts oregano1 part sage
- 1 part winter savory
- 1 part spearmint
- 1 part lemon zest
Instructions
- Use any convenient measure for your 'parts'. I usually use a tablespoon when making the blend with fresh herbs, and a teaspoon when using dried herbs.
- Wash and dry the fresh herbs. Bruise them slightly to release their flavours.
- Mix all the fresh herbs in a small mixing bowl and use as per the suggested uses.
- Dried herbs can be mixed in larger quantities and stored in a sealed airtight container in a cool dark place for future use.
Rate This Recipe
Five stars are the highest and one star is the lowest. Everyone has their own thoughts on what each star represents, but for our purposes they’ll represent the following:
5 Stars = Best Ever!
4 Stars = Loved it!
3 Stars = Liked it
2 Stars = Not Bad
1 Star = Barely edible
I will try it!
My new go-to… we will be best of friends.
I like that this recipe is as a baseline and you can vary it!
Interesting recipes!
I think I would really enjoy this.
Sounds Fabulous!
Quite interesting combination will definitely try it
I love this
Looking forward to pulling this spice blend together.
All the good stuff
Sounds delicious – I am definitely going to try this!
I think that that combo would make it very flavorful, you have your sweet with your bitter and a little bit of Italian undertones to level it out!
Worth trying.
Tasty and healthy meal
Good combinations
Interesting combinations. I think it will definitely be at least a ☆☆☆.
Having some friends over this coming weekend for a potjie. Some of these will end up in there for sure.
Cant wait to try it
Awesome ideas. I’m pretty savvy with the ol herbs myself..
Will try.
Really enjoying this part of the course but I am the gardener not the cook:)!
This is red on my priority list!
Can’t rate it until I try it.
Will expand my herb store this week and try.
Sounds very tasty
Have been very boring with herbs in vegies so far.
I have all the hrbs on hand
Don’t have all the herb n we are Vegetarian, would love to try them on veggies
I don’t have few herbs, but must be good
Winter/Summer savoury are herbs I have not used. This is a new one for me.
The combination of herbs sounds super and will be giving it a try. The mint maybe not. Sweet basil and lemon zest I would sprinkle on once dished.
I would add a hint of salt, pepper and maybe ground heated mustard seeds. But just a hint.
Used it on lamb, incredible
Looks good, just not so sure about the marjoram and the spearmint. Will have to try it myself
I don’t have all the herbs in the recipe, but it looks great!
I am definitely going to try this out.
worth trying as some of the herbs i am using already
i rate it 4
Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to try!
Sounds good. Will definitely try it soon.
I dont like the munt i the recipe. That i will leave out
Worth trying out the combination
I’ll try it !
This definitely sounds good, will definitely try this. Not much I don’t like when it comes to fruits and veggies and that includes herbs.
Sounds interesting – I will give it a go.
Sounds good. Must try it soon.
love the herbs and spices in the mix will have to try it
Will definitely try!
i wll have to try this one
will definitely try them
amazing
I don’t have all the herbs suggested, but it still smells very nice!
Will definitely try it.
Tempting and worth trying. Like it being “all purpose”.
Love the smell of all these herbs. Can just imagine what they taste like together. going to try them forsure.
There are a few herbs like marjoram that I am not sure I have ever tried…Hopefully it will taste amazing!
I have most of these in the garden. Will definitely try this.
The combination looks amazing. Will give it whirl this afternoon.