Can you cook basil too long?

If you are fond of cooking Mediterranean or Thai food, then you may already know a few things about basil. It is a highly aromatic herb that belongs to the mint family and that is readily available in most grocery stores. Basil is familiar to many, and versatile in that it pairs well with most other common culinary herbs as well as a large number of savory ingredients. While this versatility makes it relatively easy to use, it is still possible to make mistakes. Follow the tips below for the best results when cooking with basil.

Do choose the right basil. The most familiar type of basil for westerners is commonly known as sweet basil. While sweet basil does have a lot in common with other types of basil, it is not exactly the same as Thai basil and others of the 100 or so members of the basil family. Its similarity to them means that it can be used as a decent or in-a-pinch alternative, but may not be ideal. ‘

Use sweet basil primarily for European dishes, particularly those from the Mediterranean region. If you are making Thai dishes, you will naturally want to opt for Thai basil if you can find it. Indian dishes may benefit from the use of holy basil.

Do add basil at the right time. Basil is well known for its strong aroma; however, that aroma can disappear relatively quickly as the herb is cooked. Basil does not stand up to long cooking times very well when compared to other herbs like oregano or thyme. To prevent loss of flavor, you will want to add basil later in the cooking process than you would most other herbs. Some experts recommend adding fresh basil as late as the last 60 seconds of cooking.

Do store basil correctly. Basil is versatile in that you can store it in multiple ways without too much lost flavor when you want to use it. Fresh basil leaves can be chopped and frozen in ice cube trays filled with water. When you need to give one of your dishes the flavor of basil, simply pop one of the cubes into it.

If you only need it to last a few days, fresh basil can be stored upright in a container of water in the refrigerator like a bouquet of flowers. This herb is also usable when dried. Dried basil should be stored away from light and in an airtight container to maximize its lifespan.

Don’ts

Don’t use wilted basil. Wilted basil is not the same thing as basil that has been properly dried. Wilted basil will not be a visually appealing addition to your dish, nor will be it as flavorful as the herb should be.

Don’t cut your basil with a knife if you can help it. Instead, it is often better to tear the leaves. A knife’s edge will blacken your basil, which will make it less attractive in raw preparations. Some people also believe that cut basil is less flavorful than torn basil.

Don’t use basil outside of the summer. As with the knife tip above, you may have a hard time following this tip all the time; however, note that basil is a summer herb. This means that while you may be able to get it year-round in a well-stocked grocery store, you will usually not get the best quality basil except during the warmest months. Basil sold in the non-summer seasons is also likely to be expensive.

Basil is a versatile herb when used in moderation. It can brighten up a large number of savory dishes, especially those that include tomatoes. As with most herbs, its qualities can quickly become drawbacks when it is used in excess. Too much basil can make your food bitter and unpalatable. If you have gone overboard with this herb, there are solutions.

Table of Contents

• Make some more
• Physically remove the basil
• Add a fresh bell pepper
• Add cayenne
• Add cheese
• Add more garlic
• Cook it for longer
• Must-read related posts

Make some more

The easiest way to tackle the problem is to make more of the dish without any basil in it. If you are making a tomato-based pasta sauce, simply throw together some more of the non-basil ingredients and add them to your present dish. This solution will double the amount of food that you are making, but should also dilute the basil flavor to tolerable levels. Even if you wind up with extra food, it should keep you from having to throw out your original dish.

If you have gone far overboard and do not have enough ingredients to make a whole new dish, you may still be able to correct your mistake. You can throw out some of what you have made and add the non-basil ingredients to what is left. This allows you to dilute it without spending a fortune on the dish.

Physically remove the basil

If the herb still sitting on the surface because you have not stirred it in yet, you might still be able to save the dish. Simply use a spoon or ladle to skim what you can off the surface.

Note that this method is effective only if you catch your mistake soon after adding the basil. If you hesitate, all of the essential oils in the basil will be released into your dish, and removing it will make no difference.

Add a fresh bell pepper

Slice fresh bell pepper and add it to the sauce. The flavor of the pepper can offset excess basil. Note that this method will be effective in cases where you used a little bit too much basil. If you added far more than the recommended amount, a bell pepper may not be enough.

Add cayenne

A dash or two of cayenne pepper powder may distract from too much basil in your dish. Note that people differ when it comes to tolerance to spicy foods, so you should proceed with caution when implementing this solution. Start with a little cayenne and increase to taste.

Add cheese

Parmesan cheese is an appropriate addition to many dishes that require basil and can be an effective way to counteract too much of that herb. Other cheeses can work as well. Depending on the dish, pecorino Romano or even mozzarella can be just as effective.

Add more garlic

Sometimes when you are dealing with a strong flavor, what you need is another strong flavor to cancel it out. Garlic has a way of balancing pungent herbal notes. It can also counter the bitter notes that excess basil can bring.

Cook it for longer

Fresh basil can handle moderate cooking times, but it will still fade if you cook it for long enough. If your dish can handle a few extra hours of cooking time, you may be able to cook out the extra basil flavor. This is more likely to work if you used fresh basil rather than the dried herb. The dried herb is more concentrated and therefore may continue to release its flavor for a long time.

• Dried Basil Vs. Fresh: How do they compare? Does drying impact the flavor?
• Cooking With Basil: Learn the dos and don’ts of using this herb in your day-to-day cooking.
• How To Store Basil For The Freshest Flavor: These storage methods will help extend your herb’s shelf life.