Whether you’ve got a big backyard garden or a small balcony container garden these Versatile Vegetables & Herbs are must grow and used in every cuisine.
Even if you don’t have a backyard to start a full-fledged garden, you can start a small “urban garden” by growing vegetables and herbs on your patio or balcony with a few simple supplies. A few pots, some potting soil, plant seedlings or seeds are really all you need.
Just imagine how good it would be if you’ll be able to harvest homegrown juicy tomatoes and fresh basil leaves instead of buying tasteless tomatoes and shriveled basil from your local grocery store.
All these versatile herbs and vegetables in this list are most commonly used in almost all the cuisines. You can grow them and utilize them fresh in your breakfast, lunch or dinner recipes.
Herbs
1. Basil
A sweet must be a part of your herb garden. As nothing is better than fresh basil sprinkled on a homemade marinara sauce, homemade pizza or Caprese salad. You can also add it to soups, dips, and curries. Learn how to grow basil here.
2. Rosemary
Any devout carnivore will agree that a sprig of rosemary can turn a great steak into the most amazing and flavorful steak. The flavor is simply out of this world. If you haven’t tried lamb or steak with a rosemary skewer, add it on your to-do list.
3. Cilantro
One of the most powerful herbs, but for anyone who loves homemade salsa (tomato or mango) or enjoys authentic Mexican & Indian food, cilantro is a must grow. No Indian curry can be complete without it, and you can also garnish your salad with it or make a chutney.
4. Oregano
No self-sufficient Italian cook can survive without a readily available source of fresh oregano. A must have for anyone who regularly makes their own homemade pasta sauces. But you should know there are different species of oregano (e.g., Mexican, Greek, Italian) so make your selection based on the type of foods you cook most often.
5. Chives
For that perfect blend of raw onion like taste without the crunch, chives add a level of subtle flavor that most people can’t quite figure out. Goes great with garlic mashed potatoes. Also, is one of the easiest to grow herb, which grows well in small pots.
6. Parsley
You can grow either Italian or Flat-leaf parsley or Curl-leaf parsley or both according to your food choice. The flat-leaf parsley has a more strong flavor and mostly used in Italian cooking, in Pasta and Pesto recipes. Whereas, curl-leaf is mild and less flavorful and used for garnishing and salad dressing. Here’s more about growing parsley.
7. Mint
You can even grow mint indoors on a windowsill. This aromatic herb needs a few hours of direct sunlight and slightly moist soil all the time. Mint taste awesome when used for yogurt dressing and on cucumber salad. Mint pestos, chutneys, and dips are already famous. It’s also used in smoothies, juices, and many Asian recipes.
8. Mesclun
The mixture of assorted salad greens is called Mesclun. Grow them together in a wide container or bowl; a window box would be fine. For this, purchase mesclun seed mix or make your own by adding seeds of your choice like lettuce, mustard, arugula, mizuna, cress, or spinach, the list is long.
It’s extremely easy to use a pair of scissors to snip off a bowl of mesclun, give it a rinse, and in 5 minutes or less, you’ve got a healthy dinner ready to go after you add some goat cheese and walnuts. If you clip off the top 2/3 of the plant, it regrows within a few weeks, so it basically does all the work for you after you plant the seeds.
Also Read: How to Create a Salad Bowl Garden
9. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers (green, yellow, or red) are a popular ingredient in many recipes. In salads, noodles, pasta, pizza, soups, curries you can’t miss their role, and if you start counting the recipes that require them, on the web, your research will not complete soon. We must agree they’re a must grow vegetable on your balcony and growing them is not difficult.
10. Tomatoes
Tomatoes, how could we miss them. The most favorite vegetable (or fruit) of many and most used as well. Homegrown tomatoes taste so good that much that you can’t explain unless you experience. They’re one of the productive container vegetables but needs some care, regular dose of fertilizer and water. All the essential tips on growing tomatoes in containers are here.
11. Scallions/Spring Onions/Green Onions
One more in this list of most versatile vegetables and herbs! Depending on where you live, these great little onions can have multiple names. They are a cinch to grow if you’ll follow this article. Use them in various dishes like omelets and scrambled eggs. Add the chopped leaves to salads, pasta, noodles, naans, etc.
12. Hot Peppers
If you love spicy food and want to add some zing in your food. Don’t miss the chili plants. The hotness and size of the hot pepper fruits depend on the varieties you’re growing. You can enjoy the chilies in many recipes. Learn how to grow it here.
