Leftover Herbs? Throw Them In Some Pasta Dough

Cooking with fresh herbs is a great experience. Everything is more fragrant and you can really get into the recipe you are making, knowing that you have taken the time to cook it all from scratch. The downside is that the lifespan of fresh herbs isn't that long. At most, your herbs will last about three weeks, if stored properly. To extend the lifespan of fresh herbs, remove any elastic bands or ties around the herbs, rinse them, gently pat them dry with a paper towel, and store them in a plastic bag or container with a damp paper towel to help maintain moisture. Then pop them in the fridge! You can also put them in some water, wrap them in plastic wrap, and then place them in the refrigerator, but make sure that you change the water often.

If your herbs are at the end of their life, you can use them in creative ways so that they don't go to waste, such as drying them out, making herb butter, or tossing them in some soup. You could also add them to some pasta dough to really spice things up.

Fresh herb pasta may sound intimidating, but it's actually quite simple to make. All you have to do is take your herbs out of the fridge, mince them, and add them to the egg mixture part of your pasta dough. Of course, you can skip that step and just toss all of your ingredients together if you are using a food processor. This little tip is just one way to spice up your homemade pasta dough or to experiment with different flavors if you have never made pasta dough at home, before.

The herbs you use will all depend on the type of flavor you are trying to accomplish. Some of the best fresh herbs to use in pasta dough are basil, chives, thyme, oregano, and parsley because they cook well and don't lose too much of their flavor in the cooking process. They all complement one another well, so they can be mixed and matched for lighter and more intense flavors. 

One of the best reasons to use fresh herbs in your homemade pasta dough is to avoid food waste, but also because it's simple to do. If you are already making the dough, all you have to do is add the herbs, and voila! You have a new recipe. Another reason to use fresh herbs in pasta dough is that you can also use herbs in various homemade sauces, so you can mix and match flavors and create new twists on weeknight favorites. 

If you have a favorite tomato sauce that has a heavy garlic flavor, you can pair it with pasta that has been infused with parsley, as the two flavors complement each other well. Like a sweeter sauce? Basil and cilantro pasta is a great addition to sweet tomato sauces. Even a green sauce, like pesto, is a great addition to an herb-infused pasta dough because pesto is made with fresh herbs and the two together intensify the flavors.

With so many different options, we bet you'll be experimenting with different combos to see which is your favorite.