The chef's gardener

Thyme recipes

Fresh thyme is very easy to store and one of my most popular herbs.

Below are example thyme recipes & more info further down the page.

I will be adding more recipes over time. For the latest recipes visit my Instagram page

The 3 key types for thyme recipes

There are over 100 different varieties of Thyme, but the 3 we use most often are:

  1. French Thyme – Ideal for stews, soups, meat and fish dishes.
  2. Lemon Thyme – Ideal for chicken and fish dishes.
  3. Orange Thyme – Ideal for duck, dessert & carrot recipes.

In addition there are types like Caraway (a mild aniseed flavour with a subtle liquorice hint), Oregano scented thyme, etc. etc.

french thyme

How to use thyme in cooking

It is very easy to use in thyme recipes – whether you use fresh or dried thyme.

All you do is:

  1. Wash the thyme before using
  2. Then either use the whole sprig or simply remove leaves and bin the stalk.
  3. If you want to strip the leaves, hold a stalk at the top and run your thumb and forefinger along the stalk from top to bottom.
  • Chop them into small bits when used in sauces or meal recipes.

Fresh or dried thyme?

Like many herbs Thyme has great health benefits.

For example the healthline website mentions 12 key benefits – such as s fighting acne, regulating mucus, fighting infections, and more.

However it is very important to realise that many benefits (& flavour) are reduced during the drying process, which is why growing fresh thyme is such a good idea.

Yes, dried thyme is easy but in addition the fresh type adds lovely extra flavour to meals. And for longer term usage it is very easy to store frozen. (How to store fresh thyme)

frozen fresh thyme

Very easy to grow at home

It’s not very difficult to grow the different types of thyme at home – even indoors (in your kitchen, spare bedroom, garage, etc.

Thyme will grow very fast and you will be able to use it in your recipes on a regular basis.

More information

Where to buy thyme