Should You Throw Away Parsley and Dill Stems?

The difference between leaves and stems is texture, not flavor. The volatile compounds that give parsley its flavor are also present in the stem, and are often more concentrated there; the stem carries these compounds through the plant. The leaves are thinner and cook faster. Throwing away the stems means discarding some of the herb’s flavor; the only issue is that the stems are a little tougher. That is why some recipes use the entire bunch, leaves and stems together. Stem color is also a sign of freshness: firm, bright stems indicate a freshly picked herb.

The solution is to chop the stems finely. Finely chopped parsley stems disappear into cooked dishes and work well in soups, lentil dishes, meatball mixtures, stuffed vegetables, and vegetable dishes. The finer the chop, the less noticeable the stems will be. Use more care when serving them raw: large stem pieces in a salad can be unpleasantly chewy, so finely chop salad stems. Gather the stems into a tight bunch before chopping so they stay together under the knife and can be chopped finely.

Timing is the second detail. Stems take longer to soften than leaves, so add them to the pot at the beginning of cooking, along with the onion. Add the leaves near the end, because a long cook makes them lose both color and aroma. This way, the 2 parts of the same bunch are used at 2 different times, giving the dish 2 layers of flavor. The same distinction does not apply to dried herbs; they are sold as leaves and are added at the beginning.

Not all herb stems are the same. Dill’s thin branches are tender and can be used as they are; remove only the thick, fibrous base of the bunch. Mint stems are tougher and woodier; the thin parts can be used, while the thicker parts can go into tea. Do not chop thyme or rosemary stems; add them to the pot as whole sprigs and remove them when the dish is done. Tying thyme and rosemary sprigs with kitchen twine makes them easier to remove from the pot.

Stems you will not use right away do not have to go in the trash. Wash and dry them, collect them in a freezer bag, and add them to the pot when making meat stock, vegetable stock, or soup; strain them out after cooking. When buying herbs, choose bunches with plenty of firm, lively stems because yellowed stems show that the bunch has been sitting for a while. Add onion and carrot peels to the freezer bag to build up vegetable stock ingredients over time. Close the bag tightly after each addition so freezer air does not dry out the scraps.