Best Knives for Cutting Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs add vibrant flavor to dishes and are easy to prepare with the right knives. When choosing the best knives for cutting fresh herbs, sharpness and edge design are important qualities.

Qualities of a Good Herb Knife

Using a sharp, straight-edge knife to cut herbs is the first key to success. Serrated- or Double-D®-edge knives are not recommended. The sharp edge of a straight-edge knife can cut cleanly through the delicate leaves of fresh herbs without crushing and tearing them. A clean cut preserves the aroma and flavor of herbs and prevents them from oxidizing, which leads to browning.

A knife with a rounded belly is also helpful in mincing herbs because it allows for a rocking motion. After chopping them, draw the cut herbs into a pile and rock the knife over them to mince, placing your non-cutting hand flat on top of the blade to assist in the motion.

Best Knives for Cutting Fresh Herbs

When choosing the best knives for cutting fresh herbs, here are three good choices.

7-5/8″ Petite Chef

This is probably the most popular knife for cutting fresh herbs. The 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife has all those great qualities needed to easily cut everything from basil to parsley. It is sharp and has a rounded belly for quick rock-chopping.

If you prefer a longer blade for your prep work, the 9-1/4″ French Chef is also a great knife for cutting herbs.

5″ Petite Santoku

When you have just a few fresh herbs to cut, the 5″ Petite Santoku with its shorter blade is a good choice. It also has a sharp, easy-to-maneuver blade that won’t bruise or crush fresh herbs.

The 7″ Santoku, which is a bit longer than its petite counterpart, is also a good herb knife.

Super Shears

Okay, not really a knife, but kitchen shears are great for cutting fresh herbs, however, if using them, note that the sharpness rule still applies. Cutco’s Super Shears are sharp and can be used to snip fresh herbs directly into a bowl or pan.

A bonus with the Super Shears is that they come apart for easy cleaning.

Cooking With Fresh Herbs

A quick note about cooking with fresh herbs. It’s best not to use them when roasting food, because the heat will mute their flavor. Instead, use dried herbs to season foods you’ll be roasting and then sprinkle fresh herbs over the top before serving to add a flavor boost.

When choosing fresh herbs at the market, look for those with a bright color with no blemishes, and check for aroma, it should be fragrant and fresh-smelling.

Now it’s time to grab some herbs, a great recipe and some sharp knives to create a fresh, flavorful dish.