18 Delicious Thyme Recipes
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Earthy and aromatic, thyme adds depth to any dish. It's a tried-and-true pairing with chicken, as well as lemon, and you can get creative with the herb by incorporating it into a savory streusel to top biscuits. Plus, if you haven't hopped on the herby dessert train yet, thyme works well with sweet flavors, too, which is why chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten developed a lemon-thyme sorbet with summer berries. (And we're forever grateful.) Read on for some of our favorite ways to cook with thyme.
Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Thyme
This classic chicken pot pie comes together in just about an hour and uses only one skillet. Come for the patchwork of crispy, golden brown puff pastry, stay for the comforting, classic flavors of the filling. Leeks and thyme lend a cozy, traditional flavor to this dish, while Dijon mustard adds a subtle, unexpected punch.
Herb-Roasted King Salmon with Pinot Noir Sauce
Originally served at Seattle’s Hotel Sorrento by chef David Pisegna, this throwback salmon dish stands the test of time. We simplified the original recipe, but didn’t change a thing about the velvety, wine-blushed beurre blanc; keep it warm and serve it immediately for the best results.
Roasted Carrots
Chef Gaby Maeda's method for making these flavorful, buttery carrots starts with sautéing them in a little olive oil until they're browned in spots. She then tosses them with butter, thyme sprigs, and garlic, and seasons them with salt. Finally, the carrots are briefly roasted in a hot oven, where the high heat creates caramelized edges that add texture to their outsides, while their interior turns soft and creamy. The entire process takes just 20 minutes.
Roast Turkey with Shallot Butter and Thyme Gravy
Shallots and thyme in both the turkey and the gravy provide double the flavor for this simple roasted bird recipe from cookbook author Susan Spungen.
Corn Biscuits with Savory Herb Streusel
2021 F&W Best New Chef Thessa Diadem's streusel-topped corn biscuits star a trio of corn — cornmeal for texture, creamed corn for moisture, and freeze-dried sweet corn for its intense flavor. The savory streusel combines Parmesan, chives, parsley, and thyme with butter, adding extra interest to each bite.
Lemon-Thyme Sorbet with Summer Berries
Endlessly versatile, flavored syrups can be churned with ingredients like pureed fruit, fruit juice, or fresh herbs in an ice cream machine to make sorbet. Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten first developed this breezy lemon-thyme ice for F&W, then started serving it as a special at his Mercer Kitchen in Manhattan. "Lemon-thyme, that's my guy," Vongerichten says. "I would use rosemary, too."
Focaccia with Roasted Squash
Chef Michelle Gayer tops her sensational focaccia with sweet, tender strips of roasted butternut squash scattered with thyme and drizzled with honey.
Potato and Bacon Pierogi with Thyme Butter
These hearty potato-bacon pierogi are balanced with a fragrant thyme butter, which gets spooned over the finished dumplings before they're topped with extra bacon.
Buttery Sautéed Mushrooms with Fresh Herbs
Covering the mushrooms for the first few minutes of cooking helps them release their liquid and brown more quickly. Once uncovered, the liquid evaporates, and the mushrooms begin to brown. The result is a succulent, versatile batch of mushrooms that can be served as a side dish; they could also be spooned over steak or stirred into hot pasta for an easy dinner.
Olive Oil-Thyme Cake with Figs and Black Pepper
© SANG AN
Pastry chef Elizabeth Dahl makes a brilliant olive oil cake that's tender, moist, and delicately flavored with fresh thyme. She tops it with lush figs tossed with sugar, black pepper, and more thyme; as the fruit sits in the sugar, its juices thicken to form an exquisite syrup.
Classic London Broil with Rosemary and Thyme
Red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce effortlessly infuse quick-cooking flank steak with bold flavor. Pile the thinly sliced steak on crusty rolls for sandwiches, or serve with buttery baked potatoes and a salad of crisp lettuce.
Butternut Squash Casserole with Leeks, Prosciutto, and Thyme
This luscious squash-studded bread pudding is the ideal accompaniment to roasted meats and birds, or cut it into large squares and serve as a main course with a green salad on the side.
Honey and Thyme Custards
Top Chef winner Kristen Kish cooks honey to give it a deeper flavor; it's key in her fantastic custard, which she serves in jars topped with fresh fruit.
Creamy Polenta with Burst Cherry Tomato and Red Wine Ragout
Laced with ribbons of hearty greens, chef Julia Sullivan's savory garden tomato ragout pops with bright flavor, the perfect accompaniment to a canvas of creamy thyme-imbued polenta. Garlic and basil punch up this modern classic; it's an easy addition to your weeknight rotation.
Roasted Cornish Game Hens
These Cornish hens are coated in a lemon-garlic-herb puree, stuffed with garlic and lemon wedges, and neatly trussed, then roasted on top of a bed of fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs. The roasted birds are drizzled with butter-fortified pan juices just before serving.
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
Yukon Gold mashed potatoes are elevated by the addition of cauliflower and browned butter infused with thyme, sage, and rosemary. More fresh thyme is used to garnish the finished dish.
Thyme-Roast Lamb with Caramelized Vegetables
In Iceland, arctic thyme is a popular herb for cooking; it's got a fragrant, lavender-like flavor. Regular thyme works just as well in the honey paste that coats the lamb as it roasts.
Lemon Thyme Vinegar
This terrific herbal vinegar couldn't be simpler: It basically makes itself as it stands for two weeks. Use it in salad dressings, sauces, and marinades to impart special flavor, or infuse honey with it and drizzle over grilled fruit and ice cream for dessert.
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