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    Home » Recipes » Techniques

    Published: April 24, 2021 | Last Modified: April 24, 2021 by Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju | This post may contain affiliate links. 💬 - No Comments

    Basil Chiffonade (How to Chiffonade Basil and other Herbs)

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    Easy basil chiffonade technique to cut your basil (and other leafy green vegetables and herbs) into delicious thin strips for maximum flavor!
    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    I love basil, and use it in all kinds of ways during the summer, when it's in season. My basil transplants are thriving indoors, and one of the most common ways to use basil is to chiffonade it. While that sounds complex, it's super simple! Let's get into it. Oh, and if you haven't already, check out my pesto, basil aioli, basil cream sauce, and spinach tortellini salad with pesto vinaigrette!

    Close up image of basil chiffonaded on a plate

    This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you're in a rush, please use the "Jump to Recipe" link!

    This post might contain affiliate links. If you click on those and make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to:
    • 💭 What's a chiffonade? Why use it?
    • 📖 How do you chiffonade basil?
    • 👩🏽‍🍳Top tips and FAQs
    • 🍴 Serving and storage suggestions
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    💭 What's a chiffonade? Why use it?

    Chiffonade (pronounced shee-foh-naad) is a technique by which flat, leafy herbs and vegetables are cut so you can get curled strips that look great as garnish.

    Not only do they look great, slicing herbs and greens this way helps tenderize them (since it breaks down tough fibers) - as a result, it helps to cook them quicker and more evenly. It works especially great for basil and other herbs due to two key reasons:

    1. Chopping up basil indeterminately can bruise the leaves, especially when you intend to use basil for a garnish. But if you did chop them up, you can always dry the basil and store for use later! . Chiffonade lets you treat the leaves gently and keep the color and integrity intact for garnishes!
    2. They're the perfect size for carrying maximum flavor. Some dishes might call for a fine chop when you're mixing the basil or other herbs into the dish, but usually for most dishes (like soups, garnishes, stews, grain dishes, and salads) I like using a chiffonade since they carry the perfect balance of flavor!

    📖 How do you chiffonade basil?

    To chiffonade basil (or other leafy herbs and vegetables!) I use a simple formula: stack, roll, slice.

    • Stack up the leaves, with the largest ones at the bottom and the smallest one on the top and roughly align the stems and tips.
    • Roll the stacked leaves, into a tight cylinder, typically along their longest edge (so if you placed them horizontally in front of you like I did, you'll roll them bottom to up) Doing it this way yields longer strips, while rolling side-to-side yields shorter, skinnier strips.
    • Slice the rolled leaves, from right to left (or left to right!) into thin curls using a sharp knife! Using a dull knife will bruise the basil, so watch out.
    Six step collage showing how to stack, roll, and then slice basil leaves into a chiffonade cut

    The curls will slowly unfurl after a while, leaving you with the most delicious basil chiffonade!

    👩🏽‍🍳Top tips and FAQs

    Can I chiffonade other herbs instead of basil?

    Yes! You can basically use this technique on any leafy green herb or vegetable. Basil and mint are most common because they are large and flat. Smaller herbs are tougher to roll. In addition to basil, I've used this on lettuce, mint, spinach, French sorrel, etc.

    What are chiffonade herbs used for?

    In the case of basil, I love using them to garnish soups and stews, and also use Thai basil chiffonade in fried rice recipes. But you can literally use them anywhere you need chopped herbs (except where you need a fine chop). I use them on my avocado toasts, in my spring pasta dishes, in my Thai curried butternut squash soup, or even in my mango avocado salad. The possibilities are endless.

    What's the difference between a Julienne cut and chiffonade?

    Glad you asked! Julienning means to cut vegetables into slim sticks, like matchsticks. This is used with solid vegetables like carrots, beets or squash (though I guess most vegetables are solid, okay). On the other hand, chiffonade means to cut into thin strips, so similar to a Julienne, but typically just for leafy things.

    🍴 Serving and storage suggestions

    Chiffonaded basil turns brown quite quickly, so I don't recommend storing them. It only takes 5 minutes to get them ready, so just make them right as you need them, in order to preserve maximum flavor.

    If you like this recipe, check out my other fun basil recipes:

    • Close up image of the basil cream sauce
      Basil Cream Sauce
    • Close up of jar of basil aioli on a blue plate with a microplane / lemon zest resting on a blue plate
      Basil Aioli
    • Close up of basil pesto in a bowl
      Basil Pesto (and variations!)
    • Plate with caprese salad in the center
      Homemade Caprese Salad (Heirloom & Cherry Tomatoes)

    Did you make this recipe?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Please leave a comment and a star rating and let me know how it went! We love hearing from you, thank you so much

    📖 Recipe

    Close up image of basil chiffonaded on a plate
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Basil Chiffonade

    Easy basil chiffonade technique to cut your basil (and other leafy green vegetables and herbs) into delicious thin strips for maximum flavor!
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Total Time5 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: French
    Diet: Vegan
    Servings: 1 serving
    Calories: 1kcal
    Author: Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju

    Ingredients

    • 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
    • 1 bunch other leafy green vegetables, optional

    Instructions

    • Wash the basil leaves thoroughly and lay them out on a soft towel.
    • On a cutting board, stack the leaves with the largest one at the bottom, and the smallest one at the top - all the stem sides and the tip sides should be aligned. I typically do about 5 to 6 leaves at once.
    • Then, roll the basil leaves into a tight cylinder. I typically do this along the longest side (so from bottom to top) so you'll get longer slices. You can also roll side to side.
    • Using a sharp knife (typically the section closest to your handle) - slice them from right to left (or left to right) into tight curls. Loosen up the curls and your chiffonade is ready!

    Notes

    • This recipe also works with other green leafy vegetables and herbs - most commonly, mint, French sorrel, spinach, and arugula. 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 127IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tag @urbanfarmie or #urbanfarmie to let me know – I would LOVE to see your creations!
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    Shruthi Baskaran - Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, and Blogger at Urban Farmie

    I am Shruthi, the recipe developer, photographer and blogger behind Urban Farmie. I have two graduate degrees from Stanford, one focused on food systems. And I hope to bring you everything you need for healthy-ish, comforting, nourishing vegetarian cooking.

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    Recipe Key

    Dairy free
    Gluten free
    Nut free
    Vegan
    Vegetarian

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    Shruthi Baskaran - Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, and Blogger at Urban Farmie

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    Gluten free
    Nut free
    Vegan
    Vegetarian

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