When you have a large crop of tulsi from the garden or farmstand, you don't have time to casually include it in complicated recipes or to frantically figure out how to use it up before it goes bad without getting sick of it. You want to make the most of your harvest and to actually enjoy it.
Most of the uses below refer to tulsi leaves and flowers, since they are the most commonly used parts of the plant, unless otherwise indicated. However, all above-ground parts of the plant are edible.
Here at Plant to Plate, we like to keep things simple! Here are some of my favorite ways to use or preserve tulsi, also known as holy basil:
- Sauté it with poblanos and ginger.
- Sauté or stirfry it with chicken and blackberries.
- Add the whole plant to soups and broths.
- Add it to sauces. Tulsi works well as a basil substitute in most sauces.
- Simmer it with mangos and toss it with hot grains such as rice, quinoa, sorghum, amaranth, and/or buckwheat.
- Add it to egg dishes such as omelets and quiches, alone or with sage.
- Top a baked, mashed, or steamed potato with it.
- Mix it with strawberries for a tasty side.
- Use it as Decor in an Interesting Salad. (Wondering why I capitalized those letters? Read more about Interesting Salads here!)
- Make a Simple Salad with tulsi, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
- Add it to other salads.
- Use it as a substitute for basil. Holy basil is a great swap for regular basil in most cooked and baked dishes.
- Make herbal vinegar. Tulsi-infused vinegar can be used as a salad dressing or dressing base, among other uses.
- Make herbal oil. Tulsi oil can be used as a dressing for salad and stirfry. It can also be processed further into salves, lotions, and more.
- Make an herbal syrup. Tulsi syrup is a delicious addition to coffee, tea, and oatmeal. Check out our article on how to make an herbal syrup here.
- Make an herbal honey. An herbal honey is a delicious way to preserve the herbal properties of your tulsi, extend its shelf life, and get benefits of honey too.
- Make herbal candy.
- Make an herbal salt.
- Add it to smoothies.
- Make a tea. Tulsi is best suited for an infusion.
- Add it to a tea blend. A few ideas for tea (infusion) blends with tulsi are as follows:
- Hibiscus and Camellia sinensis teas such as green and black tea
- Gingko and rose petals
- Peppermint and rosemary
- Spearmint and sage
- Echinacea petals and thyme
- Make an iced tea, also known as a cold infusion, with tulsi, hibiscus, and lavender.
- Make a tincture. The suggested herb:solvent ratio for a tulsi tincture is 1:2 in 40% alcohol.
- Add it to pickles. Tulsi works especially well in pickled cucumbers and pickled green beans.
- Dry it to preserve it for later use. See our How to Dry Your Herbs articles here for more information.
- Make herbal ice cubes to add to future beverages. Learn how to make herbal ice cubes in our Freezing Overview article here.
- Freeze it directly. You don't have to make tulsi into ice cubes to freeze it. You can also chop it finely and put it in a freezer bag on its own.
Further Reading
Growing tulsi? Check out these quick facts like its best growing conditions, companion plants, and expected yields.
Tulsi is also featured in these articles: