1. Make Dip

It’s not a party without dip, but if you’re sick of the same old ranch, try using dill to make a new and unique treat your guests will love. One of my favorite uses for dill is to blend it with cream cheese and a touch of horseradish and spread it on crackers. It also tastes great with sour cream used as a dip or garnish for grilled trout.

2. Jazz up Your Salad

If you’ve never tossed fresh herbs into your salad, you’re seriously missing out. Dill blends really well with greens, including romaine, radicchio, endive and Bibb lettuce and gives your usual salad an extra dose of flavor that can’t be beat. Simply toss a handful of fresh dill into your salad and you’ll see exactly what I mean.

3. Season Fish

Maybe you’ve never cooked with dill – I know it doesn’t appear in a huge amount of recipes. Its mild flavor works really well with white fish, such as tilapia or halibut. You can mince it and mix into a marinade or simply lay it over fish as it cooks. It won’t change the flavor dramatically, but you’ll notice a subtle flavor change that I think you’ll really like.

4. Freeze It

Did you know you can freeze dill? You can! That way you can have the fresh flavor anytime you want. Simply wash and pat the dill dry then lay it out flat on a cookie sheet. Once it’s frozen, transfer the dill to a large freezer safe zip top bag. You can reach for it anytime you need it without having to worry that it’ll go bad in the refrigerator.

5. Grow It

If you always rely on the grocery store produce aisle for your dill, it’s time to rethink things. Dill is super easy to grow and you can often cultivate it on your windowsill. Simply snip what you need and it’ll keep regenerating. Once you experience the delicious flavor of dill, you’re going to want access to it all the time, so growing your own totally pays off.

6. Dry It

If you want to have some dried dill on hand, it’s simple to prepare. Just tie a bundle at the bottom and hang it upside down in a warm dry area. Once it’s dry, you can crumble it and keep it in airtight jars in your pantry. It’s a great way to add flavor to a quick dip, spread or marinade when you want something exciting to serve at mealtime.

7. Jazz up Your Water

This is a really fun and easy thing to do with dill. Just fill an ice cube tray with water, add a pinch of minced dill to each container and freeze. Add the ice cubes to a pitcher of water next time you host a brunch or luncheon. You can also jazz up your water bottle with a hit of dill anytime you want to. Not only does this add flavor, but it makes your water look pretty too.

What’s your favorite way to use dill? Are any of these ideas new to you? Let me know if you have any more fabulous ideas.