Basil is a leafy herb with a sweet, slightly peppery flavor that's used fresh or dried in cooking around the world. If you've eaten pizza with a green leaf on top or tasted pesto sauce, you've probably tasted basil. The leaves are bright green, soft, and aromatic: when you crush them between your fingers, they release a strong, pleasant smell.

Basil grows easily in gardens and pots, making it one of the most popular herbs for home cooks. It's a key ingredient in Italian cooking (especially paired with tomatoes and mozzarella) and in Thai and Vietnamese cuisines, where cooks use different varieties with stronger, more licorice-like flavors.

The plant is part of the mint family, which explains why basil leaves have that fresh, distinctive taste. Unlike dried herbs that can sit in your spice cabinet for months, fresh basil tastes best when used quickly. The leaves turn brown and lose flavor if stored too long. Many cooks keep a basil plant on their windowsill so they can snip off fresh leaves whenever a recipe calls for them.