Thyme is a small herb with tiny gray-green leaves and a strong, earthy flavor. Cooks use it fresh or dried to season soups, roasted vegetables, chicken, and countless other dishes. If you've ever eaten stuffing at Thanksgiving, you've probably tasted thyme.

The plant grows low to the ground in bushy clumps and produces small purple or white flowers that bees love. Thyme originally grew wild in Mediterranean regions, where the ancient Greeks and Romans used it in cooking and medicine. Today, people grow thyme in gardens worldwide because it thrives in sunny spots and doesn't need much water.

When a recipe calls for “a sprig of thyme,” it means a small stem with leaves attached. Dried thyme, which you'll find in the spice aisle, is more concentrated, so you need less of it. The flavor is warm and slightly minty, complementing other herbs like rosemary and sage.

Fun fact: thyme sounds exactly like “time” but has nothing to do with clocks or hours.