What Is Fenugreek?

Most people associate fenugreek with fenugreek seeds, the golden brown household spice found in the spice aisle of grocery stores. The fenugreek plant also has edible leaves commonly used as an herb and a vegetable in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines. 

Perhaps you've never used this seemingly magical spice at all. Keep scrolling to find out what fenugreek is, its potential health benefits, how to use the herb in your everyday cooking, and how to store it properly.

What Is Fenugreek?

 Fenugreek is a plant that grows up to three feet tall with bright green leaves, yellow flowers, and pods holding yellowish-brown seeds. While the flowers aren't typically consumed, you can enjoy the leaves as a herb in dishes, in salad greens, or add them to soups and stews.

 The seeds have a rhombic-like shape and a stony texture. They're slightly sweet and nutty in flavor. The aroma is similar to maple syrup; sotolon is the chemical compound that gives the plant its distinctive smell.

 The seeds can be ground and used as a spice or as a part of a spice blend, like our Tandoori Masala Spice Mix, Berbere, and Lebanese 7 Spices.

Get the recipe: Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)

What Does Fenugreek Taste Like?

Fenugreek leaves and seeds each offer distinctive flavors. 

 Fenugreek Leaves

Fenugreek leaves have a crisp texture and a bitter flavor when consumed fresh. Once cooked, the leaves soften, offering a mildly sweet flavor that reminds you of maple syrup.

Fenugreek Seeds

 The whole seeds are hard and crunchy and have a sweet aroma. Adding the seeds to dishes adds an extra layer of sweetness. They become softer under heat. 

 To get more flavor out of the seeds, crush them into a powder using a hand mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder. Panfrying the seeds in medium heat also softens the seeds' texture. 

 Potential Health Benefits of Fenugreek 

 Fenugreek leaves and seeds have long been used as a medicinal ingredient in traditional Indian, Iranian, and Chinese traditional medicines. You can find fenugreek seeds used as an extract in dietary supplements. 

 Research suggests that fenugreek may play a role in diabetes management by lowering fasting blood sugar levels. This effect could be related to the high fiber content in fenugreek seeds, where fiber slows down glucose absorption into the bloodstream.

 Other notable potential benefits include lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels and decreasing the risk of cancers. However, more research is needed to confirm the beneficial effects of fenugreek seeds.

How to Cook with Fenugreek

Cooking with Fenugreek Leaves

 Fresh fenugreek leaves pair well with cooked savory dishes like chicken. The leaves' astringent and slight bitterness balance the chicken flavor.  

 If you can't find fresh leaves, you can also find dried fenugreek leaves in the spice aisle section. They also complement many savory dishes, like our Vegan Mushroom Masala and Dal Makhani (Indian Lentils).

 Emily Laurae Carter, Recipe Developer at Emily Laurae Home Recipes, shares that fresh fenugreek leaves can be washed, chopped, and added to salads and doughs. She suggests adding the leaves to flatbreads or savory pastries for an added flair.

Get the recipe: Tandoori Masala Spice Mix

 Cooking with Fenugreek Seeds

Ground fenugreek seeds are excellent for incorporating into spice mixes and go well with aromatic spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, fennel, and more.

Lightly roasting or tempering the seeds in oil could bring out their flavor and mellow out their bitterness. When used in pastries and custards, the seeds infuse flavor into syrups for a flavorful touch.

 Carter also suggests ground fenugreek lends well to yogurt-containing dishes, like our Armenian Pizzas (Lahmahjoon). When used in pastries and desserts, the spice adds a pleasantly earthy flavor and natural maple-like aroma.

Where to Buy Fenugreek

 While fresh fenugreek leaves aren't a typical produce in conventional grocery stores, you might find fresh or frozen leaves in South Asian and Middle Eastern grocery stores. If your recipe calls for a small amount of fenugreek leaves, you could also try using dried fenugreek leaves, sold in the spice aisle section of South Asian and Middle Eastern groceries.

How to Store Fenugreek

Fenugreek Leaves

Carter suggests storing the fresh leaves in the vegetable crisper section of your refrigerator. Placing them in a plastic bag with a paper towel can help absorb excess moisture. She adds, "They usually last for about a week if stored properly." Dried fenugreek leaves are best stowed away in an airtight container in the pantry in a cool, dark, and dry spot.

Fenugreek Seeds

Like dried fenugreek leaves, store the seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dark, and dry location. Whole fenugreek seeds, when stored in ideal conditions, can last up to three to four years from the date of purchase and after opening, according to USDA FoodSafety Keeper App. 

 Ground Fenugreek Seeds

Whole seeds grounded into a powder, either pre-grounded or ground at the time of use, could last up to two to three years. Storing the ground seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry spot in the pantry helps prolong their quality and potency.