How do you cut basil?

Cut basil leaves using a knife or scissors. A knife is the correct tool for mincing or creating a chiffonade,and scissors work best for snipping basil into salads or other dishes.

1. Wash the basil

   Wash the basil under cold running water to remove sand. Blot dry using a clean kitchen towel.

2. Prepare the leaves for knife cutting

   Stack the basil leaves so the stems all face in the same direction. Beginning with the stem end, roll the basil into a straw shape.

3. Chiffonade or mince the basil

   Use a knife to cut across the roll, beginning at either end. Make thin slices to create ribbons of basil. The ribbon cut is a chiffonade that can be used as is. Alternatively, cut across the ribbons to mince the basil.

4. Snip the basil

   Use scissors to snip whole basil leaves directly into a dish. Begin at the narrow tip and cut the corners in the shape of small triangles.