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Chop (And Mince) Leafy Herbs Like a Pro

Here’s how to chop (and mince) large amounts of leafy herbs quickly.

To chop cilantro or parsley, some home cooks make thin, loose piles of herbs on their cutting boards and then run their knives back and forth over the piles. But this isn’t the most efficient approach, and often the leaves are chopped inconsistently. Here’s how to chop (and mince) large amounts of leafy herbs quickly.

TO CHOP: Gather washed, dried leaves into a tight pile and hold them with your nonknife hand. Using your chef’s knife in a rocking motion, slice thinly, working your way through the pile. Turn the sliced leaves 90 degrees, gather them, and repeat.

TO MINCE: For a smaller mince, chop as before and then go over the pile once more, placing the fingertips of your nonknife hand flat on the top of the knife’s tip and moving the blade up and down with your other hand while using the knife’s tip as a pivot.

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