Herbes de Provence Blend

By
Danilo Alfaro
Danlio Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro
Danilo Alfaro has published more than 800 recipes and tutorials focused on making complicated culinary techniques approachable to home cooks.
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Updated on 02/2/24
Tested by
Renae Wilson
Photo of Renae E. Wilson
Tested by Renae Wilson
Renae has certifications in both Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education and works as a private chef and caterer, recipe tester and developer, and food writer. Renae has written and developed recipes for Rachael Ray In Season, the Kitchn, Food52, and more.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 1 cup

Herbes de Provence, an essential component of French and Mediterranean cooking, is a mixture of dried herbs that adds a distinctive flavor to dishes such as chicken, roasted vegetables, grilled fish, salads, tomato-based soups, and stews like ratatouille.

Herbes de Provence originated in the southeastern region of France, where summertime herbs are plentiful and used in daily cooking. But it only became familiar in America during the 1970s, after Julia Child began teaching home chefs around the world about French cooking. At this time, commercial varieties of the mixture began popping up in grocery stores, making the herb mixture more accessible. While you can purchase herbes de Provence in most supermarkets, it's just as easy to make your own. Plus, you can adjust the amounts and ingredients according to personal taste.

There are many herbs (and spices) that can collectively be called herbes de Provence, but the basic recipe includes fennel, marjoram, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme. Other recipes include (or omit) basil, parsley, bay leaves, savory, chervil, sage, oregano, mint, and lavender.

Herbes de Provence blend on a white plate with a spoon

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What You'll Need To Make Herbes de Provence
A Set of Measuring Spoons
A Good Spice Grinder
Airtight Storage Containers

"A great way to switch things up with chicken or more interesting vegetables." —Renae Wilson

Herbes de Provence in a jar on its side spilling onto a wooden surface
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds

  • 2 tablespoons dried rosemary

  • 1/4 cup dried thyme

  • 3 tablespoons dried marjoram

  • 3 tablespoons dried summer savory, optional

  • 1 tablespoon dried tarragon

  • 1 tablespoon dried basil

  • 1 teaspoon dried chervil, optional

  • 1 teaspoon dried mint

  • 1 teaspoon dried lavender, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for herbes de Provence recipe gathered

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  2. Grind the fennel seeds and rosemary in a spice grinder. Pour into a mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining herbs.

    Fennel seeds ground in a spice grinder with a bowl of seeds alongside

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  3. Store in an airtight container. Use to season meats, chicken, fish, salads, vegetables, soups, and stews.

    Herbes de Provence in a glass jar

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Tip

Certain herbs are known to pair well with particular foods: rosemary with lamb, tarragon with chicken, basil with tomatoes, and fennel with fish so it is best to keep these combinations in mind when mixing your herbs. You might want to try making separate batches, each with different ratios of herbs for use in various recipes. Just be sure to label your containers.

How to Use Herbes de Provence

Herbes de Provence should be added before or during cooking. The herb blend can flavor a vinaigrette, be part of a steak rub, and contribute an earthy note to a tomato-based sauce for chicken, fish, or meat. It can also be used to coat a skinless chicken breast along with olive oil and kosher salt. Marinate for an hour or so, then grill. Or season skin-on chicken thighs the same way, then braise with white wine, tomatoes, and halved shallots.

How to Store Herbes de Provence

When kept in an airtight container such as a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, the herbes de Provence will last between six months and a year, depending on the freshness of the herbs. Store in a cool, dry place away from light and heat.

What's the Difference Between Herbes de Provence and Italian Seasoning?

Although there are times these herb blends can be swapped for each other, there are some differences between the two. The most obvious is their origins: Herbes de Provence features the herbs naturally grown in the South of France, while Italian seasoning includes the herbs that are most often used in that cuisine. (It should be said, however, that Italian seasoning is an American invention.) Because of the countries' close proximity to each other, Herbes de Provence and Italian seasoning share several of the same herbs, such as oregano, thyme, and rosemary. But herbes de Provence tends to have a much longer ingredient list, including herbs such as mint, savory, and lavender. When herbes de Provence includes lavender, it has a more distinctive taste.

Is Lavender Part of Herbes de Provence?

Despite its ubiquity throughout Provence, lavender was not traditionally included in the mixture; it is often found in the commercial versions, however. Lavender adds aroma and has a strong—some say soapy—flavor. If you include it in your homemade herbes de Provence, be sure to buy culinary lavender buds specifically marked for cooking and use it sparingly. Lavender can easily overwhelm sweet and savory foods.