What Is Herbes De Provence, Really?

For a food enthusiast, few regions outrank the South of France. With a gorgeous sun-drenched coastline and a temperate Mediterranean climate, some of the best-known French dishes hail from the South. Think of a hearty, stewed fish bouillabaisse or a classic, fresh salade niçoise. With such a variety of culinary classics, there's one secret that ties Southern French fare together — and that is herbes de Provence.

You may have heard of the term but don't know exactly what makes up this magical mélange of herbs and spices. And moreover, how to use it. While Provençal cuisine has a long history of utilizing various types of native herbs, today, it's quite easy to incorporate herbes de Provence into your cooking repertoire. The aromatic mixture of Provençal herbs can bring the flavors and inspiration of traditional of French dishes to your home kitchen, quickly transporting you to the South of France with a mere sprinkle or just a dash.

Let's start with the basics. Herbes de Provence is a mixture of up to nine dried Provençal herbs and spices. That may seem like a lot. And quite frankly, it is. But each herb and each spice brings a distinct, balanced flavor.

Most commonly, herbes de Provence recipes consists of rosemary, fennel seeds, thyme, marjoram, savory, basil, mint, oregano, and tarragon. Depending on who you ask, herbes de Provence can include different variations. Some recipes include a couple of whole bay leaves or a pinch of chervil (similar to parsley) or even dried culinary lavender. More on that later. But the base is inspired by Provençal herbs and spices, and that generally remains the same.

While you can certainly be creative in your interpretation, do not be fooled. This is not a mix to throw in whatever you have on hand. Herbes de Provence is an intentional blend of herbs and spices that celebrate the history of Provençal cooking.

True to its name, the herb blend originated from Provence which is in the lush southeastern region of France, bordering Italy. The brilliant sunshine, rich soil, and extra-long growing season creates an ideal condition for many aromatic herbs to thrive. For as long as Provencal historians can trace back, there is a long tradition of wild plant and herb picking through the fertile valleys and hillsides. And these herbs symbolize the storied gastronomic culture of the region. 

Each herb has its own history and medicinal properties, but together, herbes de Provence paints a picture of a unique culinary tale. You see, herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and lavender flourish in the hills while basil, mint , and oregano tend to grow well in gardens. In what's considered the old days, French families likely combined different iterations of regional herbs that reflected what was available and their personal preferences.

The lush gardens of Provence were the inspiration for the herb mixture; but today herbes de Provence are more likely to be cultivated and distributed outside of Provence. The sourcing and usage has evolved quite a bit but one thing has remained the same — the herbs can invoke the smells and tastes of traditional French cooking from centuries ago.

Leave it to the renowned Julia Child to bring herbes de Provence to the U.S. and make it a go-to spice for many home cooks. Known for making French food more approachable, it makes total sense that she is credited for bringing the mixture into the mainstream American kitchen by the 1960s. Julia used the aforementioned blend of herbes de Provence when developing her simple recipe for Poulet Sauté aux Herbes de Provence in her legendary cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." The recipe calls for sautéing chicken, which is then cooked in its own sauce. As for herbs, Julia's original recipe calls for only dried thyme or savory, dried basil, and ground fennel seeds.

By the 1970s, the French brand Ducros — Europe's leading spice supplier — began selling a packaged herbes de Provence spice mix and the rest is history. As we well know, French cooking and flavors continued to become more accessible, largely thanks to Child's cookbooks and televised cooking program. A half of a century later, the prevalence of herbes de Provence remains and it is considered a multi-purpose spice to this day.

As a cornerstone of French cooking, herbes de Provence has an herbal and earthy flavor profile. Together, it creates a beautiful medley. But let's dive into what so many herbs and spices in one blend can actually add to your cooking.

When looking at the longer ingredient list in the blend, it may seem too multi-dimentional. To break it down, rosemary tastes piney, fennel seeds have a licorice taste, and thyme has an almost a minty flavor. Marjoram can be woodsy, summer savory is spicy and peppery, and basil adds a hint of peppery sweetness. Mint has a cooling effect, oregano adds earthy undertones, and tarragon has notes of anise.

There's no doubt there are a many (many!) different flavors working together here. But the magical combination is harmonious. As for taste, a common comparison may be likening it to Italian seasoning, since both medleys are used in Mediterranean-inspired cooking. Herbal, earthy, and sometimes floral.

Once herbes de Provence became more ubiquitous in the 1960s and '70s, home cooks began creating variations of the mixture at home. With the right pantry staples, you may very well already have most of the ingredients that make up herbes de Provence. Don't have one of the herbs or spices? Don't sweat it. It is not a recipe you need to follow to a tee, but there is a method to creating a blend that Julia Child herself would approve.

To get the most potent flavor, dust off that spice grinder or a mortar and pestle and grind the rosemary and fennel. And if you're not feeling the old-fashioned mortar and pestle, great news — you can grind your spices in a coffee grinder. That's right, your morning coffee grinder can get the job done. We are looking for a semi-fine texture here, so no need to lug out any niche cooking equipment. From there, you can combine the rest of the pre-ground spices and herbs, including thyme, marjoram, savory, basil, mint, oregano, and tarragon with the freshly ground rosemary and fennel. Voila! You have herbes de Provence. Now the fun begins and it's time to start cooking.

When we think about French-inspired dishes, the popular stew ratatouille comes to mind. You may remember "Ratatouille" as one of the most beautiful Pixar movies circa 2007; but it is in fact a Southern-French dish that has more humble origins.

Because of Pixar fame, it may be considered a French dish you only pretend to know about — but it's an impressive dish that should definitely be on your radar. Ratatouille is a delicious, comforting meal full of fresh produce, including eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, and summer squashes. Imagine late summer meals, drinking fine wine, dipping crusty bread into the brightly herbaceous tomato-based sauce. This is exactly how one dish can swift you away to a quaint cafe or charming bistro in Southern France.

There are many interpretations of ratatouille and none of them are wrong. There's a time and place for the meticulously, thinly sliced rounds of vegetables and also the rustic, cubed medley of vegetables. Regardless of the preparation techniques, most variations have one thing in common: Slowly cooked in olive oil with ample Herbes de Provence. Looking to experiment for your next weeknight meal? For a fun spin, try oven-roasted ratatouille pasta. When you want your cooking to have a French flare, a generous pinch or two of herbes de Provence is an excellent place to start.

French cooking is celebrated for the delicate balance different flavors and herbes de Provence is a prime example. Learning how to balance fresh and dried herbs can help you become a French cooking expert. But you don't need to learn to flambé or master a soufflé. You simply need to know when and how to use herbes de Provence.

From bouillabaisse from Marseille to salade niçoise from Nice, herbes de Provence is a surefire way to embody French cooking techniques. An entry-level cooking class on French cuisine will teach you how to develop flavor combinations. Fortunately, when you mix your own herbes de Provence, you can use more of a certain herb in different dishes. Try more fennel in a bouillabaisse, a classic fish stew, or more thyme when making a roast chicken. Experimenting with a combination of herbes de Provence can help you learn more about the cuisine and flavor profiles. But it's not useful for only French dishes. Dishes across the Mediterranean use herbes de Provence, proving its versatility.

As you experiment more with Provençal cooking, you will also learn how and when to sub a specific herb or spice if you are simply not feeling it. As we discussed, there is no direct sub for herbes de Provence. However, if you are in a bind, you can use a general Italian seasoning.

In your home kitchen, herbes de Provence and Italian seasoning can typically be a 1-to-1 substitute. This works especially well when grilling fish, marinating meat, or roasting vegetables. Italian seasoning includes spices and herbs that reflect Italian cooking; however, it was actually invented in the U.S. That's right, it was created as a multi-purpose seasoning blend for the American home cook, so it can be used as just that. But use caution here. Some Italian seasoning blends do include garlic powder, red pepper flakes, or black pepper. It is considered a generic seasoning so it's certainly not a direct substitute but can be used in a pinch.

If you are lucky to visit Provence, you will encounter many quintessential, bustling village markets. So naturally, you will come across small, craft packets of herbes de Provence. Fortunately for those of us who don't casually stop by Provence regularly, this mélange of herbs can be easily found stateside. Widely known herb and spice brands produce herbes de Provence, and thus it is distributed in grocery stores across the U.S.

These blends may have a differing herb or spice or two, but the gist is the same. Once hard to come by, herbes de Provence can be found alongside the extensive spice and seasoning blends at all-time favorites like Trader Joe's. Nowadays, it's not terribly surprising that the Trader Joe's blend is made in Florida... quite far from Provence. The Trader Joe's version also includes lavender.

Dried lavender was added to herbes de Provence for one main reason — to appease tourists. You see, when visitors wanted to bring back something quintessentially Provençal from their dreamy vacation, a hand-curated packet of herbes de Provence was the perfect gift to transport home. An homage to the gorgeous lavender fields.

The lavender fields are more than a photo-op. The rolling fields have become iconic to the image of the region. Lavender has an incredibly potent flavor and aroma, though some consider it to have a soapy taste. So a little can go a very long way.

Another ingredient you may or may not find in the blend you buy off the shelf? Savory. It has a storied past, with ancient Egyptians and Romans actually seasoning their food with summer savory. Savory is a member of the mint family; it's slightly peppery and has a comparable flavor profile to thyme in cooking. However, It's not as common in American kitchens and may be left out of blends you find in the U.S. Be careful not to offend true French chefs, since summer savory (there are two variations: summer and winter savory) is a critical component to the blend.

Herbes de Provence can last up to a year. While herbes de Provence does not necessarily go bad, it does lose potency and flavor over time. Store in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid and kept in a cool, dry location to avoid degradation.

Now let's say you got a wave of inspiration to make that French dish you were always dreaming of but only used herbes de Provence one time, a couple years back. They're now, most unfortunately, sitting in the back of your pantry. How can you tell if your spices are fresh? Well, chances are, they're not. But there are a few tricks to know if and when it's time to replace those herbs and spices. With an herb blend like herbes de Provence, you're looking for bright, verdant colors. If the color or aroma is starting to fade, chances are so are the flavors. To avoid this, you can label and date the herb blend, whether you buy it or get inspired to make it at home — which will help you organize your spices like an expert.

It is a fair question. Both are classic French herb blends, with overlapping ingredients, so what's really the difference between these two French combinations? It comes down to the flavor profile, and when to use the herb blends in cooking.

Fines herbes can include tarragon, chives, chervil, and parsley. It's a subtle and delicate bunch of herbs, and the name speaks to this. You can liken fines herbes as a nice finishing salt. You don't want the blend to get lost in a dish that requires a long cook time. Rather, a sprinkle on the final product can be a lovely visual and aromatic addition. A pinch for garnish on a proper French omelet, for example.

Herbes de Provence, on the other hand, is known to be more robust in flavor. Louder. Bolder. More in your face. So let's imagine these two herb blends falling on a spectrum. Fine herbes are lighter and more nuanced while herbes de Provence have a stronger flavor profile. Therefore to build flavors in a dish, herbes de Provence is usually added at the beginning of cooking.

Of course the real commonality is Julia Child. Fine herbes was first defined by the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier in the early 1900s. But like herbes de Provence, it was Child who described the three herbs in her cookbooks and popularized it for Americans embarking in French cooking.

It's clear that herbes de Provence can take your cooking to the next level. French-inspired spice blends, like herbes de Provence, are prized by French chefs and culinary experts for elevating ordinary dishes into spectacular creations. From fresh fish to grilled meats to rich stews, we now know that this multi-dimensional herb blend has many uses. And once you master an elegant French roast chicken, there are other ways herbes de Provence can inspire you in the kitchen.

Herbes de Provence can be used for infusions in cooking oil, tomato-based sauces, or as a flavor booster — because why not? Next time you make a homemade vinaigrette, add a generous pinch of herbes de Provence and it will immediately elevate the dressing, creating an herbaceous depth you didn't know you were missing. Since herbs and olive oil are a natural match, don't hesitate to add the blend to your next marinade. Herbes de Provence is a classic for a reason. It's a wonderful introduction to French cooking; but don't limit yourself to a recipe book. Experiment and enjoy!

Static Media owns and operates The Takeout, Mashed, and Tasting Table.