Kitchen Tips All About Ingredients All About Seasonings and Spices What Is Herbes de Provence and What's a Good Substitute? Here’s what you need to know about the aromatic French spice blend. By Corey Williams Corey Williams Corey Williams is a food writer for MyRecipes and Allrecipes. She has a decade of journalism experience. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on May 3, 2021 Herbes de Provence is an essential element of French cuisine. But what exactly is in the fragrant spice blend — and can you make it at home? Here's what you need to know: What Is Herbs de Provence? Herbes de Provence (or herbs de Provence) is an aromatic blend of dried Provençal herbs and spices. It originated in the Provence region of Southern France, so it's most commonly associated with French cuisine. Herbs de Provence Ingredients Commercial herbes de Provence blends usually include: MarjoramRosemaryThymeBasilOreganoSavoryBay leaf French herbs de Provence blends do not typically include lavender, but the fragrant leaves are often found in North American blends. How to Use Herbs de Provence You can use the earthy mix of herbs and spices whenever and wherever you need a bit of Provençal flavor. For instance, herbes de Provence is a great choice to: Season Meats and Veggies Soup Loving Nicole Season foods before grilling, searing, or roasting by patting herbes de Provence on raw, oiled fish, chicken, beef, veggies, etc. You can also brush the food with olive oil infused with the blend. Try these recipes: Apple Chicken Brine Roasted Asparagus with Herbs de Provence Chef John's Perfect Prime Rib Incorporate Into Liquid Linda T Stir it into soups, stews, and sauces during cooking to add savory flavor and depth. It also works well in oil-based salad dressings. Try these recipes: Tuscan Tomato Artichoke Soup Herbed Pumpkin Gravy Pancetta Reduction Herbs de Provence History Traditionally, "herbes de Provence" collectively described the herbs grown in the Provence region, but it wasn't used to characterize a specific mix of herbs and spices until the 1960s. Julia Child is credited with defining the blend in her iconic cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in which she included a recipe for Poulet Sauté aux Herbs de Provence. These days, commercial blends of herbes de Provence are sold in grocery stores across the world. Herbes de Provence Substitute No herbes de Provence? No problem. Your best bet is to DIY a French blend in your own kitchen. You probably already have all (or most) of the ingredients on your spice rack. It's OK if you only have a few of the required spices — you can try your best to mimic the flavor with what you can find. Play with what you have to reach your desired flavor mix. How to Make Herbes de Provence Baking Nana Our top-rated Herbes de Provence recipe is easy to make at home with ingredients you likely have on hand. Here's what the Allrecipes community has to say: "Great blend," raves reviewer Candi B. "Very similar, and better than, the tiny jar someone brought back from a trip to France." Was right in the middle of making a dish when I realized I didn't have any more store-bought [herbs de Provence]," says reviewer and Allrecipes Allstar Sheila LaLonde. "This recipe saved the day!" Get the recipe: Herbs de Provence How to Store Herbes de Provence Store homemade or store-bought herbes de Provence blends in an airtight container. Kept in a cool, dark place (like a drawer or cabinet), it'll stay fresh-tasting and aromatic between six months and a year. Related: 10 Easy Tips To Keep Herbs and Spices Fresh and Flavorful How to Maximize the Flavor of Dried Herbs 15 Easy and Impressive French Recipes You Can Make at Home Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit