5 from 27 votes
How to Make a Bouquet Garni
A bouquet garni is a bundle of fresh herbs traditionally used to infuse soups, stews, and broths with layered herbal flavors. This method combines parsley stems, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs, tied together with kitchen twine, optionally including peppercorns wrapped in cheesecloth for easier removal. The herb bundle simmers in liquids to add subtle, aromatic notes without leaving loose leaves behind.
Prep Time
2 mins
Total Time
2 mins
Servings:
1
serving
Calories:
13 kcal
Course:
Soup
Cuisine:
French, American
Ingredients
- 4-6 parsley stems
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 fresh thyme or any other green herb: sage, rosemary, tarragon, basil, cilantro, oregano, chervil, sprigs
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns optional
Instructions
Bouquet garni without peppercorns:
- Place a length of twine about 4 to 6 inches long on a work surface (long enough to wrap around everything and tie easily). On top of the twine, add the parsley stems, bay leaf, and fresh thyme sprigs in parallel next to each other. Tie the wine into a bundle and knot to secure.
Cup of Yum
Bouquet garni with peppercorns:
- To incorporate peppercorns, lay a 4-inch by 6-inch double-layered square of cheesecloth on a work surface. Add parsley stems, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and peppercorns to the center of the square. Gather up the corners to form a bundle and tie with twine to secure.
Notes
- Use unbleached cotton kitchen twine for tying the bouquet securely during simmering.
- Store fresh herbs wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator or freezer to maintain freshness until use.
- Cheesecloth is optional and useful when including small herbs or spices like peppercorns to keep them contained.
- This method yields one bouquet garni sufficient for infusing a single recipe such as a soup or stew.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1 bouquet
Calories
13kcal
(1%)
Carbohydrates
3g
(1%)
Protein
1g
(2%)
Fat
1g
(2%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Sodium
3mg
(0%)
Potassium
81mg
(2%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
367IU
(7%)
Vitamin C
5mg
(6%)
Calcium
26mg
(3%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 13
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 bouquet | |
| Calories | 13kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 3mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 81mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 367IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 26mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.