Best Herbs for Soup: Fresh and Dried Herb Guide to Flavorful Soups
Whether you’re simmering a hearty vegetable stew or a delicate broth, the right herbs for soup can take an ordinary soup and make it into something extraordinary.
From classic choices like thyme and rosemary to fresh parsley and basil, there’s a wide range of options to enhance your soups.
To learn how to best use herbs, read our guide on cooking with herbs to explore the many ways herbs can bring depth, aroma, and freshness to your recipes.
With just a sprinkle of the right herbs, you’ll take your soups from simple to savory, creating a warm and comforting dish every time!
Which herb should I add when I am making soups or stock?
When making soups or stock, several herbs can enhance the flavor, depending on the type of soup you’re creating. Here are some popular herbs to consider:
Thyme
Thyme adds a subtle, earthy flavor that can really brighten up a soup. To use thyme in soup, add a teaspoon of dried thyme or a tablespoon of fresh thyme during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Thyme is a versatile herb that can be used in a variety of soups, such as tomato soup, chicken soup, French onion soup or New England Clam Chowder.
Bay Leaves
Bay leaves are a popular herb used in soups because they add a unique and subtle flavor to the dish. Bay leaves have a slightly sweet and floral flavor with a hint of bitterness. When added to soups, a bay leaf can infuse the broth with its flavor, creating a more complex and rich taste.
Bay leaves are not typically eaten, as they can be tough and have a slightly bitter taste. The best way to use bay leaves is to add them at the beginning of cooking so that their flavor has time to infuse into the dish and then are removed at the end of the cooking process.
Rosemary
Rosemary has a strong aroma that is pungent and pine-like in flavor. It’s a great addition to soups like a creamy potato soup or hearty soups like beef stew or lentil soup.
Sage
Sage leaves have a slightly sweeter flavor than thyme and rosemary, making it perfect for creamier soups. A little sage goes a long way in giving your soup an earthy depth of flavor. It’s especially good in meaty soups with beans or winter vegetables like chili.
Parsley
This humble herb is often used as a garnish, but it’s so much more than that! Parsley has a fresh, bright flavor that pairs well with almost anything, making it a great choice for soups of all kinds.
Cilantro
The robust flavor of Cilantro is used in a variety of dishes. It has a distinctive, citrusy flavor and is often used in Mexican or Asian-inspired soups and is a popular garnish for types of soups such as chili or tortilla soup.
Dill
Dill has a tangy, slightly sweet flavor that pairs well with middle eastern dishes and creamy soups such as potato or with fish-based soups such as a chowder or bouillabaisse. Overall, dill is a flavorful and healthy herb that can add a lot of depth and complexity to soups.
Basil
Fresh Basil adds a sweet, slightly spicy flavor that is often used in tomato-based soups or an Italian vegetable soup such as minestrone.
Also Try These Soup Recipes:
How to use fresh herbs in soup
Add Hardy Herbs Early for Depth
Hardier herbs like thyme, rosemary and bay leaves benefit from longer cooking times. Add these at the beginning of the cooking process, so they have time to release their full flavor. Remove any stems or leaves before serving, as they can be tough.
Add Delicate Herbs Near the End
Delicate herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil and dill should be added toward the end of the cooking process. This preserves their fresh flavor and prevents them from becoming too wilted or losing their fragrance.
How to Use Whole or Chopped Herbs
For a subtle infusion, you can add fresh herbs whole (with the stems), especially if you plan to remove them before serving. For a stronger flavor, finely chop the herbs and stir them into the soup before serving.
How to Garnish with Fresh Herbs
To add extra brightness and flavor, sprinkle finely chopped fresh herbs as a garnish right before serving. This works especially well with herbs like parsley, cilantro, or chives.
Make Herb Bundles
For easy removal, tie hardy herbs like thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves together with kitchen twine, or use a bouquet garni (a bundle of herbs wrapped in cheesecloth). This allows you to remove them easily after they’ve infused the soup.
Layering Flavors
You can use both dried and fresh herbs for layering flavors. Add dried herbs early on for a base note, then finish with fresh herbs for a burst of fresh, aromatic flavor.
Are fresh or dried herbs better for soup?
Fresh and dried herbs both enhance soups, but they serve different purposes.
Fresh herbs offer a vibrant, aromatic flavor and are best added toward the end of cooking or as a garnish for lighter, delicate soups. They bring a fresh, bright taste and visual appeal.
Dried herbs, on the other hand, are more concentrated and ideal for long-cooking soups, like stews or broths, where they can slowly release their flavor. They’re convenient, with a longer shelf life, and add depth to heartier dishes.
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