A bouquet garni might sound fancy, but it's a surprisingly simple concept that anyone can make! As The Pioneer Woman says, it's just "a little bundle of herbs tied with a little twine."
It doesn't have anything to do with that bouquet of flowers you requested from your hubby, either. (Though a vase filled with garden-fresh herbs would make for a pretty addition to any kitchen if you ask us!) Instead, this "bouquet" is used for cooking by adding a ton of flavor to soups, stews, sauces, and even when making beans. Ree Drummond uses it in her recipe for Italian meatball soup and though it does take a few extra minutes of effort, the end result is always worth it! "The flavors from the herb bundle will seep into the brothy mixture and very, very special things will go on," she explains.
But what exactly is this bundle of herbs and how is it used in cooking? For starters, you'll need to gather a few items that you may already have in your kitchen: cheesecloth or twine. Reach for some fresh or dried herbs and few pantry ingredients—and follow our tips on how to make a bouquet garni. You'll be feeling like a French chef in no time!
What is a bouquet garni?
A bouquet garni is a French cooking technique that translates to "garnished bouquet." It's basically just a parcel of herbs wrapped up in cheesecloth or butcher's twine that's used to infuse flavor. By keeping the herbs together in a pouch, it makes it easy to remove from the pot once you're done with cooking.
Traditionally, the herbs would include fresh parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, but you can also include peppercorns, garlic, rosemary, tarragon, oregano, or dried herbs. There are so many flavor combinations!
How to make a bouquet garni?
It couldn’t be easier! Just take a couple of layers of cheesecloth cut into a square and place your herbs and peppercorns in the center. Gather up each corner of the cloth and tie with twine to secure into a parcel.
If you’re not using peppercorns, dried herbs, or any loose ingredients, you can also simply wrap the fresh herbs with butcher's twine and tie into a knot.
Then, just toss it into whatever you're making—soup, curry, pasta sauce, or broth. Once it's done cooking, you can remove and discard the bouquet, and enjoy all that flavor that it imparts.
