Herbs and seasonings such as garlic, thyme, parsley, and mustard are common in French cooking, while other Francophone cuisines use their own combinations of herbs and spices.
For Senegalese spices, history, and traditional dishes, see Senegalese cuisine.
Learning the ingredients is only part of the vocabulary. You will also encounter words that describe flavor and verbs that tell you how to season food, especially when reading a recipe.
Basic seasonings used in cooking
Start with seasonings and ingredients that appear frequently in recipes and at the table:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le sel | salt |
| le poivre | pepper |
| le sucre | sugar |
| l'ail | garlic |
| la moutarde | mustard |
| le vinaigre | vinegar |
| l'huile d'olive | olive oil |
Le poivre is pepper used as a seasoning. The vegetable is un poivron, or bell pepper.
You will frequently see sel et poivre together in recipes:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Salez et poivrez selon votre goût. | Salt and pepper to taste. |
Common spices
These spices appear in a wide range of dishes and recipes:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la cannelle | cinnamon |
| le cumin | cumin |
| le paprika | paprika |
| le curcuma | turmeric |
| le gingembre | ginger |
| la muscade | nutmeg |
| le safran | saffron |
| la coriandre | coriander |
| le piment | chili pepper / chili |
| le clou de girofle | clove |
| la cardamome | cardamom |
Le piment can refer to chili peppers as well as a spice made from them. You may also see more specific terms such as piment de Cayenne.
La coriandre can refer to coriander seeds or the fresh herb. The context tells you which one is meant.
Common herbs used in cooking
French recipes use many familiar fresh and dried herbs:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le basilic | basil |
| le persil | parsley |
| le thym | thyme |
| le romarin | rosemary |
| la menthe | mint |
| la ciboulette | chives |
| l'estragon | tarragon |
| le laurier | bay leaf |
| l'origan | oregano |
A bay leaf is une feuille de laurier. In a recipe, you may therefore see an instruction such as ajoutez une feuille de laurier.
Common herb and spice mixtures
Some terms refer to combinations of herbs or spices rather than a single ingredient:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| les herbes de Provence | Herbes de Provence |
| un bouquet garni | bundle of herbs used for cooking |
| le quatre-épices | four-spice blend |
| le curry | curry / curry powder |
| le ras-el-hanout | ras el hanout |
A bouquet garni is a group of aromatic herbs added while a dish cooks and usually removed before serving. It commonly includes thyme and bay leaf, although the exact combination can vary.
Herbes de Provence is also a mixture rather than one particular herb. The ingredients vary, but thyme, rosemary, oregano, and other Mediterranean herbs are common.
Describing spicy, mild, and seasoned food
French makes a useful distinction between food that contains spices and food that tastes hot:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| épicé / épicée | spicy / spiced |
| piquant / piquante | hot / spicy |
| doux / douce | mild |
| salé / salée | salty / savory |
| sucré / sucrée | sweet |
| amer / amère | bitter |
| acide | acidic / sour |
| parfumé / parfumée | fragrant / aromatic |
Be careful with épicé. It can mean that something contains spices, but it does not necessarily mean that the food is hot from chili. Piquant more clearly indicates a hot or sharp taste.
This distinction can be useful when asking about a dish:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| C'est épicé ? | Is it spicy / spiced? |
| C'est très piquant ? | Is it very hot / spicy? |
| Non, c'est assez doux. | No, it's quite mild. |
Verbs for seasoning food
Recipes use several verbs to tell you when and how to add seasonings:
| French | English |
|---|---|
| assaisonner | to season |
| saler | to salt / add salt |
| poivrer | to pepper / add pepper |
| épicer | to spice / add spices |
| ajouter | to add |
| saupoudrer | to sprinkle |
| goûter | to taste |
You may encounter instructions such as:
- Salez et poivrez.: Season with salt and pepper.
- Ajoutez le cumin.: Add the cumin.
- Saupoudrez de paprika.: Sprinkle with paprika.
- Assaisonnez selon votre goût.: Season to taste.
Assaisonner is the general verb for seasoning food. Depending on the dish, that may mean adding salt, pepper, herbs, spices, or a combination of them.
From learning to practice
When you cook, look at the herbs, spices, and seasonings you use and try to recall their French names. If you are following a recipe, also look for verbs such as ajouter, assaisonner, saler, and poivrer and identify what the recipe is asking you to add or do.