A southern French blend of dried herbs, typically thyme, savory, rosemary, oregano and marjoram, with lavender in many commercial versions.
What it does in a recipe: A ready-made Mediterranean herb base for roasts, grilled meat and vegetables, added early so the dried herbs can rehydrate. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
1 tbsp herbes de Provence = 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
The two blends share thyme, oregano, rosemary and marjoram, so most of the herbal weight is the same. Italian seasoning adds basil and leaves out savory and lavender.
Trade-offSweeter and less floral, and the dish reads Italian rather than French. On a roast chicken almost nobody would notice.
Allergen checkBoth of these are packaged blends, and their non-herb components differ between brands - some use wheat-derived flow agents. Read the label before cooking gluten-free, and take a diagnosed allergy to the manufacturer rather than to a recipe site.
Dried thyme
Reliable
1 tbsp herbes de Provence = 2 tsp dried thyme
Thyme is the dominant herb in most versions of the blend, so on its own it delivers the bulk of what you were after at slightly lower volume.
Trade-offSimpler and more one-note. Perfectly good on potatoes or chicken, less interesting in a slow-cooked stew.
Lavender is a modern and largely export-driven addition to this blend, not a traditional one. If a dish tastes soapy, the lavender is usually why.
At a glance
Herbes de Provence in summary
Herbes de Provence at a glance: category, its job in a recipe, the diets it suits, the diets its substitutes can satisfy, and how many substitutes there are.
Can I use homemade blend instead of herbes de provence?
1 tbsp herbes de Provence = 1 tsp dried thyme + 1 tsp dried savory or marjoram + 1/2 tsp dried rosemary + 1/2 tsp dried oregano. This rebuilds the blend from its actual components, so the proportions and the concentration land where the recipe expects them. Fresher than an old jar of the commercial blend, and you control whether lavender appears at all.
Can I use italian seasoning instead of herbes de provence?
1 tbsp herbes de Provence = 1 tbsp Italian seasoning. The two blends share thyme, oregano, rosemary and marjoram, so most of the herbal weight is the same. Italian seasoning adds basil and leaves out savory and lavender. Sweeter and less floral, and the dish reads Italian rather than French. On a roast chicken almost nobody would notice.
Can I use dried thyme instead of herbes de provence?
1 tbsp herbes de Provence = 2 tsp dried thyme. Thyme is the dominant herb in most versions of the blend, so on its own it delivers the bulk of what you were after at slightly lower volume. Simpler and more one-note. Perfectly good on potatoes or chicken, less interesting in a slow-cooked stew.
Can I use dried oregano and rosemary instead of herbes de provence?
1 tbsp herbes de Provence = 2 tsp dried oregano + 1 tsp crushed dried rosemary. These two cover the assertive and resinous ends of the blend's range, which is most of what registers in a roast. More pungent and pine-heavy than the original, with none of its softness. Go lighter than the ratio suggests if the dish is delicate.
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.