12 Best Herbs to Flavor Fish and Seafood

Basil

Basil is perfect for fish. Be sure to try different varieties of basil, as the taste varies from type to type—sweet basil, holy basil, and Thai basil. Some basil recipes to try:

• Grilled lemon-basil halibut
• Lime and basil tilapia
• Basil-rosemary grilled trout
• Thai basil shrimp​

Bay Leaf

Bay leaves are a member of the laurel family. Its unique scent is perfectly paired with delicate-tasting fish, such as cod or tilapia. Bay leaves can also be used to flavor chowders and fish soups. You cannot go wrong with this combination. Some recipes to try include:

• Spanish paprika fish
• Traditional kedgeree
• Tadich grill cioppino

Chives

Chives can be used in marinades and sauces, added to compound butters, or sprinkled over the top of white fish during cooking. It adds both a hint of sharp flavor and also color to your seafood dishes. Try the following recipes:

• Lemon chive sauce
• Baked red snapper with garlic and herbs

Dill

Dill offers the most basic herbal pairing for fish and seafood. Dill is especially good for adding delicate punch in many fish and seafood recipes. Some recipes you can try include:

• Mahi-mahi fillet with lemon-dill sauce
• Grilled lemon-dill salmon fillets
• Tilapia with dill and sour cream
• Shrimp salad with dill

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a prolific herb that has a gentle lemony flavor that is just the thing to perk up a fish dish. You can use it for any of the hundreds of recipes that might call for lemon flavoring. You can sprinkle it over prepared fish as a colorful garnish that also adds taste.

Marjoram

Sweet and savory, marjoram is like a milder, less aggressive form of oregano. It is an herb in the mint family. Many say that it has a slight taste of citrus and sweet pine. It grows wild in Mediterranean countries such as Cyprus, Turkey, and Greece.

Mint

Just a touch of mint will really improve any fish recipe. Mint effectively cuts through rich flavors to add a nice tang to any seafood. It should be used carefully, however, or else it can overpower the recipe. One recipe to try includes:

• Baked sole with mint and ginger

Parsley

Parsley is a juicy, green-tasting herb that supports the delicate flavors of fish and seafood quite well. Parsley is also easy to grow indoors, so you can have fresh parsley on hand for brightening up seafood dishes all winter long. Parsley makes a great garnish sprinkled over the top of almost any fish, but some specific recipes to try include:

• Spanish paprika fish
• Fish à la meunière
• Broiled rainbow trout with lemon parsley brown butter sauce

Tarragon

Tarragon is a staple in French cooking, and many Americans are now discovering how delicious this herb is. It adds a light, delicate flavor to fish dishes. Some dishes to try include:

• Tarragon walnut brown butter sauce for fish
• Herbed-baked fish fillets
• Lobster a l'Americaine

Thyme

Thyme is perfect for fish and seafood. Go lighthanded with the thyme. As it cooks, the flavor becomes more intense. Some recipes you can try include:

• Basic seafood gumbo
• Seasoning blend for seafood

Rosemary

Beautiful and fragrant, rosemary is a delightful herb for fish and seafood, and it is versatile. It can be used fresh or dry, but fresh rosemary has a bit more citrus flavor. Some recipes using rosemary include:

• Salmon on a plank with rosemary
• Grilled rosemary garlic shrimp

Sage

Sage tastes great with fish, lending an aromatic, earthy flavor. Go lightly when seasoning with sage, as it can overpower. Cooking or freezing increases the intensity of this herb. One recipe to try includes:

• Baked stuffed fish filet