Fish and seafood are great sources of protein because they cook quickly, can be used in any dish, and come in a lot of different shapes and textures, so you’ll never get tired of trying new things in the kitchen. For fish that tastes too mild and delicate, don’t just serve it with lemon. Instead, add a variety of herbs and spices to your catch of the day. No matter what kind of seafood you’re cooking—trout, salmon, pike, pickerel, perch, catfish, bass, or anything else—a few herbs and spices can make any fish dish taste extra good.
Cooking fish at home can feel intimidating. The delicate proteins and mild flavors need just the right supporting cast of herbs spices and other seasonings to shine. Underseason your fish and it’s bland and boring. Overpower it with too many bold flavors, and the subtle tastes get lost.
Luckily, there are a handful of versatile herbs that complement and enhance most types of fish beautifully. Whether baking, grilling, pan searing or poaching, these fresh herbs add the perfect pop of flavor and aroma. Read on for the definitive guide to pairing herbs and spices with your next seafood meal.
Bright Herbs
Herbs in the mint parsley or citrus families work especially well with fish. Their fresh bright qualities offset fishy flavors and let the natural mild sweetness come through.
Basil
Lemon and basil are a match made in heaven when paired with white fish like tilapia, snapper or cod. The cooling licorice-anise flavor balances the fish’s fattiness. Basil also pairs well with salmon and tuna. Try it in pestos herb crusts and pan sauces.
Parsley
Parsley is a perfect addition to pan-fried fish, with a slightly bitter aroma that can balance savory dishes. Its fresh flavor works well in tabbouleh salads and chimichurris served alongside fish. Curly parsley can also be used as a mild counterpoint in roasted whole fish.
Dill
The definitive herb for salmon, dill adds a tangy flavor similar to parsley. Use it in creamed dill sauces, herb-crusted salmon fillets, or quick pan fries. Dill’s delicate fronds can also go in fish tacos, seafood pasta, and potato sides.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass adds a distinctly Southeast Asian flair to fish dishes. Its lemony, ginger-adjacent flavor pairs well with heartier fish that can stand up to the strong citrus notes. Use lemongrass minced in curry pastes, steamed in seafood broths, or blended into dipping sauces.
Earthy Herbs
Warm, woodsy herbs add hearty depth of flavor and bring out the savory umami tastes in fish.
Rosemary
This aromatic herb is ideal for grilling or roasting meatier fish like tuna, mackerel and trout. The piney, resinous taste holds up well to charring and caramelization. Rub fish fillets with chopped rosemary, branches infused on the grill, or sprigs roasted whole.
Thyme
Thyme has hints of mint, lemon and pepper for a well-rounded seasoning. Include it in compound butters slathered on fish before baking. Or add whole sprigs to the cavity or under the skin of mild white fish before roasting. Thyme also shines in lemon-thyme vinaigrettes on fish salads.
Sage
With its slightly minty, eucalyptus-type flavor, sage makes a delicious pairing for richer fish like salmon, mackerel and bluefish. Fry leaves in brown butter sauces, tuck under skin when baking whole fish, or finely chop into stuffing mixes.
Smoky Spices
Warm spices echo the lightly charred flavors of grilled and smoked fish.
Smoked Paprika
A little smoked paprika goes a long way, adding an instant charred taste. Sprinkle it over grilled fish tacos or mix into rubs for salmon, trout and tuna. Smoked paprika also adds color and flavor to dipping sauces served with fried fish.
Cumin
Cumin is a key seasoning in Southwestern blackened fish recipes. Toast the seeds and grind fresh for maximum flavor. The earthy, nutty taste enhances grilled fish like mahi mahi and makes a flavorful fish taco topping.
Cayenne Pepper
Just a pinch of cayenne brings a touch of heat and smokiness. Lightly dust it over grilled or pan-seared fillets, or stir into lime-cilantro vinaigrettes. Cayenne works especially well with meaty fish like swordfish, grouper and snapper.
Bright Citrus
Lemon, lime, grapefruit and orange brighten up fish’s natural fats and oils. Use citrus herbs like lemongrass and herbs like parsley and cilantro to make citrus-herb marinades, compound butters, aiolis and pan sauces. Citrus vinaigrettes are also great drizzled over simply grilled or seared fish.
Umami Boosters
Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, olives, capers, mushrooms and tomato paste will boost the savory, meaty taste of fish. Adding a touch of umami flavor makes fish more satisfying.
Tart & Tangy
Ingredients like vinegar, verjus, sumac, tamarind, yogurt, arugula, sorrel and tart green apples counterbalance fish’s richness. Herbs like tarragon, basil, mint, chervil and lemongrass also have faint tart, sour qualities that offset oiliness.
Bottom Line
With a rotation of bright herbs, earthy spices, zesty citrus and umami-boosting flavors, you can transform any fish from forgettable to fantastic. The options are infinite for flavoring fish, but these herbs, spices and pairings provide an easy starting point.
Keep tasting as you season, allowing the subtle flavors to shine. A delicate hand prevents overpowering the fish. With practice, you’ll become comfortable enhancing seafood’s natural beauty with herbs rather than hiding it.
Soon you’ll confidently answer the question, “what herbs go with fish?” And more importantly, you’ll create amazing recipes guided by your own intuition and tastebuds.
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How to bake fish with spices
What Spice Blends go best with fish?
- Salt Our Hot Salt For those who like to try new things in the kitchen, squid tastes best with onion, garlic, herbs like parsley, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper.
- Smoky Almond Dukkah makes a lovely crust for salmon. Usually, dukkah makes a dish taste like it came from the Middle East. Putting it on fish as a crust gives a tender dish some crunch and sweetness. Try it with our Dukkah Crusted Salmon recipe and enjoy how well the spices, couscous, and green vegetables go together.
- You can use BBQ Pepper Spice if you want a seasoning that is sweet and spicy but not too hot. For the BBQ Pepper Crusted Tuna, use a mortar and pestle to grind the peppercorns into a coarse powder.
- Fish spice gives you a warm, savory, and floral mix of herbs and spices to put on your fish, so you don’t have to guess what to cook. We suggest mixing it with olive oil 1:3 and covering the fish well. When we serve our Baked Fish with the Creamy Saffron Sauce, the fish is creamy like the sauce but has just the right amount of acidity to clean the palate. You can also try Fish Spice in a homemade stew. With a hint of lemon, this Fish Stew has a lot of different tastes. You can use flathead or red mullet fish fillets and clams in this recipe. The tomato flavors make it taste like a fragrant Mediterranean dish. Serve with lots of sourdough bread and butter to soak up the juices.
What herbs go best with fish?
When cooking fish, think about the flavor it already has and bring it out by adding herbs that go well with it. Some of the best herbs to use with fish are basil, tarragon, dill, and parsley.
- Basil makes the taste better and adds a little sweetness. It tastes great with halibut or cod.
- This herb gives food a sweet, licorice-like flavor and goes especially well with fish that has white flesh, like bass or tilapia.
- There is a slightly sour and savory note to dill that goes well with salmon or trout. If you mix it with paprika, your fish will taste great with the lemon and pepper.
- Parsley gives any kind of fish a great flavor with its peppery and grassy notes.
- If you like to try new native foods, our Australian Bush Herbs are a great way to season your barramundi or bass. When added to a breading mix, this mix tastes great. It has Australian coriander, pumpkin, lemon myrtle, bush tomato, sea salt, onion, native thyme, aniseed myrtle, and chives.
