Group · Herbs & spices
Bouquet garni
A bouquet garni is not a product but a gesture: a few sprigs of thyme, a bay leaf, parsley stalks, sometimes celery or rosemary, tied together to flavour a stock and then lifted out in one go. It is the aromatic base of pot-au-feu, beef bourguignon and almost all French stocks.
On nutrition facts, the entry is matched to the Ciqual line “Thyme, dried”, the dominant herb in the bouquet: 285 kcal per 100 g, 37 g of fibre, 9.11 g of protein and 7.43 g of fat. Its mineral content looks spectacular on paper (1,890 mg of calcium and 124 mg of iron per 100 g), but read the next paragraph before drawing any conclusion.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 285 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 1180 kJ |
| Protein | 9,2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 26,9 g |
| Fat | 7,5 g |
| Fibre | 37 g |
Micronutrients per 100 g
All measured nutrients, ranked by share of the daily reference intake.
- Vitamin K11710 µg2280 %
- Iron124 mg886 %
- Manganese7,87 mg394 %
- Calcium1890 mg236 %
- Copper0,86 mg86 %
- Vitamin C50 mg63 %
- Vitamin E7,48 mg62 %
- Zinc6,18 mg62 %
- Vitamin B9dietary folate equivalents274 µg
See the other 8 nutrients
- Magnesium220 mg59 %
- Vitamin B10,51 mg46 %
- Potassium814 mg41 %
- Vitamin B60,55 mg39 %
- Vitamin B34,94 mg31 %
- Phosphorus201 mg29 %
- Vitamin B20,4 mg29 %
- Vitamin A189 µg24 %
Anses Ciqual 2025. Source: Anses, 2025, Ciqual food composition table
Tips
These figures never end up on your plate. That is the key point, and it applies to all aromatics of this kind. The bouquet garni infuses and is removed before serving: its real contribution is nil. The 124 mg of iron per 100 g are those of dried thyme, not those of your stock. Our recipe calculations apply this rule too, and count the bouquet garni as 0 g.
Its real benefit is indirect, and it is real. A well-flavoured stock needs no salt. It is the only credible way to lower the salt content of a simmered dish without making it bland, and that matters more than any micronutrient content.
Fresh or dried, both work. Fresh gives greener notes; dried is more concentrated and holds up better to long cooking. Allow one sprig of thyme, one bay leaf and three parsley stalks for four people: beyond that, the bay dominates and turns bitter.
When to put it in, when to take it out. It goes in with the cold liquid, so the infusion starts as the temperature rises. It comes out after about forty minutes: after that it gives little more and the bay starts to weigh heavy.
Making your own costs less. Ready-made sachets often contain a powder rather than sprigs, which is exactly what stops you removing them. Some kitchen string and three herbs from the Herbs & Spices family are enough.
Sources
Average nutrition values per 100 g, given for guidance (spices and condiments are eaten in small amounts; values vary by brand and preparation).