Known for late spring and summer heat, tarragon’s sweet, pungent, licorice like sweet taste is relatable to sage in that you are meant to add at the end of the cooking process to enhance the overall taste of the dish.
Used as a culinary classic, this subtle tasting herb goes well with variety of dishes, but not all.
What to eat with tarragon? Generally, tarragon is eaten with acidic foods and flavors.
This tender herb pairs well with citrus fruits, vegetables, poultry and seafood. Breakfast egg dishes like omelet or egg salad with sauces such as creamy hollandaise or tartar sauce also pair wonderfully with tarragon.
However, some herbs such as oregano, rosemary, and basil do not go well with tarragon.
Tarragon has unique and specific flavor that can be challenging to blend with other herbs or sweet and savory dishes. If you have been unsuccessful using tarragon in your recipes, this article gives an overview of what should be eaten with tarragon.
What does tarragon go best with?
Tarragon combines with vegetables, seafood, cheese, wine, and herbs. However, not all ingredients complement well with this strong and bold flavored herb.
Here are classic ingredients that goes best with tarragon:
- Vegetables: artichoke, asparagus, green beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, chives, fennel bulb, leeks, lettuces, paprika, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, summer squash, zucchini
- Herbs: parsley, dill, mint
- Condiments: mayonnaise, dijon mustard, olive oil, soy sauce, vinaigrette
- Vinegar: champagne, sherry, white wine
- Seafood: halibut, oyster, salmon, scallops, shellfish, shrimp
- Grains: lentils, wild rice, brown rice, white rice
- Cheese: blue, swiss, cheddar, goat, ricotta
- Dairy: cream, créme fraîche
- Wine: Arneis, white Burgundy, no oak Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier
Is tarragon good with chicken?
Yes, tarragon is good with chicken and gives a delicate taste when used in conjunction with other food pairings. It has spicy, licorice-like taste that blends well with the mild chicken flavor to give a taste of peppery and a subtle hint of turpentine.
From chicken thigh to breast, with creamy sauce or roasted with tarragon herbs, the chicken can be perfectly prepared without a doubt. The combination of odd flavors makes tarragon have a unique taste.
What spice goes well with tarragon?
It might seem weird to pair a spice with another spice due to its bold taste. This is not the case with tarragon, and there are specific spices that blend well with tarragon.
A variety of spices combine perfectly with tarragon to bring out the sweetest aroma and delicious taste. The best spices to use with tarragon include:
- anise
- bay leaf
- celery seeds
- black pepper
- chervil
- mustard seed
What fruit goes well with tarragon?
Actually, tarragon pairs beautifully with fruits much like other ingredients. From salads to granita and cocktail, tarragon brings out the natural sweetness with a hint of unique herbaceous notes to enjoy.
A variety of fruits pair well with tarragon without masking its taste. The best fruits to serve with tarragon include:
- Stone fruits: apples, apricots, peaches, plum
- Citrus fruits: grapefruit, lemon, lime, orange
- Tropical fruits: melon, pineapple
- Berries: cranberries, raspberries, strawberries
- Dried fruits: dates, apricots, cherries
What fish goes well with tarragon
Not only chicken and beef, but tarragon also goes with a variety of seafood including lobster, mussels, oysters, scallops, and shrimp. A handful of easy to prepare fish that actually goes well with tarragon.
Tarragon will taste fabulously with these species of fish when properly cooked:
- halibut
- salmon
- tuna
- red snapper
What food goes well with tarragon?
Many dishes depend on tarragon for taste since vinegar or citrus are predominately used to create acidic flavor, and there’s no other perfect flavor combination than tarragon.
Foods that go best with tarragon include:
- crab cakes
- omelets
- egg salad
- pasta
- fruit or green salad
- béarnaise, creamy, hollandaise, and tartar sauces
- soups
- vegetable stocks
- stuffings
What flavor goes with tarragon?
The mild and subtle flavor of chervil and parsley blends perfectly with unique boldness of tarragon.
Chervil will taste a bit like parsley, but with a sophisticated yet gentle anise warmth. This flavor blends well with the spicy, licorice-like taste of tarragon.
Other flavor combination that goes well with tarragon are:
- tarragon + anise + celery seeds
- tarragon + chicken + lemon
- tarragon + orange + seafood
- tarragon + dijon mustard + heavy cream + butter
- tarragon + honey + lemon + white wine
Eat with Tarragon: Conclusion
Tarragon is among the best ingredients for classic French fine herbs, a seasoning mix of several fresh herbs. It is widely loved by many due to its spicy, licorice-like taste that blends in conjunction with various flavors.
Easy to incorporate in dishes since it is not always cooked as the main dish is being prepared, rather it is added during the final process. It is majorly used to prepare sauces, meat, vegetables and soups.
Tarragon has bold and unique sweetness that only pairs well with acidic foods and flavors instead of sweet or savory dishes. Furthermore, it can enhance the bland flavor in egg dishes or creamy sauce.
From meat to seafood and fruits, there are various ingredients that complement well with tarragon. However, pairing with other herbs can be very tricky.
Avoid oregano, rosemary, and sage when mixing herbs with tarragon. Due to its bold and strong pungent aroma, it can negatively impact the dish.
If you never used tarragon outside of following a recipe, consider these flavor combinations and recommended ingredients to help you find the perfect dish.