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Lovage

Fresh herbs · Fresh herbs

Lovage

Tall herb with a strong celery-parsley flavour; Romanian leuștean finishes sour soups like ciorbă de perișoare.

Also called: lovage leaves, leuștean, liebstöckel, maggi herb, levisticum

Around the world: leuștean (ro) · Liebstöckel (de) · lubczyk (pl)

A kind of fresh herbs

1 recipe with it

Photo: 4028mdk09, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

A perennial garden herb with glossy leaves that look like flat parsley but taste intensely of celery, with a hint of anise. It is used fresh in Romanian, German and Central European cooking, mostly in soups, and its strength means a small handful is enough.

Levisticum officinale

How it’s used

  • Stirred into ciorbă and other sour soups at the end
  • Added to potato and bean soups
  • Chopped into salads in small amounts

Characteristics

Taste
Strong celery and parsley with a slightly bitter, anise edge.
Aroma
Very aromatic, like celery leaves.
Sold as
fresh, dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Used as a garnish

Storage

Refrigerated. Wrap in damp paper and keep in the fridge for 4–5 days; chopped lovage freezes well.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
36 kcal
Protein
2.97 g
Carbohydrate
6.33 g
Fat
0.79 g
Fibre
3.3 g
Sugars
0.85 g

USDA FoodData Central: Parsley, fresh (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Celery — Use celery leaves with a little parsley.
  • Dill — Different but also traditional in some ciorbă.

Related ingredients

Recipes with lovage

More fresh herbs