10 Surprising Ways We Love to Use Fresh Mint
Updated: Feb. 11, 2023
Mint plants are prolific, and growing one means you'll find yourself with WAY more of this aromatic herb than you anticipated. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to use fresh mint.
Use mint as a basting brush
Did you know you can use fresh herbs as a basting brush? Grab a bunch of mint and use it to brush your favorite sauce over meat or vegetables as they cook. It’ll infuse the sauce with minty flavor and keep clean-up to a minimum.
Lay mint down on a cedar plank
The next time you grill with a cedar plank, lay a few sprigs of mint on the board before adding your fish or vegetables. The resulting flavor will be subtle, and the aroma will be out of this world.
Add mint to salads
Mint is generally thought of as a sweet herb, but its fresh flavor goes well with savory ingredients. Add it to any salad (especially this minty watermelon-cucumber salad) or toss it in with pasta salads like summer orzo. Really, the possibilities for fresh mint recipes are endless.
Make mint cocktails (or mocktails)
Mint is a cooling herb, so it’s perfect for creating summertime porch sippers like mojitos. If you’re avoiding alcohol, use mint to create a refreshing mocktail instead.
Create bold sauces with fresh mint
Sauces like pesto and chimichurri are typically made with basil or cilantro, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make them with other herbs. Try making a mint pesto. It’s absolutely perfect for lamb chops!
Make mint-infused sugar
Mint sugar can be used in almost any recipe that calls for regular sugar. Simply blend 1/2 cup sugar with 12 mint leaves and let it dry in a single layer on a baking sheet. Store it in an airtight container and use it in recipes like sugar cookies.
Flavor water and other drinks
Add a few chopped-up mint leaves to freshen-up regular water, or add it to iced tea or lemonade. You can also freeze mint in ice cube trays to create a visually-stunning addition to any drink.
Turn mint into dessert
Mint is often used as a garnish for chocolate desserts, but you can turn it into the dessert itself. Dip a few mint leaves into melted chocolate and chill them in the fridge until they’re hardened. Yum!
Make minted butter
This minted butter recipe is super easy to make! Spread it on scones or biscuits, or use it instead of regular butter when making pasta dishes like cacio e pepe.
Blend mint into smoothies
Mint was made for smoothies. It’s especially tasty when paired with ginger or lemon, but you can add a few leaves to any smoothie recipe to help your taste buds get past kale’s bitter flavor.
Originally Published: July 14, 2020
