What to do with Mint Leaves will give you ideas to use up your harvest from your mint plants. There are so many different ways to use sprigs of mint; you’ll love trying them all.
If you’re looking for more ideas for mint, How to Store Mint: Storing, Drying, and Freezing and How to Grow Mint will help you on your journey.
Growing mint leaves is a wonderful addition to any garden or indoor herb garden. Mint is an incredibly easy herb to grow, even for those with limited gardening experience. Fresh herbs can be easily grown on a windowsill.
Mint is also a vigorous grower, quickly spreading and spreading spaces with its lush green leaves. Their rapid growth means you’ll have a bountiful supply of fresh mint leaves.
Mint plants also have numerous health benefits. They aid in digestion and soothe upset stomachs.
Fresh mint can also be added to many culinary dishes, from beverages to desserts, and it adds its distinct flavor to anything it graces. Even if you have a large harvest of mint, you can easily use it up with these ideas.
Types of Mint
There are numerous varieties of mint, each offering unique flavors and aromas to elevate your culinary experiences. Spearmint is known for its sweet and mild taste, while peppermint boasts a more intense, cool flavor, making them both popular choices in cooking and beverages.
Here are more mint varieties:
- Apple Mint
- Chocolate Mint
- Pineapple Mint
- Moroccan Mint
- Strawberry Mint
- Mojito Mint
You can find more various types of mint in this article. Just be sure to plant your mint in fertile soil for best results. Container gardening works best because of the invasive nature of the mint plant.
When planting mint, they can do well in direct sun but thrive with partial shade in hot climates.
The best way to harvest mint is to cut the stem right above the second set of leaves.
Fresh Mint Storage
If you don’t have a herb storage container for your fridge, you don’t know what you’re missing out on. This simple herb storage container can hold up to three different herbs and can be found on Amazon.
Creating a Cozy Life Group
Since you found this article on What to do with Mint Leaves, I’m guessing you love all things cozy living. I created a Facebook group with over 123,000 like-minded souls.
It’s a group where we share recipes, photos of things that leave you in awe, and ideas on how to make your life just a little bit more snug. Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cottage.
Here’s What To Do With Mint Leaves
Beverages
Mint Lemonade
Mixing mint and lemonade together makes the perfect beverage for a hot summer day.
Start with mint simple syrup and add it to water and fresh lemon juice. Add some fresh mint leaves to each glass.
Infused Mint Water
Infused water with mint leaves offers an excellent way to stay hydrated while enjoying a burst of flavor.
You can create a variety of flavors that you customize to personalize your preference by adjusting the ratios.
Here are few examples of infused water combinations featuring mint:
Cucumber-Mint Infused Water
Add thinly sliced cucumbers and mint leaves to a pitcher of water. Allow the flavors to meld together to create a cooling beverage.
Pineapple-Coconut-Mint Infused Water
Add pineapple chunks, mint leaves, and coconut water to a pitcher and top the pitcher up with filtered water. It’s a tropical twist to your daily beverages.
Strawberry-Mint Infused Water
Sliced strawberries and sprigs of mint-infused water result in a sweet and aromatic drink perfect for hot summer days.
Mint Julep
Mint juleps are classic bourbon-based cocktails that feature muddled mint leaves, sugar, and crushed ice.
Sitting on your front porch on a hot summer day with a mint julep is a great way to end a busy weekend.
Hot Mint Tea or Iced Mint Tea
You can use fresh or dried mint leaves to make hot or iced tea. Moroccan mint tea is a popular choice for hot tea. Making iced peppermint tea every day in the summer is a good idea when you have the bulk of your mint harvest.
Herbal tea offers plenty of health benefits. Mix the mint leaf with other fresh herb choices to find your favorite combination.
Mint is the perfect hardy perennial herb to add to a themed tea garden. To get started on your tea garden, I wrote a post about it. The ingredients for herbal teas are right outside your back door.
Smoothies
Adding mint to smoothies is a great way to elevate the flavor and provide a refreshing twist.
Whether blending fruits like watermelon, strawberries, and pineapple, or incorporating leafy greens like kale and spinach, mint adds a delightful taste. I love to make chocolate banana smoothies with mint.
Mint Simple Syrup
Mint syrup is an easy recipe to make. Combine 1 cup of water with 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar completely dissolves.
Once the sugar dissolves, add the mint leaves to the saucepan. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to infuse the mint flavor into the syrup.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool for 10-15 minutes. Strain the mint leaves from the syrup. Press down on the mint leaves to extract any remaining liquid.
Transfer the mint syrup to a clean, airtight container, and store the glass jar in the refrigerator. It will keep for two weeks.
Here are 11 different ways to use mint simple syrup:
- Sweeten iced tea or iced coffee
- Create flavored cocktails like mojitos, margaritas, or daiquiris
- Drizzle over pancakes, waffles, or French toast
- Mix into fruit salads for sweetness
- Use as a glaze for cupcakes, cakes, or muffins
- Add flavor to milkshakes
- Mix into homemade popsicles, ice cream, or sorbets for added flavor
- Use in a marinade for grilling meat or vegetables
- Make flavored syrup for Italian soda
- Use in cookies or brownies
- Create infused water
Mint Ice Cubes
To make mint ice cubes, simply place washed a fresh mint leaf in each compartment of the ice cube trays and fill them with water.
For best results, use distilled water or boiling water before using for a clear ice cube. Freeze in the ice cube tray until solid and add to your favorite beverage. You can store the leftover ice cubes in freezer bags until needed.
You can make the ice cubes more colorful by adding fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
Salads
Watermelon Salad with Mint
Indulge in a refreshing watermelon salad paired with aromatic fresh mint.
This salad has watermelon cubes, Kalamata olives, feta cheese crumbles, lime juice, and fresh mint leaves that create an irresistible blend of sweet and savory in every bite.
Cucumber Salad
Add mint as a finishing touch to your favorite cucumber salad recipes. The crispness of the cucumbers harmonizes with the mint’s rejuvenating essence, resulting in a refreshing culinary delight.
Fruit Salads
A fruit salad drizzled with luscious mint-infused honey becomes a symphony of sweetness and herbal essence, awakening the palate with every bite.
The delicate balance between the assorted fruits and the aromatic mint syrup transform this dish into a tantalizing celebration of flavors and textures. Here’s a recipe for Minty Honey Fruit Salad.
Mint Dressing
With its zesty blend of tangy vinegar and aromatic mint leaves, mint vinaigrette transforms ordinary salads into a tantalizing blend of taste and fragrance.
This vibrant dressing adds a refreshing twist, elevating the greens and vegetables with lively flavor notes. Here’s a recipe for mint vinaigrette using fresh mint leaves.
Tabbouleh
To craft tabbouleh, combine finely chopped fresh parsley, vibrant tomatoes, and fragrant mint leaves with cracked wheat soaked in water.
Finish the salad by drizzling the mixture with zesty lemon juice and olive oil, creating a harmonious medley of flavors and textures in this delightful Middle Eastern salad. You can find a recipe for tabbouleh salad.
Side Dishes
New Potatoes
New potatoes paired with freshly chopped mint create a delightful and aromatic combination, infusing each tender bite with a refreshing flavor.
This classic culinary duo offers a harmonious balance of earthy and herbal notes, elevating the simple potato into a memorable gourmet experience. Here’s a recipe for New Potatoes with Mint, Garlic, and Butter.
Soups
Mint leaves add a refreshing twist to a warm bowl of soup, infusing each spoonful with a cool and invigorating flavor. The aromatic presence elevates the sensory experience, turning a simple soup into a delightful culinary adventure.
Here’s a Pea and Mint Soup for you to try.
Entrees
Mint in Asian Cuisine
Mint is a popular herb that finds its way into an array of Asian cuisine. In Thai cuisine, the iconic “Tom Yum” soup incorporates mint leaves to balance the fiery and sour elements, offering a cool contrast to the heat. Stir fries, curry, and soups are just some ideas for using mint leaves.
Mint in Middle Eastern Cuisine
One of the most beloved applications of using fresh mint is in the aromatic dish known as “Mujadara,” where crispy fried onions and chopped mint are scattered atop the earthy lentil and rice base, offering a refreshing contrast to the hearty flavors.
In Lebanese cuisine, mint finds its way into the flavorful “Kibbeh” meat patties, adding a touch of brightness to the savory blend of spiced ground meat and bulgur.
This versatile herb’s ability to flavor savory and sweet dishes alike showcases its integral role in Middle Eastern cooking.
Mint in Mediterranean Cuisine
Fresh mint is a cherished in Mediterranean cuisine, infusing a burst of aromatic vitality into a range of dishes. In Greek, the traditional “Tzatziki” sauce is elevated with chopped mint leaves, lending a herbaceous note to the yogurt and cucumber mixture.
Moroccan tagines often feature fresh mint as a fragrant garnish, enhancing the rich flavors of slow-cooked meats and vegetables. Whether in salads, marinades, or sauces, mint in Mediterranean cooking adds a captivating layer of depth that embodies the region’s love for vibrant and aromatic ingredients.
Desserts
Ice Cream
Mint chocolate chip ice cream and gelato are the perfect ways to end an evening. Here’s a recipe that uses fresh mint leaves as one of the ingredients in ice cream.
Mint Baked Goods
Mint chocolate chip cookies with fresh mint leaves, mint chocolate cake using real mint, and fresh mint brownies are just some of the ways to use mint in baked goods. Mint pairs well with dark chocolate.
Chocolate Mint Leaves
The harmonious combination of mint leaves and chocolate offers a sweet treat without much effort.
Condiments
Mint Jelly and Mint Sauce
Mint jelly is a sweet, tangy condiment made from mint leaves, sugar, and lemon. It’s often enjoyed as a complement to savory dishes like lamb or roasted meats. Its refreshing flavor adds a delightful contrast to rich and hearty meals.
Mint Sugar
Mint sugar is a versatile culinary ingredient created by blending fresh mint leaves with granulated sugar, resulting in a fragrant and subtly mint-flavored sweetener.
You can use it to elevate desserts, beverages and even as a decorative rimming for cocktails.
Mint Vinegar
Creating mint vinegar is a simple process of infusing vinegar with bright and aromatic essence.
By steeping the leaves in vinegar, you craft a condiment that adds bursts of refreshing flavor to salads, marinades, and various dishes.
Mint Oil
Mint oil is an essential oil derived from the distillation of mint leaves, known for its invigorating aroma.
Widely used in aromatherapy and as a flavoring agent, mint oil’s crisp and cooling scent can promote relaxation and infuse dishes with a touch of deliciousness.
Mint Pesto
When you blend mint leaves, garlic, nuts (such as pine nuts or almonds), Parmesan cheese, and olive oil, magic happens.
This unique twist on traditional pesto offers a bright and herbaceous flavor profile that pairs well with pasta, grilled vegetables, or as a condiment for various dishes.
Make an extra batch of mint pesto to give to family and friends in a cute Mason jar. Tie the recipe to the lid.
Herb Salt
Making your own herb salt is easy with this recipe. You will use dry mint leaves.
More Uses for Fresh Mint Leaves
Garnish
Using mint as a garnish adds a touch of vibrant green and a refreshing aroma to dishes, cocktails, and desserts.
Whether delicately scattered over a fruit salad or elegantly placed atop a cocktail, mint leaves enhance the visual appeal and introduce a delightful hint of herbal flavor to the culinary presentation.
Homemade Mint Extract
Homemade mint extract is created by steeping fresh mint leaves in a neutral alcohol, such as vodka, allowing the mint’s essential oils to infuse into liquid over time.
This DIY extract offers a potent and versatile flavoring for baked goods, beverages, and desserts.
Mint Cleaning Supplies
If you’re looking to make your own homemade all-purpose cleaner, here’s a recipe that combines lemons and mint to create a heavenly scented cleaner that is toxic-free.
What to do with Fresh Mint in the Garden
Pest Control Using Mint
Homemade Bug Spray with Mint
Mint is a natural bug repellent due to its potent aromatic compounds, including menthol and pulegone, which insects find displeasing.
These compounds disrupt the insect’s sensory receptors, making it difficult for them to locate their targets and detect suitable breeding places. Additionally, the strong scent of mint can mask the smells that attract insects, further deterring their presence.
The compounds and scent makes mint an effective and eco-friendly option for repelling a wide range of insects, including mosquitos, ants, spiders, spider mites, and flies.
To make Mint Bug Spray, mix 2 cups of water and 15 drops of mint essential oil.
Simple Mint Pest Control
The next time you go on a picnic, bring along a small vase with a handful of mint and water to keep bugs away. It’s one of the best insect repellents you’ll find.
Mint Beauty Products
Mint Hair Rinse
Making a mint hair rinse involves steeping fresh mint leaves in hot water, then cooling the mixture before straining.
This natural hair treatment can promote a soothing and refresing sensation on the scalp while potentially assisting in reducing excess oil and enhancing overall hair health.
Mint Facial Masks
Homemade mint facial masks can be crafted by blending fresh mint leaves with ingredients like yogurt or clay to create a refreshing and revitalizing skincare treatment.
These face masks may offer benefits such as calming irritated skin, cooling sensation, and potentially helping to unclog pores, contributing to a healthier complexion.
Mint Bath Bombs
Mint bath bombs are luxurious bathing products infused with mint essential oils, dried mint leaves, and other soothing ingredients.
Bath bombs are designed to dissolve in water, releasing a fragrant and invigorating aroma. As they fizz and dissolve, mint bath bombs can create a relaxing spa-like experience.
Mint Bath Salts
Create a soothing oasis at home with homemade mint bath salts, infusing your bathwater with the invigorating aroma of mint and the relaxing properties of Epsom salts.
Indulge in a rejuvenating self-care experience while you soak away stress.
We’ve reached the end of What to do with Mint Leaves. I hope you enjoyed it!
Let me know in the comments below what your favorite way to use mint is from your bountiful harvest.
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