Life
11 Savory Mint Recipes to Keep Things Fresh All Season Long
You forget about mint sometimes. Sure, it’s the garnish on your fruit salad and the hidden flavor in your ice cream cone. But when was the last time you let mint be the star of the show? While you proudly leave basil whole on pizzas and in stir-fries, your mint leaves are torn, ribboned, and tucked in discreet places where you never have to see them.
Let’s fix that. As our herb garden comes into season, we’ll make mint our kitchen confidante. We’ll think beyond the dessert table and put our friend front and center — for dinner, for grilling season, and for everything after. Raise a julep to summer’s favorite herb — we’re falling in love with mint all over again.
Image: Heather Christo
Peaches and Herb
Move over, basil. It’s mint’s time to shine in the pesto spotlight. Once you have a bright, creamy sauce, drizzle it all over this savory peach salad from Love and Lemons.
Image: Love and Lemons
Fry Cook
A hint of mint livens up these otherwise decadent falafels from Green Kitchen Stories.
Image: Green Kitchen Stories
Do It Raw
Ceviche is good. Ceviche with mint? That’s some serious sorcery. Heather Christo whips up a fresh bunch, together with tomatillos and lime, to make the perfect seafood marinade.
Image: Heather Christo
Peas, Please
Pea soup isn’t just for your stuffy, elderly neighbor from across the pond. Over at Borrowed Salt, mint breathes new life into a classic staple.
Image: Borrowed Salt
Rice is Nice. Millet is Better.
Mint is a citizen of the world. It can be British, French, or distinctly American — but in this pilaf from My Darling Lemon Thyme, it heads eastward. Sub millet for rice, and you have a hearty summer side dish.
Image: My Darling Lemon Thyme
Pork Barrel
Pork tends to tread on the fatty side, so lighten your piggy-centric dishes with a bright sprinkling of mint, à la Lady and Pups.
Image: Lady and Pups
Sour Patch
You already use mint in your sweet fruit salads — now, take it to the savory side with feta cheese and thin slices of red onion. Thanks, Pomelo!
Image: Pomelo
Taste the Rainbow
Have a bunch of leftover mint? Throw it together with some meaty chickpeas and a zippy dressing and call it a day. Technicolor Kitchen breaks it down.
Image: Technicolor Kitchen
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
Busting out the grill? Don’t forget to pair your skewered meats with a tangy, mint-infused dipping sauce. Thanks, Half Baked Harvest!
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Water Cooler
Cool off between courses with this refreshing watermelon salad from Pass the Sushi. A generous sprinkling of mint keeps this dish from straying into sweet territory.
Image: Pass the Sushi
On the Lamb
As much as we love lamb, it can overpowering. I Am a Food Blog balances it out with a cool mint note that runs throughout this rich lasagna.
Image: I Am a Food Blog
Bottoms Up
You can’t end a mint-tastic meal without a julep. Derby Day has passed, but we never need much of an excuse to muddle our mint with bourbon and drink up. Thanks, Crepes of Wrath!
Image: Crepes of Wrath
