35 Mint Recipes That Prove Fresh Herbs Are Everything
PSA: Growing your own herb garden (even a tiny one on the windowsill) will change your life. Fresh herbs add so much flavor to a variety of dishes and having them at your disposal 24/7 is never a bad thing. The first herb you should plant? Mint. It’s easy to grow, hard to kill and will make your whole house smell divine. It offers freshness to yogurt dips and cool spreads, herbaceous flavor to meat dishes and salads and zippy brightness to decadent desserts and cocktails. Here are 35 mint recipes that will make you wish you’d been growing it for years.
RELATED: How to Make a Mint Julep, According to the Former Official Mixologist of the Kentucky Derby
1. Spring Pea Soup with Mint
Pea soup has a reputation for being sort of one-note. But this pea soup is determined to prove the haters wrong with its bounty of aromatics and three different types of fresh herbs.
2. Cantaloupe-Mint Sorbet
A taste of summer in every bite. Since the recipe only calls for four simple ingredients, we’d say it’s the perfect excuse to spring for an ice cream maker.
3. Juicy Green Pineapple Smoothie with Mint, Basil and Spirulina
It’s easy being green with this breakfast powerhouse on your team. Mint aids with digestion and bloating, while spirulina (aka blue-green algae) provides protein, iron, iodine, beta-carotene and so much more.
4. Seared Scallops with Green Peas, Mint and Shallots
Mint and blanched peas are pureed to create a vegetal foil for savory scallops seared in bacon fat. Be sure to thoroughly dry the scallops before cooking them to ensure a drool-worthy crust.
5. Melon Salad with Chili Powder, Mint, Lime and Flaky Sea Salt
Juicy, tender summer melon doesn’t need much help in the deliciousness department. This mélange of honeydew and cantaloupe dusted with fresh herbs, citrus and pantry staples is proof.
6. Instant Pot Spaghetti with Goat Cheese, Mint and Peas
This cozy main only needs 30 minutes in the pressure cooker to come together. The key to al dente Instant Pot pasta is dropping the noodles in dry with the aromatics so they absorb more flavor, then quick-releasing the pressure once they’re cooked.
7. Cilantro Mint Chutney Swirled Hummus
Mint, cilantro, fresh ginger and garlic are blitzed in the blender until smooth, then swirled through classic hummus for an artful appetizer.
8. Mint Julep
The refreshing bourbon drink has been served at every Kentucky Derby since the late 1930s. But you don’t have to head down south to taste it: We tapped the former official mixologist of the iconic horserace for the O.G. recipe.
9. No-Churn Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Not only is the heavy cream infused with mint on the stove for maximum flavor, but peppermint extract is also added to the mix before freezing.
10. Minty-Fresh Zucchini Salad with Marinated Feta
The summer squash can do so much more than quick bread and zoodle bowls. Here, briny feta, fresh mint and orange peel make its raw flavor sing.
11. Mango Guacamole
Sweet mango + buttery avocado + spicy serranos + fresh lime and mint = a positively flawless party dip (or taco topper).
12. Falafel Salad with Spicy Yogurt Sauce
Since nobody gets excited about digging into a bed of lettuce, we spiced up the greens with radicchio, parsley, cilantro and mint.
13. One-Pot Pasta with Vegetables
The only thing we love more than the marinated artichoke hearts in this dish is the two-ingredient “sauce,” which is nothing but pasta water, lemon juice and Pecorino cheese.
14. Pomegranate-Maple Glazed Lamb Chops
A flourish of torn mint leaves and pomegranate arils has this lamb entrée ready for its Christmas debut.
15. Blood Orange-Mint Gin Fizz
This wintry cocktail is as bright as a summer’s day, thanks to fresh-squeezed blood orange juice, bubbly prosecco and a generous dose of chopped mint.
16. Baileys Mint Chocolate Chip Pops in Hot Americano
You’ve never had an affogato (or espresso-topped ice cream) this epic. Dunk the homemade ice pops into your Americano and watch the drink slowly turn into a creamy latte-like concoction as it melts.
17. Champagne Watermelon Cocktail
Whether you’re celebrating a new job, an engagement or a housewarming, bubbly is always the answer. (BTW, this is the easiest way to cut the watermelon ahead of juicing it.)
18. Citrus, Fennel and Avocado Salad
Fresh mint and parsley star in a simple lemon-olive oil dressing that brings peppery arugula, creamy avocado and sharp fennel to life.
19. Spicy Couscous with Yogurt
Earthy whole-wheat couscous meets crunchy almonds, fresh mint and cool yogurt for a side dish that’s anything but boring. It’s all tossed in a spicy harissa vinaigrette for good measure too.
20. Watermelon Mojito Slushies
We see a pool party in your future, and you’re sipping these bad boys with abandon. Instead of traditional rum, they star watermelon-mint vodka instead.
21. Charred Sweet Potatoes with Pistachio-Chili Pesto
Forget the mini marshmallows. This smoky, herbaceous side dish is destined for your Thanksgiving table. Make a double batch of the pesto to use on pasta, sandwiches and roasted veggies.
22. Whole-Wheat Feta Tart with Caramelized Onions and Herbs
The key to the tangy feta-cream cheese filling is a boatload of chopped herbs, like parsley, dill, mint and oregano. Plate it with a Greek salad and bam: Dinner is served.
23. Mint Julep Margaritas
Two of our favorite cocktails in one frosty concoction. Since Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby are always days apart, you can kill two parties with one stone.
24. Zoodles with Avocado and Mango Sauce
We love you, 15-minute meals. The sauce is as simple as blitzing canned coconut milk, frozen mango, ginger, mint and avocado in the blender until smooth.
25. Wild Alaska Salmon and Smashed Cucumber Grain Bowls
Prepare to be the envy of the breakroom when you dig into this protein-rich salmon bowl at lunchtime. Smashing the cukes ensures that they soak up every drop of dressing.
26. Cranberry-Mint Holiday Punch
Playing bartender at your own party keeps you from…well, everything. Let your guests serve themselves with a big-batch cocktail instead. (This one calls for vodka, orange liqueur and sparkling wine.)
27. 15-Minute Cucumber-Avocado Blender Soup
Making soup from scratch is easy on paper, but can feel super tedious after all that slicing, dicing and simmering. Trade your cutting board for a blender and the soup will basically make itself.
28. Grilled Zucchini with Feta and Pumpkin Seeds
Paper-thin ribbons of zucchini char just as nicely on the grill as larger cuts. Once they’re browned to your liking, all that’s left to do is load it with toppings and lime juice.
29. Thin Mint Tarts
Sure, the recipe uses peppermint extract instead of fresh mint. But in honor of our favorite Girl Scout cookie of all time, we’d be remiss not to put this treat on your radar.
30. Coconut Milk Marinated Lamb Kebab
We’re not sure what to taste first, the impossibly tender leg of lamb or the tarragon-mint pistachio pesto.
31. Pineapple-Mint Spritz
With orange juice and chilled Moscato in the mix, this drink is kind of like a souped-up mimosa. If we were you, we’d invite friends over for alfresco brunch ASAP.
32. One-Pot Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
The fresh finishing touches, including cilantro, mint, Thai basil, scallions, Thai chile and lime, are just as essential to the dish’s flavor as the chicken soup ingredients.
33. Fried Zucchini and Mint-Pistachio Pesto Pappardelle
Crisp breaded zucchini rounds are just the fatty pairing for citrusy, nutty pasta. Two types of cheese (Parmesan and manchego, to be exact) offer just the right amount of salty bliss.
34. Blueberry Mojito Popsicles
Mint-infused simple syrup meets fresh summer blueberries and citrus juice in this Insta-worthy boozy pop.
35. No-Churn Minted White Chocolate Swirl Ice Cream
Isn’t she lovely? Heavy cream is simmered with fresh mint and infused with peppermint extract for flavor, but a dash of spirulina is the key to its pretty green hue.
RELATED: What Herbs Grow Well Together? We Asked an Expert
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.