Simple Uses for Rosemary

When you have a large crop of rosemary from the garden or farmstand, you don't have time to casually include it in complicated recipes or to frantically figure out how to use it up before it goes bad without getting sick of it. You want to make the most of your harvest and to actually enjoy it.

Here at Plant to Plate, we like to keep things simple! Here are some of my favorite ways to use or preserve rosemary:

Mix it with sage and use this mixture when sautéing, slow-cooking, and baking a variety of vegetables. Root veggies such as parsnips, carrots, and beets are an especially good fit for this combination, as are many Brassicas like kohlrabi and cauliflower.

Slow-cook it with apple cider vinegar, honey, and beets or carrots.

Bake it with carrots and orange slices.

Bake it with green beans and brussels sprouts.

Bake it with lamb.

Bake it with chicken and lemon balm.

Bake it with salmon and lemon juice or lemon balm.

Roast it with beets, parsnips, and carrots.

Top a baked potato with rosemary and sage or chives.

Top sweet potatoes or winter squash with rosemary and parmesan.

Top a flatbread with rosemary, apples, and arugula.

Add it to savory baked goods such as savory quickbreads and muffins.

Add it to egg dishes like omelets, scrambles, and quiches.

Make a simple soup with rosemary, beets, carrots, and parsnips.

Add it to other soups and broths.

Add it to pasta dishes, stovetop or baked.

Add it to rice, quinoa, and other savory grains.

Add it to rice bowls and other grain bowls such as those made with amaranth, buckwheat, or quinoa.

Make a creative pesto with rosemary, mint, olive oil, sunflower seeds, and pecorino romano.

Make a Simple Salad with rosemary, apples, and endive.

Use it as Decor in an Interesting Salad. (Wondering why I capitalized those letters? Read more about Interesting Salads here!)

Add it to other salads.

Make an herbed butter.

Make a tea. Rosemary tea is best prepared as an infusion.

Add it to a tea blend. Get creative! I like to steep rosemary with peppermint, sage, and thyme.

Add it to infused water, alone or with peppermint and apple, cucumber, or lemon slices.

Make infused vinegar. Rosemary-infused vinegar is a delicious salad dressing. You could also co-infuse your rosemary with sage, peppermint, and/or lemon balm, among others.

Make infused oil. Rosemary-infused oil can be used as a salad dressing or drizzle. It can also be processed further into balms, lotions, and more.

Make a syrup. Rosemary syrup is tasty and effective on its own. Rosemary is also great in a syrup blend with thyme, sage, and peppermint. Learn how to make an herbal syrup here.

Make an herbal honey. An herbal honey is a delicious way to preserve the herbal properties of your rosemary, extend its shelf life, and get benefits of honey as well.

Make herbal candies with rosemary and honey or sugar.

Make an herbal salt.

Make a tincture. The suggested herb:solvent ratio for a rosemary tincture is 1:5 in 40% alcohol.

Dry it for later use in any of the above culinary and herbal preparations. See our How to Dry Your Herbs articles here for more information.

Freeze it whole, chopped, or in ice cubes. Learn about these different freezing methods in our Freezing Overview here.

Add it to pickles such as those made with carrots, cucumbers, radishes, or beets.

Further Reading

Growing rosemary? Check out these quick facts like its best growing conditions, companion plants, and expected yields.

Rosemary is also featured in these articles:

Quick Facts: Growing Rosemary