In many regions, mints are some of the easiest plants to grow. Even if kept in a container like we recommend in our Growing Mints article, mints like peppermint and spearmint may grow and spread quickly. This results in more frequent harvests.
This is definitely in the "good problem" category for most of us. But after running through your favorite mint recipes a few times, you may want to try something new. What else can you do with mint?
In this article, we'll discuss...
- Does it matter which type of mint I use?
- Using mints in culinary preparations
- Using mints in herbal preparations
- More information
Let's get right into it!
Does It Matter Which Type of Mint I Use?
The main mints are peppermint, spearmint, and water mint. Of these, peppermint and spearmint are the most common.
Other mints are usually varieties of these 3 main species. For example, chocolate mint and strawberry mint are varieties of peppermint that bear their namesake scents.
Each mint has a distinct flavor. Peppermint tends to have a sharper flavor, while spearmint's flavor is more subtle.
If you are using herbal preparations for health-supportive reasons, be aware that different mints have different constituents, herbal properties, and nutrient composition. There may be some overlap, but each type has at least some unique traits. For example, both peppermint and spearmint support the nervous, respiratory, and digestive systems. But spearmint has an affinity for the urinary and integumentary systems, while peppermint is an especially effective carminative and body temperature regulator.
Any mint can be used in the recipes we share in this article. Just be aware of the above differences.
Using Mints in Culinary Preparations
Mints can be used in a number of culinary preparations. Culinary preparations are edible dishes that are cooked, baked, or otherwise combined with other ingredients to be eaten.
Here are a few of my favorite ways to cook with mints:
- Add them to salads. Mint leaves make a delicious addition to a variety of salads. They can be used as Decor in an Interesting Salad. They also go well in a number of Simple Salads and everything in between. See the individual mint type's simple uses page for inspiration.
- Add them to hot grains. See our Interesting Hot Cereal article for a few tips.
- Add them to your stirfry or sauté dish. I often recommend sautéing leafy greens with an allium and a lemony ingredient like lemon juice, lemon balm, or lemon verbena. But mints can be substituted for the lemon ingredient in this combination for a completely different, equally delicious flavor. So, for example, you might choose to sauté spinach, leeks, and a mint after your next harvest.
- Add them to soups. Mints tend to complement cucurbits especially well in soups. But they can work with a variety of produce.
- Add them to dips. Mints make a great addition to yogurt-based dips like tzatziki. They can be thrown in with other dips as well for a fresh kick.
- Stir them in with yogurt.
- Substitute them for basil in your next pesto. Naturally they don't mimic the flavor of basil, but mints work wonderfully in their own way with the other components. This is true whether you use the otherwise traditional ingredients of pine nuts and parmesan or different ingredients in an extra creative pesto. Search our site for "pesto" for inspiration.
- Add them to salsas for a uniquely positive flavor.
- Add them to pickles. Mints make a tasty, nutritious addition to both traditional pickles and quick pickles made with a variety of veggies.
- Add them to smoothies for an extra refreshing boost.
- Make infused water with mint and fruit. Most mints work well with most fruits, but cherries and berries make especially yummy complements to them.
- Make ice cubes. See our Freezing Overview for instructions for making mint ice cubes.
Using Mints in Herbal Preparations
Herbal preparations allow you to reap the benefits of mints' constituents through things like teas, tinctures, and lotions. See our Herbal Preparations overview here for more information.
See our Using Herbs article for safety info as well as some recommendations for books that include peppermint and spearmint monographs.
Here are a few of my favorite herbal preparations using mints:
- Make a hot infusion with fresh leaves. Mint tea made with freshly picked leaves is my absolute favorite type of herbal tea. It might be yours too. Learn more about hot infusions here.
- Make a hot infusion with dried leaves. Follow the steps in our How to Dry Your Herbs series to dry your mint.
- Make a cold infusion with fresh or dried leaves. Mints make great cold infusions on their own, also known as a simple, whether fresh or dried. Learn more about cold infusions here.
- Add them to tea blends. Not only do mints add herbal properties, such as their anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, but they also add a powerful, pleasant flavor. This flavor can complement other tasty herbs. It can also balance out bitterness and other less-scrumptious flavors in other plants. As noted above, peppermint's flavor is stronger than spearmint's flavor, but all mints can be positive additions to a blend. Mints make great additions to most infusion blends, but here are a few ideas to get your creative wheels turning. Combine any mint with the following:
- Rose petals
- Fennel leaf
- Ginger or wild ginger
- St. John's wort, skullcap, and passionflower
- Thyme and rosemary
- Marshmallow (cold infusion)
- Make a tincture. See the individual type of mint's gardening facts ingestibility section or its simple uses page for specific percentages if you are using the mathematical method. Otherwise see this article for information on making a tincture using the folk method.
- Make a syrup. Mints make great simple syrups. They are also delicious and effective when combined with other herbs, especially other herbs in the same (Lamiaceae) family. Learn more in our How to Make an Herbal Syrup article.
- Make infused vinegar. Mint-infused vinegar can be a great salad dressing or dressing base. Most mints are high in vitamins A and C, iron, and other important nutrients. Vinegars are one of the best ways to preserve water-soluble vitamins and minerals like these.
- Make infused oil.
- Make herbal lotions, lip balms, and body balms. Mints' soothing effects are not limited to internal use. They are also great skin-supporters. Lotions and balms are made from mint-infused oil along with secondary ingredients like beeswax. Future Plant to Plate articles will consider these preparations in more depth.
- Make an herbal steam. This is similar to the process for making a decoction, but the pot is uncovered while boiling. Steam is breathed in so that it reaches and supports the lungs directly.
- Make herbal honey. Herbal honey makes a great topping for toast, bagels, and hot cereals.
- Make herbal candy. Mint candies are made with a mint and sugar or honey.
Read More
Check out other mint-specific articles here:
Learn how to preserve your mint here:
- How to Hang-dry Your Herbs
- How to Screen-dry Your Herbs
- How to Preserve Your Harvest: Freezing, which includes instructions for making herbal ice cubes
And learn more ways to prepare your food and herbs in these articles:
- The Interesting Salad Protocol
- The Interesting Hot Cereal
- Soups 101: The Basic Process for Making Soup
- How to Make a Hot Herbal Infusion
- How to Make an Herbal Syrup
- Tincture Basics