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Mint (ingredient)

Fresh herbs · Fresh herbs

Mint

Cool, sweet-scented herb (usually spearmint) for chutneys, salads, drinks and lamb.

Also called: fresh mint, spearmint, pudina, nane, hierbabuena

A kind of fresh herbs

130 recipes with it

Photo: Simon Eugster -- Simon 13:07, 2 July 2006 (UTC), via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

What it is

Mint is a leafy herb with bright green, toothed leaves and a cooling, sweet aroma. Cooking mint is usually spearmint, which is gentler than peppermint. Fresh mint tastes green and sweet, while dried mint is earthier and is used differently, often in cooked dishes.

Mentha spicata

How it’s used

  • Mint chutney and raita
  • Biryani layering
  • Middle Eastern salads such as tabbouleh and fattoush
  • Mojitos, mint tea and lemonade
  • Vietnamese herb plates
  • Mint sauce for lamb

Characteristics

Taste
Cool, sweet, fresh.
Sold as
fresh, dried
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Used as a garnish, Mainly a seasoning

Kinds in our pantry

Storage

Refrigerated. Stand in water or wrap in damp paper in a bag; leaves blacken if crushed or too wet.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
44 kcal
Protein
3.29 g
Carbohydrate
8.41 g
Fat
0.73 g
Fibre
6.8 g
Sugars
— g

USDA FoodData Central: Spearmint, fresh.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Dried mint — About a third of the fresh amount, only in cooked or yogurt dishes, not as garnish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with mint

See all 130

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