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Ways to Use Lemon Balm

Stop wondering what to do with lemon balm and start using it up with these simple, delicious, and healing ideas for food and home remedies!

Lemon balm is one of the most amazing double duty herbs. It adds a delightful, light lemon flavor to sweet and savory dishes while also being a time tested herbal remedy.

A text block stating lemon balm uses sitting above 3 photos. A photos of lemon balm tincture in a glass jar, pesto in an open glass jar and a basket of fresh lemon balm stems.

What is Lemon Balm?

The lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) plant is a thick and bushy perennial herb in the mint family. It does indeed smell and taste like lemon without the sourness.

Because it is in the mint family it can be almost invasive in many home gardens. Do plan to give it room and be prepared to thin the plant and root systems often.

Thankfully, there is no shortage of lemon balm uses.

When planning a medicinal herb garden, lemon balm should be considered in the plant list for its ability to soothe anxious nerves and heal cold sores.

Equally important, it should be considered for the edible, kitchen herb garden simply for its distinctive lemon flavor for both savory and sweet dishes.

Fresh stems of lemon balm in a wicker basket.

Cooking with Lemon Balm

Take advantage of that bright lemon flavor by making lemon balm recipes in many of the same ways one would use lemon in the kitchen.

Smoothies

Because lemon balm is missing all the sour and tart notes of actual lemons it makes a great addition to smoothies.

Toss a handful of the leaves in the blender with your favorite smoothie ingredients and blend until smooth. While it is likely to go well with any combination, lemon and berries are quite delicious together.

A glass full of red smoothie with a straw and fresh lemon balm leaves as seen from above.

Simple Syrup

This couldn’t be simpler to make and yet the possibilities for the final product are endless.

Simply combine equal parts (1 cup of each for example) lemon balm leaves, water, and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand for 30 minutes. Strain the leaves from the syrup. Store the syrup in the refrigerator.

Use syrup to sweeten lemonade and iced tea. Pour into club soda for Italian sodas or mix with club soda and vodka or whiskey for a summery cocktail.

Roasted Chicken

The combination of lemon and chicken is always amazing and flavorful. Simply toss a handful of leaves into the chicken cavity before cooking for a light lemon infused flavor. Put some leaves under the skin before roasting, too.

With Fish

Toss stems of lemon balm in the cooking liquid for fish to add a light lemon flavor. Add stems of lemon balm to packets before baking fish in the oven or on the grill.

Compound Butter

Mix ¼ Cup of finely chopped leaves with 1/2 cup of softened, salted butter and that’s all it takes to make an herbal compound butter.

Rolls of herbal compound butter wrapped in waxed paper sitting on a cutting board with loaves of bread in the background.

Use this compound butter on chicken by rubbing it underneath the skin prior to roasting.

Spread the herbed butter on toast and top with sliced tomatoes or cucumbers for a simple, flavorful sandwich.

Make big batches of the compound butter and freeze it for use in the winter months.

Infused Vinegar

Fill a jar half full with fresh leaves, top with white wine vinegar (champagne vinegar is nice too) and seal. Place in a cupboard for 3 to 4 weeks. Strain and bottle the vinegar.

Use in salad dressings, chutney, even fresh salsa for a delightful hint of lemon.

Pesto

Basil is the most traditional and common pesto herb, however; it isn’t the only choice. Use lemon balm in homemade pesto either by itself or in combination with other herbs oregano.

Lemon balm oregano pesto in a glass jar with fresh herbs.

Pesto freezes incredibly well meaning it’s a great way to save up large herb harvests in the summer for winter eating.

Fresh in Jams

When making jams, berry jams especially, toss in a couple of Tablespoons of chopped lemon balm leaves just before putting the jam in jars and processing. It helps impart a lovely light herby flavor and often adds a wonderful texture to the final product.

Baked Goods & Dessert

That lemon flavor is ideal in many baked goods and desserts. It’s crazy easy to add lemon balm to a wide variety of things. Use these recipes as a starting point.

A lemon balm drop biscuit on a plate sitting next to a napkin with a bottle full of fresh lemon balm leaves, a honey jar, a honey dipper, and a platter of more biscuits in the background.

Lemon balm drop biscuits turn green and are full of lemon flavor for breakfast or brunch.

Lemon and poppyseed combine well together making lemon balm poppyseed cookies a true delight.

Fruit Salads

Add a few Tablespoons of chopped lemon balm leaves to fruit salads to impart some lemony flavor without making it sour or too tart.

Also, try mixing some chopped leaves with yogurt to use as topping for fruit salads.

Infused Honey

Just like making mint infused honey – pack a jar half full of lemon balm leaves, fill it with honey. Let sit for a month before straining and use the honey to flavor tea, desserts, and more.

Fresh stems of lemon balm sitting on a cutting board with a pair of scissors and roll of twine in the background.

How to Dry Lemon Balm

Save your fresh lemon balm for later by dehydrating it. Simply cut stems from the plant before they flower. Try bunches together and hang until crispy and dry.

Remove the dried leaves from the stems and store in airtight containers to use for tea and more later in the year when fresh isn’t available.

How to Use Lemon Balm for Home Remedies

Lemon balm has a reputation for being a wonderful nervine. It’s a gentle but effective way to calm anxiety and encourage sleep.

It’s also been widely studied as an effective remedy for cold sores when applied topically.

Want to learn how to make better use of your garden herbs? Take my Year of Seasonal Herbs E-Course for a fun and educational experience sure to grow your herbal confidence.

Lemon Balm Tea

The easiest way to take advantage of the anxiety reducing and insomnia busting power of lemon balm is by drinking a simple cup of tea.

A simple lemon balm tea recipe can use fresh or dried leaves. Simply pour 8 ounces of boiling water over 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh leaves (or 1 Tablespoon of dried leaves). Steep for about 10 minutes (more or less to taste), strain and enjoy.

An open jar as seen from above full of loose leaf herbal tea surrounded by a honey dipper, tea ball, and wooden spoon full of tea blend.

If you like your herbal tea sweetened, add some of the infused honey.

Don’t forget to add it to your own homemade tea blends with things like ginger and green tea.

Lemon Balm Tincture

Make a more concentrated lemon balm extract by soaking the leaves in vodka for a lemon balm tincture. This can be taken in smaller doses than the tea and might be easier for some folks.

A canning jar full of chopped leaves submerged in liquid sitting next to a brown dropper bottle with fresh lemon balm leaves on the table.

Lip Balm for Cold Sores

Lemon balm has been studied as an effective treatment for cold sores. Just like making a healing salve, make lemon balm lip balm by infusing the lemon balm in almond oil and adding some beeswax to make a lip balm.

Add a little lemon balm essential oil to increase the concentration of cold sore zapping power.

An open tin exposing lip balm inside surrounded by fresh lemon balm leaves.

Apply liberally when the cold sore tingle begins to be felt.

Who Should Avoid Lemon

Lemon balm is mostly safe but there as with all things it isn’t safe for everyone, everywhere.

Folks on thyroid medications or who have thyroid problems in general should avoid lemon balm.

If you’re taking any kind of sedative medication don’t use lemon balm.

And as is often the case with many herbs, lemon balm hasn’t been widely studied for use in pregnant women. So to be on the safe side, expectant mothers should avoid it.

As with all herbal preparations, talk with your doctor, pharmacist, herbalist, or other healthcare practitioner before taking any herbal remedies.

Sharing is caring!

monkey

Wednesday 17th of May 2023

thanks! I love websites like these; May your lives be happy, long and healthy

Why can’t you use lemon balm if you’re taking thyroid medication

Monday 19th of September 2022

Why can’t you use lemon balm if you’re taking thyroid medication

Kathie Lapcevic

Tuesday 20th of September 2022

It interferes with the medication.

Genette Shelton

Monday 4th of July 2022

I like to boil quartered potatoes carrots n chicken broth and add a generous amount of lemon balm to the broth.it gives to potatoes a delicious rich and slightly citrusy flavor.

Lily

Sunday 24th of May 2020

I've read that Lemon Balm should be used in a limited way for those who have thyroid conditions (which many women do.) Have you seen the latest research on this? Thanks!

Kathie Lapcevic

Thursday 28th of May 2020

As always check with your herbalist / doctor. However, lemon balm and thyroid conditions do not mix according to my research.

Gail

Friday 23rd of August 2019

I am allergic to garlic and celery which are dominant flavors in cooking and are in almost every conveniently pre-made item at the grocery store. So I try other herbs like lemon balm fearlessly. I have cooked lemon balm in bean cream broth soups, marinates, sauces, vinaigrettes, quiches, casseroles, stews, etc. and used lemon balm as a substitute for garlic occasionally in meats such as pork, salmon, lamb, beef, fish, seafood, and eggs ( quiche). Never tried it on tofu as I am allergic to that too. Strangest sounding lemon balm dish I ever made was when I layered whole lemon balm leaves alternating with spinach leaves in a leftovers spanish rice, scraps of sharp cheddar Gouda and mystery cheeses, ham, and cherry tomato casserole ( I was obviously cleaning out the fridge). The leaves were a little hard to chew so next time I will chop up a bit but WOW family loved it. And I have placed lemon balm leaves in the bathroom and kitchen to combat other odors. So be bold with your lemon balm ideas!