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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Does anybody know does lemon balm and lemon verbena contain citric acid. I am allergic to citrus fruit which include tomato and pineapple. It would be good if I could try some of these.
I don’t know for sure. I did a quick google search and it doesn’t look like lemon balm contains citric acid but I’ll see if I can find a trusted source for you.
Lemon balm is really a mint family plant. Lemon verbena has no citric acid either.
Mangos have zero citric acid and is a tastey medicine as well
It is from the mint family. It will also take over a garden it needs a contained area to grow. I love it. We use it in homemade salsa a lot.
Do you share your salsa recipe ? I’d love it! Share it here!
Here is the chemical breakdown of Lemon Balm: http://www.herballegacy.com/Morrison_Chemical.html
Thanks a lot for that I will try a small amount andsee how I get on. Thanks again
That website is AMAZING. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for ll the new unknown to me uses! I would just dry it up for tea….
I found this right on time! I have so much lemon balm in my garden. I dried a lot of it but still have so much. I think I will try the syrup next. Thanks.
I use it for many of the above listed ways but here is one for you all to try. I put a sprig with dill and garlic butter inside my fresh trout before we grill it (wrap in greased foil pockets) it is wonderful. And can be used in any fish dish to give it that light lemon taste.
I use lemon balm to ward of mosquitos. I infuse the plant in olive oil and allow it to set for three to four weeks, turning it end over end a few times each week. Once the plant is infused into the oil, I pour into a spray bottle and spray on open skin (do not get on clothing…it is an oil, so it will stain the clothing). Another way is dab the oil onto your skin with cotton balls, but this takes awhile.
This is wonderful, thank you for sharing! I’m planning a herb garden this year and will be sure to include lemon balm :)
You’re so welcome! Enjoy that herb garden.
Thanks for the information I had one on my balcony
I’ve had lemon balm for years and never knew what to do with it. Thanks so much for these tips!
I’m so glad the post came in handy for you!
Wow! I always grow lemon balm, but I have no clue what to do with it! I have never used it once. Thanks for all the amazing ideas!
I can’t wait to see what tasty recipes you come up with!
Thanks for the ideas. I especially love the use with chicken. The most extraordinary use for lemon balm that I have come up with is to make a simple chiffonade and eat fresh on watermelon. Not that watermelon needs help, but this makes it out of this world. Sometimes I make a dish of watermelon with limoncello and lemon balm which keeps the kids out. They don’t want the “green stuff” on theirs!
That does sound delish, thanks for sharing the tip!
Thanks! I love the stuff and it grows like a weed, so I always need more ideas.
We have a wood burning stove. In the winter, I keep a large bowl of water on it for a humidifying effect. A big handful of lemon balm in the water adds a nice aroma.
I read somewhere that Lemon Balm is very good in relieving agitation in patients suffering with Alzheimers/dementia.Hope this will help somebody.
Yes it is good for anxiety. I drink it as a tea in evening after long day of work
How do you make the tea? Do you have to dry the leaves?
You can just steep 2 Tablespoons of fresh leaves in boiling water for about 10 minutes for tea. If you want to dry it and use it later about 1 Tablespoon of dried leaves in 1 cup of boiling water should do the trick.
I found a lovely recipe online for jam. Yellow squash, ginger and lemon balm. It was a hit! Making it again this month.
That sounds delish – can you share the link?
Could you please send me the recipe of you still have it?
Thanks so much!!
@Sandy S., I’d love this recipe! I hope you’ll still see this.
You know my favorite thing about this plant? It grows. I just dug some live root shoots out of what I thought was a completely frozen plant. And, ah, the smell!
http://pin.it/9hlVMoi
I thought you’d like this Pin on Pinterest…
Hopefully this is the link to a lemon balm cake recipe I came across on Pinterest and tried recently with good results.
I use it in lemon cake! The green flakes is so pretty in the cake and tastes so good!
I have allot in my garden. I cut bunches and put them in my chicken coop nesting boxes. The ladies love it.
I have some sprouting for my chicks coming in April. I plan on using it in the nesting boxes as well as an antibacterial.
Great idea!
I love it in iced tea! I pick a handful and put it in pitcher with sugar and pour hot brewed tea over it. Then pour over ice. It’s so refreshing?
Yum, for sure!
Make sure you plant lemon balm in a container. It spreads easily if planted in the ground and can take over the garden.
Planting in a container is a good idea but with proper pruning and splitting it can be maintained without letting it become invasive. And of course all growing zones will see different spreading voracity.
Lemon Balm is in the mint family, so yes, it will take over your garden. It will also come up the following year.
As with any garden perennial (especially in the mint family) proper maintenance can prevent it from taking over. One should exercise care, of course, but there’s nothing to fear in planting it.
Long story (long) short; I had the opportunity to grill chicken, so I decided to use what had already popped up in my garden. radish leaves for one ‘pack’ with lemon balm, just a bunch of lemon balm, and kale for one, and you guessed it just lemon balm.
Layers and layers of flavor for any of the chicken breasts.
tl;dr use lemon balm in anything you’re cooking. just the right amount of ‘wow, what did you use’
I have never used any of my lemon balm, have lots. Would like to know how to dry for tea and can you use the dry lemon balm to cook with?
You can use the dried herbs in cooking. Here’s how I dry herbs: https://homespunseasonalliving.com/drying-homegrown-herbs/
Has anyone tried it on salmon?
I haven’t but I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t be incredible.
Thanks for the tips, Kathie! A friend gave me a lemon balm plant three years ago. It finally bushed out this spring, and my husband and I are eager to make culinary use of the lovely lemony leaves. I really like your vinegar idea — will try that one for sure. Just reading through your examples put my foodie brain in creative mode! Lemon balm would probably be a tasty addition to a cold shrimp pasta dish. Also, I want to try chopping it up along with basil, thyme, and ground fennel, mix with mustard, apple cider vinegar, and honey, and use as a marinade for grilled salmon or swordfish. Come to think of it, we are grilling stuffed lamb burgers tonight, and I will add some lemon balm to the herbed stuffing!
Such great and creative ideas! Yum.
Can I put it in water like lemon slices?
You can for sure – it will not have the same ‘punch’ as lemon slices (it’s not as acidic) but it will be tasty.
I put a bunch in a jug (I crush it a bit in my hands first, to bring out the flavour), throw in some mixed berries, and fill the jug with water. Then I keep it in my fridge for a nice, refreshing drink. Guests and family love it! For a bit of extra deliciousness, I sometimes add a dash of maple syrup, too. Yum!
This is very interesting for me, because I just found out about lemon balm .. !!!
I use lemon balm leaves, only the small ones in salad dressing. This dressing is wonderful for all leafy greens or cucumber salads as well as over boiled eggs and as a topping for fish. I use 1 pint sour cream, about 1/2 cup buttermilk, or yogurt, lemon juice to taste, a pinch of sugar and salt, freshly ground pepper, stir together to make a creamy dressing. Adjust to your taste. Then add lots of chopped fresh herbs: lemon balm, parsley, chives, dill, young leaves of sorrel and borage and any other spring herb you can find.
Would like to add I put a handful of Lemon Balm in my brine for chicken. The flavor is amazing – I also add it in my chicken soup!
Yum – what great ideas!
Thank you Kathie for all the useful information you have shared about lemon balm.
I have found that one of my cats really likes it and the ASPCA lists the plant as non-toxic for cats. There are so many plants that are non-toxic for those of us with pets.
Thank you for your ideas on lemon balm usage I will definitely try some of them you’ve been very helpful .
Thanks for all of these new ideas! One of the main things I use my lemon balm for is for my bees. I’ll pick a bunch and dry it every few weeks and once dried, add the stems and leaves to my smoker for calming whenever I open the hives. The bees LOVE lemon balm, and why not calm them with some of their favorite plants?! I also throw in dried lavender and holy basil :) Smells amazing!
What great ideas!
Can we make paste or cream from lemon balm
I’m not sure exactly what you mean here? A body cream can be made from the infused oil. Paste – like a pesto? For sure that could be done.
I use it as a garnish in a Gin n Tonic. Looks great and gives that slice of lemon taste.
What is the signtefic name for lemon balm
Melissa officinalis
I make a lemonbalm soup. No recipe. Just made it up myself. I use fresh basil,garlic and parsley in it.
I love this on kale frittata for breakfast or over lentils for supper–it would make a delicious pasta sauce too.
Lemon Balm Sauce
Cook together:
1 large can of tomatoes (~4 cups)
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
When the onion is translucent, add:
2 cups lemon balm leaves
Cook 5 minutes more. Puree in blender or food processor.
Thanks so much for sharing this!
Add a twig of lemonbalm in the pot of boiling potatoes. It gives a better taste to tasteless potatoes.
When you talk about using it on chicken and fish – is that dried or fresh? I can’t wait to try some of these, so thank you for the ideas!
You could use it either way. I definitely go for fresh in the summer and dried in the winter.
Does anyone know whether it’s ok to chop leaves, stems, flowers to put into olive oil for extracting? I’ve been using just the leaves, but that’s very tedious. I use the oil to make lip balm.
I think you’d be fine to just use it all. Generally, I harvest before it flowers but I don’t think it’ll cause any problem. The stems can sometimes leave a bitter taste but it’s unlikely to be bothersome in an infused oil, unlike tea.
How do you make the lip balm? How do you infuse it in almond oil? and the do you melt the beeswax to mix it together??? Hate to sound dumb but I haven’t ever did this. Thanks
See this article: https://scratchmommy.com/diy-lemon-balm-lip-cream-for-cold-sore-relief/
I started growing different herbs last year. (I grew up in the city) I have much to learn. I study the herb for medicinal and magical properties as each herb has both. This post is great info and fresh đź’ˇ ideas! I love this chicken recipe. Thanks!!
I have a bushy plant, whispy, and very lemon in a garden here at a house i bought, im assuming its lemon balm, but the leaves dont look like yours. In fact yours look more like a spearmint plants leaves to me. Im wondering what that actually is in my garden. no question about the lemon smell, but i dont want to poison myself either. lol Thank you.
Lemon balm is in the mint family. When the plants get bigger, ready to flower they are more whispy. However, without actually seeing the plant I can’t say for certain.
Sounds like you might have lemon verbena. Woody stem and longer smooth leaves?
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!
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!
As always check with your herbalist / doctor. However, lemon balm and thyroid conditions do not mix according to my research.
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.
Why can’t you use lemon balm if you’re taking thyroid medication
It interferes with the medication.
thanks!
I love websites like these;
May your lives be happy, long and healthy