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Lovage uses abound, which is a good thing considering how abundant the herb can be in a garden. Even better, the ways to use lovage are quick and simple with delicious results. Gather much while it grows and have it for winter cooking and gift giving too.
Lovage is a perennial herb in the same family celery. It tastes quite a bit like celery, but stronger. Unlike celery, however; the leaves are the main part of the harvest, not the hollow stalk.
How to Harvest Lovage Leaves
Harvest the stalks before the plant flowers. Cut the stalks about an inch from the ground. Most climates will be able to have multiple harvests per season.
Save Some Seed
Leave some to flower and go to seed. The flowers are loved by pollinators of all types. After the flowers go to seed. Gather the seed heads an use the seeds as you would celery seed. I use it pickles most often.
Dry Lovage
Once harvested, wash the herb. Then gather into bunches and tie to hang. Let hang until the leaves are crispy dry. An electric dehydrator can be used as well, but isn’t necessary.
Once dry, remove the leaves from the stems and store in a glass jar until you need it.
Throw a few dried leaves in soups and stews for some celery flavor. Toss it in homemade stock instead of celery. Go easy the flavor is strong.
Infused Lovage Vinegar
This is a simple lovage recipe that can serve a multitude of purposes in your kitchen.
Fill a clean glass jar about half full with fresh leaves. Fill the jar with vinegar. Rice vinegar is particularly nice here but any would work.
Place a lid on the jar and leave in a cupboard for 2 weeks. Strain the leaves from the vinegar and store the vinegar in a glass jar for use.
Use in salad dressings, it’s tasty as the vinegar in Hot & Sour Soup too. Put it in fancy bottles with nice labels for gift giving.
Lovage Salt
Take that dried lovage and make some lovage salt to season cooked dishes.
Use 1/4 Cup Coarse Salt (Kosher or Sea Salt is especially nice) to 2 Tablespoons crumbled, dried lovage leaves.
Mix together and store in an airtight jar.
For a finer mixture, pulse in a blender or food processor.
Use as a substitute for celery salt. Lovage salt makes a great gift for the cooks on your list too!
What’s your favorite way to use lovage?
Perfectly timed. I accidentally bought lovage plants, thinking I’d grabbed parsley (it was raining; that’s my excuse) and I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with it.
Other than move it. If it gets that tall, it may need a place in my perennial flower bed.
Wow, 3 lovage plants is a lot. I have and am overrun by it. They take up a lot of space as they get older. First year they don’t get so tall, after that look out. Enjoy! That lovage salt does make a great gift.
This spring I transplanted some Solomon Seal next to the lovage. The intent was to let the lovage shade the other plant after it was finished blooming. It worked beautifully.
I bought a lovage plant 10 years ago for .99 cents as I was on a quest to save plants
I usually dry a bunch and use it in soups, like cucumber cream soup or stocks.
Your post definitely renewed my interest of lovage because I was about to dig it out but ecided against it.
I have some in the dehydrator now and plan to make some lovage salt , lovage vinegar and even some lovage sachet to keep my closets fresh…I love that crisp and fresh smell.
Thank you!
I had planted lovage and thought it died but this year it is up. Glad to know it will sort of spread. I couldn’t remember planting celery. Thanks for the tips.
All the lovage I grew from seed and transplanted died (a critter got to them). I want to just get one bunch of it going, because I would love to dry it and have it on hand for soups. Hopefully I have better luck next spring!
I got some lovage seeds in my seed of the month club membership and didn’t really know what it was. I’m glad I happened upon this post! Thanks
It’s great stuff but it gets huge and prolific. I wonder how well it would do your heat, though? I look forward to reading about your adventures with it.
Hello Kathie, I am addicted to giving food as presents and was looking for a better presentation of colour in an organic Kelp Salt I have been experimenting with.I think some Lovage would add aroma / colour / great taste if used carefully and also visual impact as I would not shred it as small as the Kelp. SO – thank you for the information.
Oh I’m so glad to know this came in handy for you. Also yum!
I am going to cut the Lovage, let it dry naturally until crisp then shred it into the Kelp Salt mix.I decided to trey the seaweed, in this instance Kelp because of the high iodine content which apparently some people need for their health. Will let you know how it turns out , Regards, Michelle.
I can’t wait to hear the results.
Love the salt idea. I will dry some to make it. I chop it and put it in salads…oh yah!
have you tried to make a Kimchi style mix with lovage yet?
Wonder whether that preserves its flavor better then drying it?
I haven’t tried it.
Great when a leaf or two is put into a beef gravy.
My favourite herb! Love it in chicken soups, gravies, salads, even lasagne!
In addition to your fine suggestions (and those of your readers), may I add a helpful way to provide habitat for our native pollinators? I had purchased some bamboo–5/16″ in diameter. The small purchased bundle had almost none that were even close to 5/16–the desired size for solitary bees to deposit eggs & pollen. While cutting back my lovage, it dawned on me that I had the perfect medium in which to place inside my bee frames. Cut into approximately 6″ pieces and secured in place, they became a favorite place for our native bees to do their important work–and they’re free!
What a great idea!
I have been growing one lovage plant for two years. It’s about 3’ tall. I usually use it with 5-6 other herbs and make Frankfurter Green sauce. It’s absolutely delicious with hard boiled eggs or schnitzel and boiled potatoes. I’m going to try your salt idea.
Use the stalks for Bloody Mary straws!