Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (2024)

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Mint sauce is the classic British accompaniment to roast lamb.

Fresh and vibrant, sharp and sweet, homemade mint sauce is the easiest of recipes and will give your Sunday lunch a real lift.

Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (1)

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Homemade Mint Sauce – A British Classic

Mint sauce is a British classic and it pairs perfectly with roast lamb, for a classic British Sunday roast.

Lamb is a fatty meat. Less so than in years gone by due to modern farming methods, but it still needs a little astringency and our grandmothers knew what they were doing. The sharpness of mint sauce cuts through it perfectly.

The combination of the sweet lamb with fresh herby tang of the mint, sour vinegar and a little sugar all produce one of those wonderous culinary effects that is greater than the sum of its parts.

It is very easy and so much better when it’s fresh, and homemade mint sauce couldn’t be easier to make.

Making mint sauce at home also avoid the strange dyes and preservatives added to some of the bought versions, so do try making your own.

The secret to good mint sauce is to keep some texture in the mint, whilst extracting as much flavour as you can. In this mint sauce recipe, I’ve got a couple of helpful tricks to do this, taught to me by my mother.

The British Love Lamb!

We eat lots of lamb here in the UK and it always surprises me that in North America it hardly seems to feature at all. But sheep farming is a traditional way of life here, especially in the exposed hilly regions of Wales and the far north of England, and lamb is essential to our food heritage.

A roast is probably my favourite way to serve. New season spring lamb, slowly roasted, is the classic Easter lunch. Easter without lamb would be like Christmas without turkey and Easter lamb without mint sauce would be all wrong.

Once past its first flush of youth, lamb responds well to long slow cooking which tenderises and brings out the flavour.

Many of our traditional British dishes use lamb or mutton that has been slowly cooked, warming, comforting, “rib sticking”, affordable food, perfect for the long dark cold winter nights. Dishes like Lancashire hot pot, lamb stews, shepherd’s pie…

Of course, lamb (or goat) is also key to the food of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Indian subcontinent, so it fills our imported takeaway menus too. There, the mint sauce is made with yogurt and chilli rather than vinegar, but we still can’t get enough of it!

Mint Sauce Recipe – Ingredients

Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (2)

  • Fresh Mint – You want regular common garden mint (mentha spicata) for this, not fierce peppermint or the fancy varieties that are supposed to taste of chocolate or pineapple. There are lots of subspecies so don’t worry if your garden mint looks darker and pointier than mine!

    Mint is remarkably easy and fast to grow and spreads like wildfire. Plant some, but keep it in a container so it doesn’t take over in the garden. Keep cutting it to keep the fresh, soft leaves coming, and cut it right back at the end of autumn for fresh growth in spring.

  • Sugar – I use plain white granulated sugar. You can use caster sugar, but everyday sugar is just fine.
  • Vinegar – I usually use white wine vinegar, because it is sharp enough to stand out against the sugar, but not too astringent. I prefer a white vinegar as it doesn’t make your mint sauce a murky colour (You can also use a cider vinegar). Malt vinegar is just too strong and sharp and will overpower the flavour of the mint. Some people like to give an Italian note and add a splash of balsamic, but I’m not convinced.

How to Make Mint Sauce – RecipeStep-by-Step

Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (3)

Step One – Grab the ingredients. If you are using freshly cut mint rather than supermarket leaves, pick the mint over thoroughly.

Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (4)

Step Two – Strip all the leaves off the stalks.

Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (5)

Step Three – Put the mint leaves on a chopping board, sprinkle the sugar over, and then chop finely. The sugar adds some abrasion and makes it easier to get a fine cut, as well as starting to release the flavour.

You can also pack the leaves and sugar into a mug and use a pair of scissors to chop (the mug holds it all together nicely and makes the chopping a breeze). I use regular kitchen scissors. I have tried those multi-bladed herb scissors and found them to be a waste of time, money and drawer space.

Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (6)

Step Four – Once chopped, transfer to a small bowl or jug. Pour a little boiling water over and give the mint a good bash with the end of a wooden spoon. This will help to bring out the flavour and to dissolve the sugar.

Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (7)

Step Five – Stir in the vinegar and let the sauce sit for the flavours to develop and meld before serving with roast lamb.

Can I Use a Blender or Food Processor?

NO!!!! Blending or using a food processor will pulp the mint. You want small pieces of mint floating in the vinegar.

Mint Sauce Hints & Tips

  • Use regular ingredients, not the fancy versions – common garden mint, and regular granulated sugar.
  • Chop the mint finely, but do not puree it.
  • Give that mint a good pounding to extract the flavour.
  • Use white wine vinegar or, at a pinch, cider vinegar. Malt or pickling vinegar is far too powerful and will overwhelm the mint.
  • Make your sauce a good hour in advance, to allow the flavours to develop and serve at room temperature.Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (8)

When to Serve Mint Sauce

  • Homemade mint sauce is delicious with roast lamb.
  • It’s equally delicious with leftover cold lamb, or other cold cuts.
  • Leftover mint sauce can be used on the next day’s new potatoes, or as a salad dressing. It is especially good with chickpeas or shredded courgettes.
  • Mix it with marrowfat peas to make minty mushy peas.
  • Mix into natural yogurt to make a cooling dip for Indian food, or add a little chilli too for something spicy.
  • You can also use this mint sauce in my kebab shop chilli sauce.

More great sauce recipes

If you like this recipe, here are more great sauce ideas:

  • Chilli sauce
  • Garlic sauce
  • Peri peri sauce
  • Allioli – Catalan garlic sauce
  • Blue cheese sauce for steak
  • Chinese curry sauce

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Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (9)

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4.89 from 18 votes

Easy Mint Sauce

Mint sauce is the classic British accompaniment to roast lamb. Fresh and vibrant, sharp and sweet, homemade mint sauce is the easiest of recipes and will give your Sunday lunch a real lift.

Servings: 4 people

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Resting Time1 hour hr

Total Time5 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 handful fresh mint (1 cup)
  • 1 ½ tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp boiling water
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Instructions

  • Strip the mint leaves from the stalks. Keep the leaves and discard the stalks.

  • Place the mint leaves on a chopping board. Add the sugar. Chop with a knife until all the mint is cut into small pieces.

  • Transfer the mint and sugar mixture to a small bowl. Add the boiling water, and mix together, using the handle of a wooden spoon to give the mint a gentle pound to extract the flavour.

  • Add the vinegar and mix together. Leave to stand for an hour to allow the flavours to blend.

Notes

  • Use regular ingredients – common fresh mint, standard granulated sugar, and plain white wine or cider vinegar. I find malt or pickling vinegar too harsh.
  • Chop the mint finely, but do not puree it.
  • Give that mint a good pounding to extract the flavour.

Nutritional Information

  • This recipe is 1 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Mint Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 27Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 5mg0%

Potassium 64mg2%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 478IU10%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 27mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Traditional British

Keyword: Mint sauce

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Easy Mint Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is mint sauce made of? ›

Mint sauce is a green sauce popular in the United Kingdom, made from finely chopped spearmint leaves soaked in vinegar, and a small amount of sugar.

Do you add vinegar to mint sauce? ›

Steps to prepare mint sauce

Steep the leaves in a little boiling water for a few minutes, then drain. Add malt vinegar and sugar to a small bowl, stir together to dissolve the sugar, then add in the mint. Add a pinch of salt and stir together, then let it sit for 20 minutes or so – to allow the flavour to develop.

What's the difference between mint sauce and mint jelly? ›

Is mint jelly the same as mint sauce? Both pair well with lamb, but mint jelly is a sweet jellied condiment. Mint sauce is thinner and more acidic, similar to pesto.

Can you use mint sauce straight from the jar? ›

The mint sauce can be served straight from the jar but if you prefer it a little thinner and more acidic, stir in a little extra vinegar of your choice.

What variety of mint is best for mint sauce? ›

Mentha spicata: Spearmint is the quintessential mint and can be found growing around the world. The leaf flavour is warm and sweet with light menthol notes. Great with potatoes and mint sauces.

What to do with lots of fresh mint? ›

27 fresh recipes for leftover mint
  1. 1Feta and mint dip. ...
  2. 2Creamy lime ice blocks with Mojito ice. ...
  3. 3Cucumber and mint raita. ...
  4. 4Mint and dukkah labne. ...
  5. 5Apple, spinach and mint juice. ...
  6. 6Orange mint iced tea. ...
  7. 7Peas with mint & garlic butter. ...
  8. 8White chocolate mojito cheesecakes.

What cancels out mint taste? ›

The minty flavor you get from brushing your teeth is refreshing and clean—that is, until you drink some orange juice or take a bite of a muffin. If you want to rid your mouth of mint so you can have a bite to eat after you brush, Redditor EtherBoo found that hot water will do the trick.

How do you get the most flavor out of mint? ›

Pro Tip: Smack your mint leaves to open up the flavor before adding to your co*cktail 🍃

How long does mint sauce last once opened? ›

Store in a cool place, away from direct sunlight. Once opened refrigerate and consume within 6 weeks and by best before end date.

What meat does mint sauce go with? ›

Mint sauce “is often served as a condiment for roast lamb, or any other roast meats, or, in some areas, mushy peas”, according to Wikipedia.

What are the three mint flavors? ›

There are many types of mint, but for gardeners, a few stand out for their aroma, taste, and easy growth habits. We'll take a look at three that are very commonly grown for culinary and tea uses: applemint, spearmint, and peppermint.

What is the most flavorful mint? ›

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita 'Mitcham'). The best-tasting peppermint is found under various names throughout the country: 'Mitcham', black-stemmed, 'Blue Balsam', and even chocolate mint. It is highly mentholated, almost hot, and full of flavor.

Why do people mix vinegar with mint sauce? ›

Mint sauce is a combination of finely chopped spearmint leaves soaked in vinegar, with the addition of a small amount of sugar, sometimes with a splash of lime or lemon juice to add a nice bit of extra zest. Lamb can be quite fatty, so the sharp taste of mint and vinegar helps to cut through that fattiness.

How do you make jarred sauce taste like homemade? ›

Add fresh herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, bay leaf), and let them simmer to give a punch of fresh flavor.

What are the ingredients in Crosse and Blackwell mint sauce? ›

Ingredients: Malt Vinegar (Barley),Sugar, Distilled Vinegar, Water, Egyptian Mint Leaves.

Is mint sauce spearmint or peppermint? ›

The most popular type is spearmint, with its pointed, serrated leaves and a familiar refreshing flavour. It is commonly used to make mint sauce or jelly and in tea. Peppermint has longer, darker leaves and a stronger flavour and is popular in sweets and confectionary.

What is mint flavor made of? ›

Natural mint flavor is a flavor made from the leaves of mint. It imparts a refreshing mint flavor to pharmaceutical products. Pure peppermint and spearmint essential oils may be used in the production of natural mint flavor.

Why do we have mint sauce with lamb? ›

The Science Behind Mint and Lamb

Our tastebuds pick up the flavor of lamb from compounds called branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs). At the same time, we can link the taste of mint to its branched-chain ketones. Because these flavors are so chemically similar, our brains find them appealing together.

What is mint filling made of? ›

Peppermint patty filling is basically a thick peppermint icing, made by combining powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, and peppermint extract.

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