18 Refreshing Mint Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.

When life gives you fresh mint, what do you make? Here are 18 delicious, refreshing mint recipes that will delight you this summer!

Plenty of cold drinks, colorful salads, pesto, and sauces are easy recipes perfect for using up a bunch of fresh and healthy mint leaves.

Top view of a glass full of mint water and ice over a white background.

One of my favorite things about summer is the bounty of fresh mint just outside my doorstep. Those lovely green leaves are versatile and instantly add flavor, color, and a delicious smell to any drink or savory dish.

I sprinkle mint on everything, add it to fresh summer salads, desserts, and smoothies, and I drink mint-infused water all the time!

Mint will also add a fantastic twist to summer cocktails and is perfectly packed into mojitos for the upcoming al fresco parties.

With its amazing, clean taste, mint provides plenty of health benefits. It’s packed with antioxidants, vitamin A, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and it’s great for soothing upset stomachs.

Not only is mint versatile in the kitchen and good for your health, but this perennial herb is also extremely easy to grow indoors in a pot on the windowsill. That means it’s economical and sustainable, and you don’t even need a garden.

So, if you wonder what to do with a lot of fresh mints, I’m here to help with this roundup of refreshing, easy recipes. And if you make mojitos, please give me a shout. ; )

1. Mint pesto

This bright, zesty mint pesto is loaded with delicious fresh flavors. It’s easy to make in the food processor and perfect for tossing, scooping, drizzling, or stirring into salads, soups, roasted veggies, potatoes, and more! It’s also freezable in small, convenient portions.

Top view of a glass jar full of mint pesto and fresh mint leaves in the background.
The Clever Meal

2. Crostini with peas, ricotta and mint

These crispy crostini make a delicious canapé full of fresh lemon and mint flavor and with a lovely texture. The perfect vegetarian appetizer or snack ready in minutes!

Crostini with peas, ricotta and mint served over a small wooden board.
The Clever Meal

3. Mint syrup

This simple mint syrup requires only 4 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time, and it’s brilliant for sweetening and adding a lovely mint flavor to your drinks. It’s easy, economical, and doesn’t contain artificial flavor, preservatives, or food coloring. Why not serve it with lovely mint ice cubes? : )

Top view of a glass full of mint syrup, mint leaves and ice.
The Clever Meal

4. Salad with mint

This quick mint salad is delightful, filling, and packed with flavor. The combination of plant-based protein, veggies, fresh mint, and tangy dressing makes a beautiful main course or a side dish that keeps well for days.

Top view of a salad made with mint, chickpeas, peppers and feta, one of my fav mint recipes!
The Clever Meal

5. Mojito recipe

This mint mojito is one of the best ways to cool off on a hot summer day. The recipe is super easy, and it’s a refreshing combination of herbaceous mint, tart lime, and fizzy soda water. YUM.

Two glass full of mojito, lime, ice, and plenty of mint leaves.
Found on Love & Lemons

6. Mint Greek yogurt sauce

This easy mint yogurt sauce only requires 1 bowl and 5 minutes of prep time, and it’s so deliciously fresh, zippy, and versatile.

The Clever Meal

7. Pea and mint soup

For this simple, velvety pea soup, you need just a handful of ingredients, including fresh mint, which lends its amazing, refreshing flavor and pairs well with the starchy peas.

Close-up of a rustic bowl full of pea soup with mint garnished with sesame seeds.
The Clever Meal

8. Mint water

This healthy mint water requires only 3 ingredients, no sugar, and it’s a breeze to make. It helps you stay hydrated all year round and improves your digestion, especially if you add a touch of lemon juice. You can use mint or peppermint, which has a slightly stronger flavor.

Close-up of a glass full of ice, water, mint leaves and lemon slices. One of my fav mint recipes in summer.
The Clever Meal

8. Mint cashew green sauce

This easy mint green sauce uses three herbs: mint, parsley, and dill. Combining different fresh herbs results in a complex flavor, vibrant green color, and many antioxidants and vitamins! Bonus? It can be used everywhere and tastes delicious.

Top view of a glass jar full of creamy mint sauce made with mint and cashews.
Found on Full of Plants

9. Tomato salad with mint dressing

This fabulous Indian salad pairs well with rich, spicy curries. It’s made with slices of juicy tomato, sliced red onions, and a drizzle of lovely mint dressing made with raita, the scrumptious green mint sauce made with yogurt.

Close-up of a salad made with tomatoes, onions, and mint salsa.
Found on Recipe Tin Eats

10. Classic mint julep recipe

If you like refreshing cocktails (WE DO), this mint julep is perfect for you. It’s another simple, totally delicious recipe that uses fresh mint and perfect for cooling off all summer. It’s ready in just 5 minutes!

One glass full of ice and mint julep over a grey background.
Found on Salt & Lavender

12. Watermelon salad with feta

This lovely, refreshing salad recipe is perfect for hot summer days. With feta cheese, avocado, mint & lime, it’s a delicious mix of savory & sweet.

Found on Love & Lemons

11. Fresh Mint Ice Cream

The spearmint lends a refreshing quality to cool drinks and frozen treats, which seems perfect for this ice cream. The end result is light and slightly icy like sorbet but as sweet and satisfying as gelato. YUM.

Found on Cookie & Katie

13. Cucumber salad with mint

This can be your go-to salad recipe for summer picnics and BBQs. It is packed with vitamins and flavor, simple to make yet addictively good. And it improves if you make it ahead of time.

Found on Once upon a Chef

14. Fresh Orange and Mint Tea

This is another lovely recipe from one of my fellow bloggers. It’s a calming, fragrant orange and mint tea that you can make in no time and is perfect for relaxing in the afternoon or evening. The hint of citrus flavor compliments the mint beautifully!

A jug pouring water into a glass jar packed with mint leaves and orange wedges. The background is black.
Found on Lauren Caris Cooks

16. Lemon cucumber mint ginger water
17. Quinoa salad with mint

Found on Monica Nedeff

More recipe collections?

Gathering similar recipes all in one place is handy and gives ideas about using specific ingredients! Below there’s a few roundups that you might find helpful:

If you try one of these delicious mint recipes, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram.

18 Mint recipes: Mint Water

This refreshing, healthy, low-calorie mint water is one of my fav mint recipes! It requires only 3 ingredients, no sugar, and it's a breeze to make. It's perfect when you have guests over or to motivate yourself or your kids to drink more water.
Prep Time5 minutes
Resting time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Drinks
Keyword: mint recipes
Servings: 4
Author: Katia

Ingredients

  • ½ cup mint leaves, plus additional leaves for garnish
  • 1 liter cold water, still of sparkling
  • 1 lemon, washed and sliced (optional)

Instructions

  • Remove any damaged or brown mint leaves from the sprigs and wash them well.
  • Put them into a carafe and fill up with the cold water. Stir, make sure the leaves are submerged in water.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.
  • Serve cold, garnished with fresh mint leaves and ice if you like.

Notes

Storage: keep the mint water in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap so that it doesn’t absorb other odors in the fridge. It keeps well for up to 2 days.

2 Comments

  1. Tammy Bennett says:

    Hello. I cannot find the recipe for the mint brownies on the full of plants site. I would really love to have this recipe. Thanks.

    1. Hello Tammy! Thank you for reaching out and for bringing this to my attention. Unfortunately, the author deleted his brown recipe from his website, and his recipe is no longer part of my roundup. I’m sorry if you didn’t find it! : (

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating