Fresh lemon balm leaves have the most delicious fragrant aroma, and are easy to grow in your back yard. But what does lemon balm taste like? And how can we cook with this fragrant herb?
Let's talk about the taste and aroma of lemon balm, its health benefits and how to use it in our cooking!
This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or dietetic advice in any way.
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What is Lemon Balm?
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a perennial herb and a member of the mint family. It is very easy to grow yourself, or of course you can purchase in stores.
This herb has a distinctive lemon scent, and if you rub your fingers over the leaves you will release its scent even more.
What Does Lemon Balm Taste Like?
Unsurprisingly, as its name suggests, lemon balm has a delicious lemon flavor. It's not as strong as regular lemon juice, and has a minty taste also.
How Can You Purchase Lemon Balm?
Lemon balm can be grown or purchased as fresh leaves, as well as dried tea. You can also purchase lemon balm oil and supplements in health food stores.
What are the Health Benefits of Lemon Balm?
In their overview of the health benefits of lemon balm, Healthline notes that this herb may help ease insomnia and sleep disorders, ease cold sores (as a balm cream), help treat nausea, headaches, toothache pain and relieve indigestion.
See Healthline's overview of the side-effects of lemon balm to consider whether it is suitable for your use.
Lemon Balm Recipes
Using lemon balm in cooking adds so much flavor, and there are quite a few ways to use it.
Lemon Balm Tea
One of the most common ways to use this herb is to make lemon balm tea. You can use tea bags, or make homemade tea with fresh leaves. Simply steep the fresh leaves in hot water and add some sweetener if you like.
Lemon Balm Chicken
Making lemon balm chicken is very simple, and has a light and tasty citrus flavor. Marinate your chicken breast in fresh lemon balm leaves, olive oil and garlic, then sear and cook in your skillet.
Lemon Balm Pesto
A fun swap from traditional basil, making lemon balm pesto is very quick and easy to do and is perfect for a pesto pasta dinner!
Lemon Balm Vinaigrette
Combine lemon balm leaves with typical dressing ingredients to make a lemon balm vinaigrette to dress your salads.
Add to Summer Salads
Add flavor to your summer salads or fruit salads with a small handful of lemon balm leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lemon balm has a balance of lemon and mint flavors.
It's very easy to grown lemon balm, and it is a perennial herb.
Fresh lemon balm leaves can be used in cooking to make tea, pesto, chicken dishes, vinaigrette and added to salads.
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