7 Easy Rosemary Recipes For Any Occasion

Rosemary is one of the basics of a herb and spice shelf.  Those little spiky looking leaves are dried and crunched up to make a tasty and simple to use herb for many different recipes.  And if you fancy a spot of grow your own then rosemary is popular because it is easy to grow, smells great when you brush past it and is a perennial plant that will be around for a few years.  Whether you go with the dried, fresh or grow your own, next thing you need are some easy rosemary recipes.

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Health benefits of rosemary

Rosemary has been used for cooking and for its health benefits since ancient times.  It was used to help with muscle pain, to boost the immune system and to improve memory.  The plant is a member of the mint family so that means it is a cousin of other well-known herbs such as basil, thyme and oregano as well as lavender and (obviously) the various types of mint.

But are there actual health benefits to eating rosemary?  The answer seems to be strongly that there are.  A couple of examples include:

• Helps to improve digestion – Germany’s government have even approved it as a treatment for indigestion
• Anti-inflammatory properties – contains antioxidants which reduce inflammation from various causes and boosts the immune system
• Helps with memory and concentration – research shows that rosemary can improve performance, speed and accuracy in a wide range of tasks and even help boost mood
• Protect the brain – rosemary contains something called carnosic acid that battles the free radicals that damage the brain and could even help protect against conditions such as strokes

How to use fresh rosemary

Fresh rosemary is the best as the dried stuff does tend to lose its flavour after a short while.  A single teaspoon of dried herb is the same as three teaspoons of the chopped fresh leaves.  You can use the whole sprig of rosemary and this is popular when adding to roast meats – just pop it in the bin afterwards.

To prepare the sprig and use the leaves, you want to remove them from the woody stem.  Dice them up a bit as rosemary leaves can be quite tough.  You can also crush dried rosemary into a fine powder if you want as it is very brittle when dry.

GADGET TIP – you can get something called a leaf stripper or a herb stripper than is ideal to remove those leaves from the stakes quickly and easily.  This 3-in-1 gadget is a mincer, cutter and stripper with retractable blades, so you can remove the rosemary from the stalk and chop it up into smaller bit with a single gadget.  Very handy!

What to make with rosemary?

So what can you make with your prepared rosemary?  There’s no shortage of different dishes and here are a few ideas for inspiration.

Rosemary roast potatoes

I’ve heard these called Parmentier potatoes, not sure why.  We used the basic idea when we started to create our own Parmesan potatoes.  The idea is simple – cut your potatoes into small chunks, cook until tender then drain.  In a bowl, add rosemary, olive oil and salt and pepper.  Toss the potatoes in the mix and add to a baking tray.  Cook for around half an hour or until soft and cooked.  Perfect with pretty much any dish!

Parsnip and rosemary soup

Rosemary is used in a lot of soup recipes, especially if they have chicken in them.  This parsnip and rosemary soup is a vegetable style soup that has uses the herb to add flavour.  You could easily make this into a soupmaker recipe although I would still recommend cooking the parsnips first to make sure they are soft and blend properly.

Rosemary tea

Rosemary tea is something you can easily make yourself or you can also buy premade tea products that save the time and make a quick cup.  If you want to make your own, you can use dried, fresh or powdered rosemary and add them to a teapot of hot water.  Leave for 5-6 minutes then strain into a cup.  Add a little sugar or honey to sweeten and you have a simple way to get the health benefits of rosemary.

Easy rosemary recipes

I mentioned earlier that rosemary is often paired with meats to bring out the best of its flavour.  Here are a couple of examples.

One Skillet Applesauce Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 3 T. honey
• 2 T. sugar-free Dijon mustard
• 3 T. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 T. coconut oil
• 1½ lbs. pork tenderloin
• 3 medium firm apples, cored and chopped

Directions:

Place oven rack in centre position and preheat oven to 350°F / 180C.

Combine applesauce, honey, Dijon mustard, and rosemary leaves in a small bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and set aside.

Heat coconut oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Generously season the pork roast with salt and black pepper, to taste. Cook until browned and evenly seared on all sides, approximately 5-10 minutes.

Remove from heat and spread half of the applesauce mixture all over the top and sides of the pork. Arrange the chopped apples around the sides of the pork and place in the preheated oven.

Roast for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and flip the pork. Brush with remaining applesauce mixture and return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.

Remove from oven and cover loosely to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3 T. unsalted butter, divided
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 medium shallots, sliced thin
• 1 c. chicken stock, preferably organic
• 1½ T. fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 1 16-oz. bag frozen broccoli
• 1 medium lemon, sliced and cut into small, thin wedges

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until melted. Swirl to coat bottom of the pan.

Unroll chicken thighs and season each side with salt and black pepper. Add seasoned chicken to hot skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until chicken is golden brown and releases easily from the bottom of the skillet. Remove from heat and transfer chicken to a plate. Cover and keep warm.

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining butter and sliced shallots to skillet. Sauté shallots, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, approximately 4-5 minutes.

Add chicken stock to skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Bring liquid to a boil while using a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add chopped rosemary leaves and continue cooking until liquid is reduced by about half, approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Return chicken and its juices to the skillet, along with the frozen broccoli and thin lemon wedges. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until broccoli is crisp tender and chicken is cooked through. (Internal temperature should read 165°F on an instant-read thermometer).

Remove from heat and serve immediately with a spoonful of pan sauce drizzled over each chicken thigh. Garnish with additional lemon wedges, if desired.

Rosemary drinks

Rosemary also features in a few cocktails because it adds flavour but also looks great for the decoration.

Rosemary Gin Fizz

This version of the classic gin cocktail uses rosemary simple syrup – in other words, sugar syrup with some rosemary added to it.  Take two ounces of gin and half an ounce of lemon juice and the syrup with ice.  Add to a shaker and shake then strain into a glass.  Top with club soda and garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a slice of lemon.

Cranberry-Rosemary Prosecco Float

This rosemary recipe also uses the herb in a sugar syrup.  You need raspberry sorbet and add a scoop to each champagne flute.  Then add one ounce of rosemary syrup and the same of gin.  Add the Prosecco slowly so it doesn’t flood everywhere then garnish with a cranberry and a sprig of rosemary.

Rosemary recipes for any occasion

These are a few ideas of easy rosemary recipes and drinks for any occasion.  Rosemary is a popular herb for herb and spice blends and to add its distinctive flavour to dishes.

Do you have a favourite dish with rosemary?  Tell us about it in the comments!

More Rosemary Recipes

Looking for more uses for those fragrant herbs? Here are some more rosemary recipes to help.

Rosemary Garlic Beef Tenderloin

Rosemary works perfectly in the beef of this recipe to add flavour without being too strong

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Herb Roasted Chicken with Red Potatoes and Kale

Check out this roast chicken recipe using rosemary to add flavour and served with kale and red potatoes.

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Apple and Feta Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Try a pork tenderloin recipe that's very fall themed, stuffed with apple, feta cheese and rosemary

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