10 Ways to Use Rosemary
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As a gardening blogger, I belong to a number of social media groups related to container gardening, and the other day a question came up that got me thinking. Someone showed a photo of their rosemary shrub and asked what in the world they could do with all that rosemary.
Looking back, rosemary is probably the first plant I gardened successfully. When we moved to Portland a decade ago, I bought a tiny little rosemary plant at the grocery store and planted it on a corner of one of our flower beds. By the time we left that house about 8 years later, that little plant had grown into a massive bush that had to be tamed with pruning shears multiple times a year.
Fast forward to our new house and, once again, the tiny little rosemary plant I placed at the corner of our garden bed, right by the dining room door, has blossomed into a sizable shrub that provides us fresh rosemary all year around.
So, when someone asks me, “what should I do with all this rosemary?”, I have quite the list of options. Below are my ten favorite ways to use our rosemary, including an recipe for Roasted Rosemary Cashews that is one of my favorites. Scroll to the bottom for the recipe.
Rosemary branches, ready to dry
Rosemary Spice Mixes
You can have dried rosemary in your pantry all year long, without ever making a trip to the store! Cut long single stems from your shrub, clear off some of the leaves at the thicker end, and tie a small bunch of 4-6 branches with twine or string. Tie the twine in a bow to make it pretty and find a cool dry place, out of direct sun light, to hang to dry. In two to three weeks you will have dried rosemary. Make a few extra bunches and hang them in your kitchen as decoration, or to give away as gifts.
Once the rosemary is completely dry and no longer pliable, use a mortar and pestle to gently grind the rosemary into smaller bits, and store in an airtight jar to use in recipes all year round. You can also mix it with other herb and spices, like thyme and dried lavender, for a custom spice mix all your own.
Save time by skipping the grinding, and scrape the leaves off the stems whole, which is my preference.
2. Rosemary Cooking Oil or Butter for Bread
There are a few different ways to make rosemary olive oil, but my favorite is to process it in a Food Ninja or Cuisinart processor with olive oil. Strain the liquid into an air tight jar and use the same way you would use any olive oil in cooking, breads, salads, etc. You can freeze the leftovers in ice cube trays and use it as needed.
Another option is to grind it and mix it into regular or dairy free butter. Again, the extra can be pressed into rolls, blocks, or into ice cube trays then frozen to use at a later date.
3. Rosemary Salt and Pepper
Grind your dried rosemary in your food processor and add one tablespoons of the ground rosemary to one to two cups of salt or pepper and store the mixture in an air tight jar. In the summer sprinkle it on fresh tomatoes and cucumbers with some of your rosemary olive oil and a dash of balsamic for a flavorful summer salad.
If you will be entertaining, impress your quests with a mix of fresh rosemary and fleur de sel or rock salt presented at the table as finishing salt for their meal.
With both of these ideas you can package it in cute little containers and give it away as gifts for your friends.
Slice up tomatoes and cucumbers and sprinkle on some rosemary salt and pepper.
4. Rosemary Skewers
Did you know you can use rosemary branches as skewers for you summer cookouts? Strip all the leaves off the stems and soak the stems in water for twenty to thirty minutes. Then use the stems to make shish kebobs for grilling. It will add extra flavor to your meats and vegetables.
5. Rosemary Infused Simple Syrup
Rosemary simple syrup is wonderful in cocktail recipes and super easy to make. Add one cup of sugar, one cup of water and a quarter cup of fresh rosemary leaves to a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir the mixture until the sugar melts and simmer for one minute. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture steep for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid into a sterile jar and seal. I usually keep mine for one to two weeks in the refrigerator.
6. Rosemary Infused Vodka
Making rosemary infused vodka for your cocktails sounds rather bougie, but its actually super easy. Using a large sterile mason jar, add rosemary sprigs to the jar and fill the jar with vodka. Let it sit for about five days and then remove the rosemary stems.
You can also use fresh rosemary leaves without the stems, which gives it a slightly fresher taste, but then you will need to strain the infused vodka into another sterile jar to remove the rosemary leaves.
Use an additional small rosemary sprig to garnish your cocktail for a lovely aromatic effect.
7. Roasted Root Vegetables with Rosemary
Add a small handful of fresh rosemary leaves to a bowl with potatoes, onions, baby carrots, fennel, and whole, peeled garlic bulbs. Pour in a little olive oil, a sizable pinch of salt, and a bit of pepper. I sometimes add a tablespoon of cornstarch to add a bit of crispness to the roasted veggies. Mix until the vegetables are coated and then spread evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet and cook at 45o degrees for 40-50 minutes. Toss the veggies one or two times during cooking, rotating the baking sheet in the oven at the same time to evenly distribute the heat.
8. A Rosemary Centerpiece
The next time you entertain, add a rustic effect to the dinner table by cutting longer branches of fresh rosemary and laying them over a tablecloth along the center of your table. Then place your serving dishes on top of the rosemary. The effect is dramatic and aromatic.
Create a rosemary centerpiece for your dinnertable.
9. Rosemary Iced Tea
To make rosemary iced tea, use dried or fresh rosemary, although I prefer fresh. If you are using dried rosemary, simply add it to a sashay and place the sashay in the tea while it is steeping. I also like to add slices of lemon. If you are using fresh rosemary, you can use a sashay and add a little lemon peel to it, or if you are in a hurry just add an entire rosemary stem to the steeping tea. For some subtle sweetness, finish your iced tea with a teaspoon of honey before serving.
Rosemary iced tea
10. Roasted Rosemary Cashews
Admittedly, this is my favorite way to use our rosemary. This is a family favorite on my husband’s side, ever since my father in law started making it at all our family gatherings. And he knows he can always find plenty of rosemary at our house! It feels like this recipe has been with us for a long time, but history says that this recipe originated on the Food Network.
Roasted Rosemary Cashews
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Place the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, until they are heated through.
- In the meantime combine the fresh rosemary, pepper, sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl.
- Remove the nuts from the oven and toss them with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated in the mixture.
- Serve warm for the best flavor.