Try my Homemade English Mint Sauce - simple, no-cook recipe with just 5 ingredients that’s fresher and tastier than store-bought! Perfect for using up fresh mint from your garden!
I Love Making This Fresh British Mint Sauce because it adds a fresh, vibrant, and sharp flavour to so many dishes . It’s the perfect addition to your Sunday lunch, whether you’re serving it with air fryer veggies, roasted Christmas vegetable traybake, roast lamb or even grilled tofu.
Btw, did you know if you have excess of garden mint leaves supply, you can also make dried mint at home.
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A British Classic
While it’s easy to grab a jar of Coleman’s mint sauce or a supermarket brand in the UK, they often come with added preservatives and can cost around £1.70. But honestly, this British sauce is so simple to make, and you probably have all the ingredients at home already, making it practically free!
I learnt this classic recipe from my British neighbour. I can tell you, it’s takes only 5 minutes to make homemade mint sauce. Just chop the mint, add the rest of the ingredients, and let it steep for at least an hour.
👩🏻🍳Tips for Making Perfect Classic British Mint Sauce
- Use simple easy to find fresh ingredients to make this classic British recipe. that's the beauty of this fresh mint sauce recipe. It doesn't have to be fancy.
- Don’t use a blender or food processor – it will make the mint sauce too pulpy and creamy like the Indian Mint Sauce. Finely Chopping by hand is key to keeping that lovely texture.
- My secret to making a good mint sauce at home is to retain some of the mint’s texture. You don’t want it to be too smooth.
- Make the sauce at least an hour before serving – this allows the flavours to steep well.
- Serve at room temperature for the best taste.
📋Ingredients
- Fresh mint leaves: Star of this homemade English mint sauce. I use garden mint, which grows in abundance all year round. It brings a bright, zesty flavour to the sauce. Use any variety—spearmint, peppermint, or a mix. If you’re making enough to serve 12 people, you’ll need at least two bunches of mint.
- Sugar: I use granulated white sugar, but feel free to swap in caster, brown, or even coconut sugar. It helps balance the tartness of the vinegar with just the right touch of sweetness.
- Vinegar: I’ve gone with white vinegar here, but apple cider vinegar works too for a slightly sweeter note.
- Water: Boiling water from the kettle helps thin out the sauce and dissolve the sugar.
- Salt: Just a pinch to bring out all the flavours -not too much overpowering.
🔪How to Make Easy English Mint Sauce Recipe?Step by Step
Step 1: Strip the mint leaves from the stalk and chop them finely.
Step 2: In a small bowl, pour in boiling water, then add the sugar and stir until it dissolves.
Next, add the vinegar and salt, then mix everything together.
Step 3: Add the chopped mint leaves and stir.
Step 4: Let the sauce sit for at least an hour to steep at room temperature before serving. That’s it! So simple!
🍽 Serving Suggestions
This fragrant, real English mint sauce is fantastic for all kinds of meals. I especially love it during the holidays,whether it’s a Christmas dinner or a Thanksgiving feast. Some of my favourite ways include
- Drizzle it over Christmas vegetables traybake, air fried roasted vegetables or sausages traybake.
- Serve alongside your Roast lamb, Sunday roast.
- Stir it into tamarind sauce for a delicious dip with samosas or vegetable pakoras—trust me, it’s amazing! I haven't tried it with onion bhajis yet - hopefully soon.
- Mix it with mayo or sour cream to create a fresh twist on classic dips.
- Use it as a marinade for grilled vegetables or tofu, much like my tandoori marinade for cauliflower or paneer.
- Spread it on sandwiches or wraps for a burst of flavour.
- For a quick, homemade Indian mint yogurt dip, just mix it into yogurt with a few spices!
🧂Storing Leftovers
This sauce keeps well in the fridge for a 3-4 days. It tastes best on the same day. That way, it stays vibrant, sharp, and sweet with the perfect balance of flavours. So I suggest making only as much as you need. Plus it only takes 5 minutes of hands on time.
I don't recommend freezing the mint sauce with white wine vinegar.
❓Recipe FAQ's
The best mint for mint sauce is common garden mint. However, you can also use fresh spearmint or peppermint. These varieties offer a strong, refreshing flavor that works beautifully in the sauce.
You can use any type of white vinegar, such as white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar, for this sauce. If you prefer a slightly sweeter and more pungent flavor, apple cider vinegar is a great option.
Yes, mint sauce is vegan! It's made with only plant-based ingredients like fresh mint leaves, sugar, vinegar, and water.
They're similar but not the same. Mint sauce is a sharp, vinegar-based sauce with fresh mint, while mint jelly is a sweet, jelly-like spread made with mint, sugar, and pectin.
More Easy Mint Dipping Sauce Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 bunch mint 30g
- 5 tablespoon boiling water
- 4 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Strip the mint leaves from the stalk. Chop it finely and set aside.Discard the stalk.1 bunch mint
- In a small bowl, add boiling water and sugar. Stir to combine.5 tablespoon boiling water, 2 tablespoon sugar
- Add vinegar, salt and mix together.4 tablespoon white wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt
- Finally add the chopped mint leaves and mix. Allow it to stand for at least 1 hour for the flavours to develop. Serve.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Use fresh mint leaves to make this classic British recipe. That's the beauty of this British mint sauce recipe.
- Don’t use a blender or food processor – it will make the mint sauce too pulpy and creamy like the Indian Mint Sauce. Finely Chopping by hand is key to keeping that lovely texture.
- My secret to making a good mint sauce at home is to retain some of the mint’s texture. You don’t want it to be too smooth.
- Chop it fine or coarse- its to your liking.
- Make the sauce at least an hour before serving – this allows the flavours to steep well.
- Serve at room temperature for the best taste.
Jo says
Delicious