Mint Sauce is a British classic, it goes perfectly with roast lamb and it is SO easy to make. Just 4 ingredients is all you need for an impressive sauce that will take your roast dinner to the next level. Follow all our tips for how to make mint sauce.
This vibrant homemade mint sauce is made using fresh mint, some water, sugar and vinegar - that's all. It takes less than 10 minutes to make, and as well as tasting better than store bought, it's cheaper too. Serve it with roast lamb for a Sunday British classic.
If you are looking for some other recipes that use mint, why not try our Minted Peas, Cucumber Radish Salad or Christmas Punch?
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Why you will love it
- Quick and easy - It takes less than 10 minutes to make this recipe for mint sauce and it's as simple as mixing everything together.
- Better than store bought - You just can't beat homemade mint sauce as it's so fresh and minimal ingredients too. No added preservatives and just 4 ingredients.
- Cheap - Apart from the fresh mint, you probably have all the ingredients you need to make this sauce. It's much cheaper to make it yourself than it is to buy it.
- Goes perfectly with lamb - You can't beat the combination of mint and lamb. The sweetness of the lamb balances well with the tang from the mint sauce. Lamb used to be a lot fattier than it is today, so the mint and vinegar helped to cut through that, which is why they are traditionally served together.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Mint - You just want to buy regular mint for this. Not peppermint, as that won't work. It might look like a lot of mint, but it does wilt down with the boiling water.
- Water - Add boiling water to the fresh mint, as this will help to soften it and bring out the flavour.
- Vinegar - We used white wine vinegar. It is nice and sharp and gives that tang that mint sauce has. It is also clear, so won't darken the sauce. Don't use malt vinegar as it's too dark and the flavour is overpowering too. You could use apple cider vinegar if you prefer.
- Sugar - You can use caster sugar or granulated white sugar for this mint sauce recipe.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How to make mint sauce - Step by step
One: Add the chopped mint to a jug or bowl.
Two: Add the sugar.
Three: Add the boiled water and stir well. Leave to cool, about 5 minutes.
Four: Once cooled, add the vinegar. Stir again and serve.
What to serve with Mint Sauce
You can't beat mint with roast lamb. Why not try making our Slow Cooker Lamb Shoulder and some Roast Potatoes, Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli and Easy Cauliflower Cheese?
If you want some more lamb recipes that would be perfect with this mint sauce, why not try one of these:
Mint and courgettes are also a delicious combination - some sautéed courgette with lemon would be good drizzled with this. We also love roasted new potatoes smothered in this sauce.
If you wanted a cooling dip for a curry like our Slow Cooker Beef Curry or Tomato Chicken Curry, then you could mix this mint sauce with some yogurt and drizzle it over the curry.
Top tip
The secret to a really good mint sauce is to not chop the mint too finely. It does need to be well chopped, but keeping some texture to it is nice.
Do not use a blender to make this sauce, as it will turn it into a mushy mess.
Storage
Store: You can store it and we recommend making it in advance and keeping it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving to let the flavours come together. However, the mint will start to lose its vibrant colour any longer than that. If you do have leftovers, then they can be stored in a bowl wrapped in cling film for up to 3 days. If you wanted to keep it longer, then make sure all the mint is covered in the vinegar mixer and it is in a sealed sterilised jar. Then you can keep it for up to 2 months.
Freeze: We don't recommend freezing mint sauce.
Extra tips
- Make sure you strip all the leaves off the stalks, as you don't want to chop up any stalks.
- Make your homemade mint sauce at least 2 hours in advance and then keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve. This will allow all the flavours to come together.
- Some people like their mint sauce really sharp, others like it really sweet. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar and vinegar added to suit your own tastes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as long as you are using white wine vinegar and not malt, then this is gluten free. Just make sure there is no cross contamination.
Yes, this recipe is vegan.
No, do not use a blender to make this as it will turn it in to pulp. You still want to have some texture in this sauce.
More sauce recipes
If you’ve tried this mint sauce recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Homemade Mint Sauce
Ingredients
- 35 g (0.75 cups) Fresh mint - finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Sugar - granulated
- 6 tablespoon Water - boiling
- 4 tablespoon White wine vinegar
Instructions
- Add 35 g Fresh mint to a jug or bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoon Sugar.
- Add 6 tablespoon Water (boiled) and stir well. Leave to cool, about 5 minutes.
- Once cooled, add 4 tablespoon White wine vinegar. Stir again and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you strip all the leaves off the stalks, as you don't want to chop up any stalks.
- Make your homemade mint sauce at least 2 hours in advance and then keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve. This will allow all the flavours to come together.
- Some people like their mint sauce really sharp, others like it really sweet. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar and vinegar added to suit your own tastes.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Devon says
Could I use honey instead of sugar because I can not have normal sugar due to health reasons thanks
Dannii says
You could, but it would totally change the flavour.