Homemade mint sauce is the archetypal condiment to serve with a roast lamb Sunday lunch; it's very easy to make and much cheaper than a jar.
Not only is it easy, but it is also very quick and involves no cooking! 10 minutes of chopping and prepping, 20 minutes of cooling, and you are done.
Mint Sauce for a Lamb Sunday Lunch
Sunday lunches have rules. Now, I love breaking rules with food, but some you just can't!
Roast chicken with sage and onion stuffing, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, and roast pork with apple sauce, to name a few.
Roast lamb with mint sauce is another to add to that list!
Homemade mint sauce is incredibly easy to make and uses very few ingredients.
Sweet, sour and tangy with that massive mint flavour that is so perfect with lamb.
And given that fresh mint grows like stink, it is so easy to have a crop from a small pot in the garden or balcony for most of the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use malt vinegar?
No, this recipe can be made with white/red wine vinegar, white vinegar and at a push, cider vinegar.
However, my personal preference is malt vinegar; it may be nostalgia, but it reminds me of the sauce I remember from my childhood!
Can I use regular sugar?
Yes, granulated sugar works well, although you need to work it a little more to get it dissolved.
Why do you suggest using a pestle and mortar?
When you do this, it bruises the mint leaves and gets the oils flowing. It gives you a marginally better texture and flavour.
Feel free to skip this step.
How long can I make this in advance?
This sauce is at its best when it has been sitting for an hour, and after 3 hours or so, it begins to get a little dull and past its best.
Serving Suggestions
You may think of homemade mint sauce as a bit of a one-trick pony, only being used for a Sunday lunch consisting of something like my slow roasted lamb shoulder or roast lamb leg.
But I use loads of the stuff; sure, most of it is combined with lamb, but you will find it in loads of my recipes.
It appears in obvious dishes like my lamb and dumpling stew (pictured below), minted lamb meatballs (pictured above), and my crushed minted peas.
But you'll also find it in surprising places like my Burmese pumpkin curry, lamb tikka masala, harissa lamb chops and my mint and cucumber raita recipes.
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A kettle.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
- Pestle and mortar (optional).
Homemade Mint Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 25 g Fresh Mint Leaves ½ packed cup (unchopped)
- 1½ teaspoon Caster Sugar
- 1-1½ tablespoon Malt Vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 35 ml Boiling Water 2 tablespoon + 1 Tsp
Instructions
- Finely chop the mint leaves and add them to a bowl.
- Add the sugar, salt, vinegar and boiling water, stir until dissolved, and allow to cool completely.