Lemon verbena: it smells amazing, tastes incredible, and makes everything it touches just a little brighter. Your food! Your fingertips! Your life?! You can toss the leaves into desserts, savory dishes, or simply rub them between your fingers for that fresh lemony fragrance. Check out some delicious ways to use this herb in the kitchen, plus a look at its health benefits.
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Have you ever smelled lemon verbena? Did you like its scent?
The first time I caught a whiff of it, I was smitten with that bright, citrusy scent.
My husband is the one with the green thumb at our place. I just get to enjoy the fruits (and herbs!) of his labor. And I’m constantly amazed at how wildly some of the plants on our balcony take off. One day, one particular plant caught my eye. Long stems, loads of narrow leaves. Very unassuming—until I did what every plant lover does.
I rubbed a leaf between my fingers and took a sniff. (You know, the same way you have to touch and smell every sage or rosemary bush you pass. Hmmmm.)
But this? This smelled different from what I knew. Not like a cooking herb, but like a basket full of sun-soaked, ripe lemons.
Lemony, but not lemon balm. Not lemongrass, either. Not anything I’d smelled before.
It was lemon verbena.
Since I was intrigued by its scent and had a bounty of lemon verbena on the balcony (it grows like crazy), I started playing with it in the kitchen. Wow! Just wow! It gives everything you make an ultra-special lemony vibe. Fresh. Bright. Unexpected. And now I want it in everything.
What Is Lemon Verbena?
First things first: here’s a little polite introduction in case you haven’t met lemon verbena yet. Technically, it’s a shrub from South America, but it grows like a tall, leafy herb and brings major citrus energy. If you’ve got a warm, sunny spot, it’ll go wild—sprouting a plethora of branches and lemony leaves. (I’ve seen it. It’s glorious.)
What makes this plant stand out—besides its positively dramatic urge to take over your garden—is the scent. Yes, it’s lemony. But not your everyday lemon. It smells cleaner. Brighter. A little more spa day, a little less cleaning spray.
Unlike lemon balm (which leans minty) or lemongrass (which can be bold), lemon verbena is soft and floral, with a dreamy, sweet lemon scent = 100% joy.
And no, the scent doesn’t just waft through the air. You’ve got to give the leaves a little rub, steep them, cook with them, or nibble on them. It’s a shy kind of charm—but totally worth coaxing out because its culinary uses are many and seriously delightful.
How to Use Lemon Verbena in the Kitchen
This is where things get fun for foodies (aka all people who love to eat). Lemon verbena is great for sipping, infusing, and adding zing to both sweet and savory dishes. Just keep in mind when using fresh versus dried leaves: fresh taste more intense, so you’ll want to use more if you only have dried leaves.
Tea
The most classic move.
Steep a few fresh or dried leaves in hot water. That’s it. You’ve got a cup of naturally caffeine-free tea that tastes fresh, lemony, and springy-summery.
If you’re feeling fancy, treat yourself to a lemon verbena peach iced tea, so good. Here’s a recipe from The Simple Things.
Desserts
Lemon verbena loooves sugar.
Here are some sweet ways to use it for that bright, citrusy flavor:
- Finely chop the leaves and stir into your yogurt breakfast bowl.
- Blend into smoothies for a fresh kick.
- Infuse syrups, cocktails, or homemade lemonades.
- Steep in warm cream for panna cotta or custards.
- Bake into cake and cookies, or churn into ice cream and sorbet.
Need ideas? At Mountain Valley Growers, you’ll find a recipe for a boozy lemon verbena lemonade and a lemon verbena tarragon sorbet. Yum!
Savory Dishes
Now we’re getting into the really fun/wild/crazy delicious stuff. For some (many? all?) recipes, adding lemon verbena is that little something extra your dish didn’t know it needed for an "OMG" effect.
Think:
- Light marinades
- Pestos
- Roasted veggies (Lemon verbena roasted potatoes? Brilliant! Here’s a recipe from Eatwell Farm.)
- Stirred into rice, couscous, and curries for a citrusy lift that feels fancy without the fuss
And I’m in love with this buckwheat salad with beets and mushrooms—all thanks to the finely chopped lemon verbena leaves I added.
Health Benefits
Beyond smelling like a fresh summer day and tasting wonderfully vibrant, lemon verbena boasts some health benefits. Studies (like this, this, and this from PubMed) say it may:
- Soothe digestion
- Boost your mood by calming nerves and reducing stress
- Support better sleep
- Act as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
- Aid in muscle recovery after exercise
These benefits come from the flavonoids and polyphenols in the leaves. And you can get all these perks just by adding the fresh or dried leaves to your culinary creations (see recipe ideas above!).
However, it’s worth mentioning that many of the studies are based on lemon verbena essential oils or extracts, which are more concentrated. While consuming the leaves will still provide some of these benefits, for a more potent dose, you might want to consider using the extract or essential oils.
How to Dry and Store Lemon Verbena
Now that you know all about its health perks and kitchen magic, don’t you want to enjoy lemon verbena even in winter? I definitely do! That’s why I dry as many leaves as I can while the plant is still lush and green (and I bet you will, too). This way, I have a little stash for the cooler months until the plant blesses me with fresh leaves again next year.
Here’s how to dry lemon verbena:
- Snip the stems.
- Tie them into small bunches.
- Hang them upside down in a dry, shady spot (think pantry or closet).
- Wait a couple of days (even up to a week).
- Once the leaves are crispy and dry, pluck them off the stems and store them in an airtight jar or container for up to a year.
Will you try some of the recipes? Do you have a lemon verbena recipe that you swear by? If you do, please drop it below—I’m all ears!
Wishing you planty of lemony delights,
Ramona
♥
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