Apricots adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
lemon balm
+ Add to WorkbenchAbout this ingredient
A perennial herb in the mint family with a distinctly lemony, floral fragrance from citral and linalool — similar to lemon verbena but milder and slightly mint…
19 pairings
Editorial
Flavor profile
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is one of the oldest cultivated medicinal and culinary herbs — its calming properties (attributed to rosmarinic acid and GABA modulation) have been documented since classical antiquity. The culinary value is primarily as a fresh aromatic: the leaves, which smell powerfully of lemon with a mint undertone when crushed, can be added to salads, fruit salads, cold soups (gazpacho, melon soup), cocktails and mocktails, and desserts where they provide a complex lemony fragrance without any added acidity. Unlike lemon zest or juice, lemon balm contributes only aroma, not acid — it can be used where acid would disrupt a preparation (whipped cream, ice cream, certain custards). Dried lemon balm loses essentially all of its character — only fresh is worth using. A simple lemon balm tea (cold infusion of fresh leaves in water) is a genuinely excellent, naturally calming beverage.
Pairings
Flavor relationships
Pairs well with
apricots
asparagus
berries
carrots
chicken
chives
dill
fennel bulb
fish
fruit
ginger
melon
mint
nectarines
parsley, flat-leaf
peaches
peas
salads
teas
apricots
Apricots adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
asparagus
Asparagus adds complementary vegetable character, giving lemon balm more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
berries
Berries adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
carrots
Carrots adds complementary vegetable character, giving lemon balm more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
chicken
Chicken adds savory richness and browned depth that gives lemon balm more weight and turns it into a heartier dish.
chives
Chives supplies an allium backbone that deepens lemon balm's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
dill
Dill adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping lemon balm from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
fennel bulb
Fennel Bulb adds spice, warmth, or aromatic complexity that plays against lemon balm's natural base notes.
fish
Fish brings briny savory depth that contrasts with lemon balm's fresher, citrusy, or vegetal notes.
fruit
Fruit adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
ginger
Ginger complements lemon balm by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
melon
Melon adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
mint
Mint adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping lemon balm from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
nectarines
Nectarines adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
parsley, flat-leaf
Parsley, Flat-Leaf adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping lemon balm from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
peaches
Peaches adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
peas
Peas adds earthy body and protein, pairing well with lemon balm's savory or fresh notes in stews, salads, and sides.
salads
Salads complements lemon balm by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
teas
Teas complements lemon balm by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
Asparagus adds complementary vegetable character, giving lemon balm more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
Berries adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
Carrots adds complementary vegetable character, giving lemon balm more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
Chicken adds savory richness and browned depth that gives lemon balm more weight and turns it into a heartier dish.
Chives supplies an allium backbone that deepens lemon balm's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
Dill adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping lemon balm from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
fennel bulb
Fennel Bulb adds spice, warmth, or aromatic complexity that plays against lemon balm's natural base notes.
Fish brings briny savory depth that contrasts with lemon balm's fresher, citrusy, or vegetal notes.
fruit
Fruit adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
Ginger complements lemon balm by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
melon
Melon adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
Mint adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping lemon balm from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
Nectarines adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
parsley, flat-leaf
Parsley, Flat-Leaf adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping lemon balm from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
Peaches adds fruitiness and natural sweetness that rounds out lemon balm's sharper, richer, or more aromatic side.
Peas adds earthy body and protein, pairing well with lemon balm's savory or fresh notes in stews, salads, and sides.
salads
Salads complements lemon balm by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
teas
Teas complements lemon balm by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.