What Are Rosemary leaves and How Can I Use Them?

If rosemary leaves have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 819 recipes to try them in.

What are rosemary leaves?

Rosemary is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs.

The fresh and dried leaves are used frequently in traditional Mediterranean cuisine; they have a bitter, astringent taste and are highly aromatic, which complements a wide variety of foods. A tisane can also be made from them.

When burned they give off a distinct mustard smell, as well as a smell similar to that of burning which can be used to flavor foods while barbecuing.

Rosemary is extremely high in iron, calcium, and Vitamin B6.

Rosemary extract has been shown to improve the shelf life and heat stability of omega-3 rich oils, which are prone to going rancid.

Types of rosemary leaves

Specific kinds of rosemary leaves and the recipes that use them.

Rosemary sprigs

View rosemary sprig recipes →

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 tbsp (3g)

Amount per Serving

Calories 9Calories from Fat 4

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 0.5g 1%

Saturated Fat 0.2g 1%

Trans Fat ~

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 1mg 0%

Total Carbohydrate 1.9g 1%

Dietary Fiber 1g 5%

Sugars ~

Protein 0.1g

Vitamin A 2% Vitamin C 3%

Calcium 4% • Iron 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs.

recipeland.com/nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find rosemary leaves: Rosemary leaves are usually found in the spices section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Rosemary leaves are a member of the Spices and Herbs US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese: 迷迭香叶
British (UK) term: Rosemary leaves
en français: feuilles de romarin
en español: hojas de romero

How much do rosemary leaves weigh?

Amount	Weight
1 tbsp	3 grams
1 teaspoon	1 grams

Spices and Herbs

Allspice 904 Allspice berries 37 Star anise 178 Aniseed 23 Bay leaves 2049 Caraway seeds 321 Cardamom pods 100 Cardamom seeds 317 Celery seeds 283 Chervil 65

Recipes using rosemary leaves

There are 846 recipes using and its varieties.

Spicy Green Pepper Honey Dijon Chicken

Paleo honey Dijon chicken thighs with serrano peppers and rosemary. Marinate overnight, bake 45 minutes for tender, sweet-spicy results that are naturally gluten-free.

Best Rosemary-Olive Focaccia

Rosemary olive focaccia with kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and Parmesan. Made fast with frozen bread dough for Italian-bakery results in 60 minutes.

Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce

This delicious spaghetti sauce is loaded with heart healthy ingredients. After trying this sauce, you will always skip the store-bought ones.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Wild Mushroom & Bourbon Sauce

Tender lemon-rosemary chicken meets an earthy wild mushroom sauce spiked with bourbon, creating layers of savory depth perfect for elegant dinners.

Easy Onion & Herb Focaccia

Add some sophistication to dinner with this scrumptious bread that tastes great plain or toasted!

Rosemary Lemon Grilled Chicken Recipe

A sensational treat for your taste buds as well as tummy, the Rosemary & Lemon Grilled Chicken is a no-fuss recipe that can be had anytime of the day. Packed with flavours, it is a healthy and nutritious alternative to other fried chicken recipes. A meal by itself, it can also be served with a side of salad, mashed potatoes and gravy for an extravagant meal experience.

Holiday Gravy

Smooth Rich Flavor In This Wonderful Tasting Gravy!! ..Thicken With A Potato Blended In!! ..A Few Fresh Herbs And Mushroom!!

Jimmy's Butternut Squash Chowder

Vegan butternut squash chowder made creamy without a drop of dairy. Blended squash, sweet potato, and carrot form a velvety base, brightened with garlic, rosemary, and thyme and topped with toasted almonds.

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

Herb-roasted turkey breast rubbed with rosemary, sage, thyme, and marjoram under the skin, with onion and garlic tucked into the neck cavity. A simple low-fat holiday main with crisp golden skin.

Broccoli Rabe, Potato & Rosemary Pizza

Gourmet vegetarian pizza topped with roasted potatoes, blanched broccoli rabe, fresh rosemary, and two cheeses. This Italian-inspired pizza balances bitter greens with creamy potatoes.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Roasted butternut squash soup brushed with chestnut honey before roasting, finished with shallots, rosemary, and butter. Brothy fall soup with deep caramelized flavor, not the usual heavy puree.

Pear & Lamb Kebabs With Harpoon Ale-Rosemary Pan Sauce

To make the kebabs, you’ll need eight 10-inch wooden or bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes. Metal skewers may overcook the lamb, so use only metal if you like your meat well done.

Grilled Potato, Pancetta & Roasted Garlic Pizza with Olives & Rosemary

Grilled pizza is absolutely flavorful, grilling develops the smokey flavor, and crispy texture on both toppings and crust. Spread with mashed roasted garlic, topped with grilled potato slices, crisp-fried pancetta bits, black olives and rosemary, sprinkled with mozzarella cheese.

Lemon-Herb Lamb Roast

Lemon herb lamb roast rubbed with lemon zest, rosemary, and thyme, served with a tangy yogurt pan sauce. Boneless leg of lamb roasted to a rosy medium for Easter or Sunday supper.

Rosemary-Garlic Olive Oil & Parmesan Bread

Make the rosemary and garlic olive oil in advance, which gives the oil enough time to marry all the herby and garlicky flavors. Brush the casserole dish and the surface of the dough with the rosemary and garlic infused oil, sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top before baking. It comes out cheesy, moist and tasty.

Arugula Salad Warm Goat Cheese with Black Olive Vinaigrette

Baked seasoned warm goat cheese adds a nice zing into the salad, fresh arugula and radicchio have the slightly peppery taste, perfectly match the olive vinaigrette and creamy goat cheese.

Autumn Squash & Apple Soup

Butternut squash and apple soup blends Granny Smith with rosemary and marjoram, thickened naturally with bread cubes and finished with an egg yolk and cream liaison. Pure autumn in a bowl.

Ground Chicken Plantain Boats

Meticulously seasoned ground chicken placed on top of a delicious golden brown fried plantain to create a scrumptious edible boat.

Easy Tuscan Focaccia

Tuscan focaccia topped with garlic-infused olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, rosemary, and Parmesan. A pillowy Italian flatbread with crisp golden edges and savory toppings.

Mediterranean Pasta

Mediterranean pasta with chicken, bacon, artichoke hearts, olives, and rosemary in tomato sauce over vermicelli. Crumbled feta on top. Weeknight dinner classic.

Yummy Garlic Knots

Garlic and bread together, hmmm, it's hard to go wrong with these two. Use basic pizza dough or Italian bread dough to make these cute little delicious and garlicky knots. They are great treats at any occasion, perfect finger food at parties; or when you have company to come over, they can be a yummy snack.

Aduki & Squash Soup

Aduki and squash soup blends sweet butternut, earthy adzuki beans, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and savory miso for a rich vegan fall soup with a Japanese-macrobiotic backbone. High in fibre and deeply warming.

Heirloom Beets, Warm Goat Cheese, Arugula with Green Olive Vinaigrette

Sweet roasted heirloom beets, warm goat cheese rounds on a bed of fresh arugula with flavors highlighted by a green olive vinaigrette.

Mini Cheesy Potato Casseroles

These potato cups are incorporated with feta and ricotta cheese. You can feel the chunks of feta in every spoonful.

Mom's Cream Of Carrot Soup

A creamy and colorful soup that is perfect for a chilly Autumn day. Best served with a slice of bread or crackers.

Baby Routh's Rosemary Muffins with Goat Cheese (Healthier Version)

Whole wheat rosemary muffins with tangy goat cheese centers and golden raisins. Lighter than the classic version but still packed with herbal flavor for brunch or dinner sides.

Focaccia Versiliese (Crispy Olive & Herb Filled Focaccia)

Just like the name of the recipe, this focaccia has a very crispy texture with strong olive, herb and garlic flavor. Just simply eating it directly is delicious enough.

Fettuccine with Shiitake Sauce & Chicken

Fettuccine tossed in a rich shiitake mushroom cream sauce with bacon, chicken breast, and Parmesan. Dried and fresh mushrooms build layers of deep, earthy umami in every bite.

Baby Routh's Rosemary Muffins with Goat Cheese

Savory rosemary muffins with molten goat cheese centers and plump golden raisins. The herb-studded, barely sweet crumb pairs with wild game, lamb, or holiday brunch spreads.

Grilled Hamburgers with Sour Cream & Herbs

Grilled Hamburgers with Sour Cream and Herbs recipe

Whole Wheat Rosemary, Garlic & Sun-dried Tomato Focaccia Pizza

A rosemary foccacia is baked in a pizza pan, brushed with garlic-infused olive oil, topped with roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and chunks mozzarella cheese. Loaded with delicious goodness and packed with flavor.

Whole Wheat Rosemary, Onion & Olives Focaccia Pizza

A rosemary foccacia is baked in a pizza pan, spread with olive oil sauteed red onion, topped with chunks of mozzarella cheese, black olives and fresh rosemary leaves. The aramo from the oven during the baking will make your neighbour wonder over to see what delicious food you are making...

Parmesan, Paprika, & Herbs Roasted Green Beans

This recipe is inspired by parmesan roasted potato and roasted green beans recipes we made last week. Then we came out this idea, and it definitely worked out. Roasting gives the green beans both great flavor and texture, parmesan, paprika and fresh herbs add tons of yumminess. A versatile recipe that can go well with any kind of main dish!

Beef Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Nut & Herb Butter

Beef Tenderloin with spicy Gorgonzola cheese and Pine Nut Herb Butter

Chicken Rosemary with Potatoes

An incredibly simple way to prepare the chicken.. wonderful rosemary aroma (I used fresh leaves).. tasteful lunch.. thanks a lot..

Salmon Rosemary Burgers

Salmon rosemary burgers with hand-chopped fresh salmon, Dijon, horseradish, and fragrant rosemary. A hearty grilled fish burger that holds together on the grates without falling apart into the fire.

Savory Filo Cheese Cups

Savory filo cheese cups, crisp phyllo shells brushed with hazelnut oil and filled with a herbed goat cheese and fromage blanc custard, then baked until golden and puffed. An elegant vegetarian party bite.

Herb & Parmesan Chicken Tenders

Made these chicken tenders for dinner the other night, and they came out quite tasty with very noticeable herby flavor. You can always reduce the amount of herbs to suit your own taste.

Oven-Roasted Pork & Vegetables

Lean pork tenderloin roasts with carrots, new potatoes, and onions in one pan. Simple weeknight dinner seasoned with rosemary and sage that's ready in under an hour.

Vegetable Italian Spaghetti Sauce

A garden vegetable spaghetti sauce loaded with peppers, zucchini, and summer squash, slow-simmered with garlic and a big handful of herbs. A meatless, freezer-friendly marinara for using up the garden.

Potato-Bacon Cups

Crispy, savory potato-bacon cups made with creamy cottage cheese, turkey bacon, and seasoned potatoes. Perfect for breakfast or a side dish, these golden-brown cups are easy to prepare and baked to perfection. Serves 4.

Walnut Rosemary Quinoa

A basic, yet scrumptious quinoa recipe that can be served as a side dish or part of a main meal.

Karen's Meatloaf

I use crushed Ritz crackers instead of bread crumbs and add 2/3 cup of shredded sharp Cheddar. A simple gravy to go along with the meatloaf can also be made using another packet of soup mix, 2 Tbs. flour and 2 cups of cold water. Simmer until thickened.