22 Fragrant Rosemary Recipes That Show off the Herb in All Its Glory

London Broil with Rosemary and Thyme
Photo: Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Woodsy, piney, and a little peppery, rosemary has an undeniably distinct taste, and one that goes just as well with rich, meaty dishes as it does with zingy desserts and cocktails. Whether you're making your way through a rosemary bush out back (it's a forgiving plant to grow!) or thinking of new ways to incorporate the herb after using sprigs for another dish, we've got plenty of great recipes that put fragrant rosemary to good use.

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Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary and Lavender

Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary and Lavender
© Paul Costello

This roast leg of lamb is rubbed with the classic combo of rosemary and garlic, but gets an unexpected twist with the addition of chopped fresh lavender. It's served with a sweet-and-sour shallot jam made from dates, honey, and apple cider vinegar.

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Pull-Apart Rosemary Garlic Bread

Pull Apart Rosemary Garlic Bread
Photo by Will Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey

Made to share, this rosemary garlic bread is perfect for bakers of all skill levels. Pockets of grated Parmesan cheese, fresh rosemary, garlic, and plenty of butter infuse each layer, flavoring the loaf from the inside out. The nearly effortless homemade dough comes together in mere minutes in a stand mixer.

03 of 22

Rosemary Chicken with Corn and Sausage Fricassee

Rosemary Chicken with Corn and Sausage Fricassee
© Con Poulos

For juicy, flavorful chicken, New Orleans chef Nina Compton soaks her drumsticks in a simple brine for 45 minutes before she grills them. Olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper are combined for a bright, fresh marinade.

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Goat Cheese Cakes with Rosemary and Lavender Honey

Goat Cheese Cakes with Rosemary and Lavender Honey
© John Kernick

Pastry chef Sandi Reinlie created this recipe using Provençal goat cheese, which is combined with cream cheese and minced fresh rosemary and baked atop a gingersnap crust. It's served with a drizzle of lavender honey.

05 of 22

Rosemary-Pepper Beef Rib Roast with Porcini Jus

Rosemary-Pepper Beef Rib Roast with Porcini Jus
© JOHN KERNICK

In this recipe from the late renowned chef Floyd Cardoz, beef rib roast is seared in a preheated pan in the oven, which saves stove space and helps the meat cook more quickly. If you want to prep in advance, you can make the porcini jus a day beforehand and refrigerate it overnight.

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Rosemary Gimlet

Rosemary Gimlet
Eva Kolenko

With a generous portion of lime juice, this puckery rosemary gimlet is balanced by the piney rosemary-honey syrup. Using botanically bracing gin makes it a gimlet; if you like, try substituting white rum for the gin to make a rosemary daiquiri.

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Baja-Style Rosemary Chicken Skewers

Baja-Style Rosemary Chicken Skewers
© John Kernick

Chicken thighs are perfect for the grill because they stay nice and moist. Skewering them with rosemary imparts a lovely herbal flavor.

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Rosemary Flatbread with Blue Cheese, Grapes, and Honey

Rosemary Flatbread with Blue Cheese, Grapes and Honey
© Dana Gallagher

"It's a tradition for winemakers to bake bread with grapes to celebrate the harvest," says chef David Page. Each harvest, he uses his wood-burning oven to make this crusty flatbread studded with creamy crumbled blue cheese, sweet table grapes, and fresh rosemary.

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Balsamic and Rosemary-Marinated Florentine Steak

Balsamic and Rosemary-Marinated Florentine Steak
© Marie Hennechart

Chef Matt Molina prepares this dish by marinating porterhouse steak in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lots of fresh chopped rosemary overnight. It gets a char on the grill, then roasts in the oven to finish cooking.

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Rosemary, Almond, and Parmesan Cocktail Cookies

Rosemary, Almond and Parmesan Cocktail Cookies
© Quentin Bacon

To bring out the flavor of the rosemary in these barely sweet cookies, master baker Dorie Greenspan first rubs the leaves with granulated sugar — a technique she learned from renowned French pastry chef Pierre Hermé.

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Rosemary Lamb Chops

Rosemary Lamb Chops
© Tina Rupp

In the chef version of this recipe, a rosemary-mint sauce tops the lamb chops. For our easy version, skip the sauce and instead rub rosemary onto the chops before they're seared.

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Fig and Rosemary Focaccia with Pecorino

Fig-and-Rosemary Focaccia with Pecorino
© Con Poulos

Chef Marco Canora makes this focaccia with freshly milled, small-batch whole-wheat flour. The grain's mild nuttiness marries beautifully with rosemary and plump dried figs, and Pecorino Romano provides a great salty contrast to the fruit's sweetness. A generous amount of olive oil ensures both a tender crumb and a crisp, golden exterior.

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Mustard and Rosemary Roast Turkey

Mustard-and-Rosemary Roast Turkey
© John Kernick

Mustard, garlic, olive oil, and rosemary are combined to make a rub for this beautiful turkey dish. Because so many people are hesitant to make a whole turkey, cookbook author Melissa Clark suggests roasting the turkey in parts, separating the dark meat from the white meat to guarantee a perfectly cooked bird.

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Rosemary and Sea Salt Popcorn

Rosemary and Sea Salt Popcorn
© Todd Porter & Diane Cu

A little fresh rosemary and sea salt make freshly popped popcorn the ultimate snack.

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Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Chops with Pimentón and Mint

Rosemary-Garlic Lamb Chops with Pimentón and Mint
© John Kernick

Chef Nancy Silverton adores the grilled, herb-flecked lamb chops scottadito ("burnt fingers"). Here, she adds a kick to the lamb by garnishing it with smoky pimentón de la Vera and little mint leaves

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Warm Olives with Rosemary, Garlic, and Lemon

Warm Olives with Rosemary, Garlic and Lemon
© Quentin Bacon

Chef Marc Murphy serves these olives warm to accentuate the marinade's lemony flavor. They're ready in 25 minutes.

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Honey-Rosemary Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes

Honey-Rosemary Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes
© David De Vleeschauwer

With eight garlic cloves, honey, and rosemary, this amazing recipe is a powerhouse of intoxicating scents. Cherry tomatoes and a couple dried chiles provide an enticing, vibrant color.

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Toasted Rosemary Pecans

Toasted Rosemary Pecans
© Maura McEvoy

Because this pecan recipe comes together from just five simple ingredients, the rosemary flavor really shines through, making for a flavorful bite.

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Rosemary Salty Dog

Rosemary Salty Dog
© Tina Rupp

Chef Ashley Christensen adds muddled fresh rosemary to her version of the gin and grapefruit juice classic.

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Classic London Broil with Rosemary and Thyme

London Broil with Rosemary and Thyme
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce effortlessly infuse quick-cooking flank steak with bold flavor. Pile the thinly sliced steak on crusty rolls for sandwiches, or serve with buttery baked potatoes and a salad of crisp lettuce.

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Crunchy Chickpeas with Rosemary and Olive Oil

Crunchy Chickpeas with Rosemary and Olive Oil
© Emily Farris

Rosemary is the star of this crunchy snack, made with canned chickpeas and olive oil. Set them out at your next party (and watch them disappear).

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Lemon-Rosemary Sorbet

Lemon-Rosemary Sorbet
© Reed Davis

It doesn't get any easier than this refreshing sorbet recipe. Simply make a syrup from lemon juice, sugar, rosemary, and water, then freeze it in an ice cream maker after it's been chilled.

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