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Rosemary Vinegar

Photo Credit
Patty Sanders
Written By: Patty Sanders Herbalist and Nutritionist
Category
Salad Dressings
Course
Salads
Preparation Method
Other
Credit
Patty Sanders, Herbalist

With only two ingredients, our Rosemary Vinegar recipe is not only simple to make but also has SO many uses in the kitchen and as a natural remedy. Rosemary aids memory, soothes joint pain, and even fights germs. Try this easy way to add flavor and healthfulness to your daily life.

One of the most straightforward recipes for using this herb (or any herb) is this 19th-century hint for making flavored vinegar: Pour plain vinegar over herbs in a bottle and let it sit for a month or so. 

What could be easier?

Rosemary is an amazingly available plant all over the world, and you can clip rosemary from your own live plant or use dried rosemary from the spice drawer.

Uses for Rosemary Vinegar

  • Rosemary aids memory and concentration, is an anti-inflammatory, and supports the circulatory system (low blood pressure)—plus, it stimulates fat and starch digestion. 
  • In the kitchen, it’s great to add a splash (or more!) into salad dressings, sauces, soups, stews, marinades, pesto, hummus and more! Try drizzling on grain or rice dishes, cooked greens, and sandwiches.
  • Use rosemary vinegar to soothe your body. Adding 1 cup to a bath will sooth muscles as well as irritated or red skin (especially if you were in the garden!). You could use as a facial toner as well; if needed, dilute a facial toner down.
  • Finally, rosemary vinegar can be used to clean up the kitchen, bathroom, and house. Just put in spray cleaners. The house will smell wonderful, too!

See the simple recipe below and watch herbalist Patty Sanders make this simple recipe and share health tips!

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons of dried rosemary
2 cups of apple cider vinegar (preferably with the mother)

Instructions

Note that you’ll also need a regular mason jar (or pantry jar), parchment paper, labels/masking tape, a pen, and a rubber band.

  1. Coarsely grind rosemary with a mortar and pestle, then add to the mason jar.
  2. Pour vinegar over the top of the herbs to cover. Leave 1/2 inch at the top of the jar.
  3. Stir ingredients.
  4. Cut parchment paper according to the size of the jar opening and add a rubber band to secure it and then add the lid.  OR, use a food-safe plastic lid. (Vinegar reacts with metal lids and will cause them to corrode over time.)
  5. Label!
  6. Cover and place away from direct light or heat (room temperature) for 4-6 weeks.

About The Author
Patty Sanders

Patty Sanders

Herbalist and Nutritionist

Patty Sanders is a certified herbalist and professional nutritionist for Purdue University Extension.

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Comments

<span>Debra Thomsett</span> Thu, 06/02/2022 - 00:25
I find putting cuttings in water on my windowsill works.
<span>Patty Sanders</span> Wed, 05/25/2022 - 15:49
I’ve not had good experience starting Rosemary from seed and I usually get the very young organic plants.
<span>Karen</span> Wed, 05/11/2022 - 13:34
I started rosemary from seed this year. The seeds were from Botanical Interests. They all came up, but are very slow growing. If I overwinter the plants, I will be able to cut from them next year, maybe. My other herbs I start from seed, parsley and basil, grow like crazy once I transplant them outside. Hopefully the rosemary will do the same.
<span>Patty Sanders</span> Wed, 05/25/2022 - 15:51
Thank you for sharing a good supplier of Rosemary seeds.
<span>Betty</span> Wed, 05/11/2022 - 10:55
It is much easier to grow rosemary from cuttings. I like to start them in water for about 6 weeks. Once a good number of roots develop, I then place each cutting in a container with potting soil.
<span>Patty Sanders</span> Tue, 05/17/2022 - 14:31
Thank you Betty for sharing this valuable information! I myself have not been successful to grow rosemary from seed. Here in Indiana I purchase the small organic plantings at the farmers market. I may try to do cuttings and try what you suggested.
<span>Meredith Michener</span> Wed, 05/11/2022 - 10:41
Everything I have read is that rosemary is notoriously hard to raise from seed. It is very slow growing. It is more expedient to pick up a starter plant and nurture it.
<span>Rex Jones</span> Wed, 05/11/2022 - 10:09
Nice if readers would get the ratio correct. "Use 3 Tbs of FRESH crushed rosemary in 1 qt of ORGANIC vinegar." Using dried: 6 Tbs. Crush it in the same jar used for mixture. This eliminates having to try and get all the juice out of and off the mortar and pestile. Use the handle end of a butter knife or similar item to crush rosemary then add vinegar and swirl ingredients to mix. Fill qt jar up, leave 1/2 to 1 inch space. Put parchment paper between metal lid and jar, let sit in dark or dim out of sunlight area for 4 to 6 weeks. Use 1 Teaspoon per 8 oz water as a drink once a day. Use as salad dressing with a good oil. In bath water etc, etc. I also put 1 tsp per gallon of water for my chickens. Hope this helps.
<span>Doris</span> Sun, 02/04/2024 - 15:59
Do you mean 6 Tbs of fresh to 3 Tbs dried? Otherwise, the recipe would use twice as much dried rosemary as fresh rosemary. Everything I have read or used myself has always been much more fresh to dried as dry herbs are more concentrated than fresh. Please answer as I would like to use it, especially for drinking. Thanks.
<span>Patty Sanders</span> Wed, 05/25/2022 - 15:59
Thank you Rex for sharing your way to make Rosemary vinegar. As a folk herbalist we all do things differently. I myself followed Mountain Rose Herbs for the ratios I used in this recipe. I may try yours too!