Lemongrass Recipes

These 16 lemongrass recipes will add bright citrus and herbal notes to nearly any dish

Published May 1, 2013 10:00 PM

Food

This satay gets its tangy fieriness from red curry paste and tamarind. Get the recipe for Southern Thai-Style Mussel Satay (Hoi Malaeng Puu) ».

Commonly used in Asian cooking, fragrant lemongrass brings its bright citrus and herbal notes to everything from soups and marinades to salads and desserts. Here are our 16 favorite lemongrass recipes, from classic hot and sour Thai soup to a sweet lemongrass syrup.

Chef Seppi Rengli created this dish while at New York’s Sea Grill restaurant, using lemongrass in the marinade, then skewering the shrimp with the stalks to add extra flavor.

Lemongrass Syrup

Fragrantly herbal and vaguely citrusy, stir lemongrass syrup into a mint julep for an exotic take on the classic. It’s also lovely drizzled over pound cake, tossed with a mango–papaya fruit salad, or used to sweeten a glass of iced tea.

See the Recipe Melanie Acevedo

See the Recipe Christopher Hirsheimer

See the Recipe James Oseland

Indonesian Chicken Curry

INDONESIA In this dish, based on one in SAVEUR editor-in-chief James Oseland’s Cradle of Flavor, cinnamon and lemongrass give the silky sauce fragrance and spice. See the recipe for Indonesian Chicken Curry »

Fragrant with lime juice and lemongrass, this hot and sour soup is based on a recipe from our friend Nancie McDermott, author of Real Thai (Chronicle Books, 1992). Get the recipe for Tom Yum Goong »

Home-Made XO Sauce

Sang Yoon, Father’s Office, Los Angeles “Making it is a real labor of love; you have to let the dried seafood soak up water before finely chopping it with the aromatics and cooking the mixture to incorporate the flavors. But it’s so worth it.” Read the complete SAVEUR 100 story »

Southern Thai-Style Mussel Satay (Hoi Malaeng Puu)

This satay gets its tangy fieriness from red curry paste and tamarind. Get the recipe for Southern Thai-Style Mussel Satay (Hoi Malaeng Puu) »

Lemongrass Pork Satay

Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten uses pork shoulder for this umami-packed satay. Get the recipe for Lemongrass Pork Satay »

Thai Pork Satay (Muu Satay)

Coconut milk imbues this pork satay with a subtle sweetness. Get the recipe for Thai Pork Satay (Muu Satay) »

Chicken Satay (Satay Ayam)

These fragrant chicken skewers are infused with traditional Indonesian spices like lemongrass, garlic, and ginger. Get the recipe for Chicken Satay (Satay Ayam) »