3 Best Hacks for Preserving Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs can take a dish from meh .. to .. omg this tastes like it came from a 5-star restaurant. Right now, all the herbs in my garden are at their peak and so here are 3 hacks for preserving them so you can enjoy using them in your cooking all year around! Of course, you can also buy fresh herbs from the grocery store and do the same thing.

1 – Freeze Them

For herbs such as thyme, oregano and rosemary, the best way to preserve them is in the freezer. I will remove them from their stem and place them in individually-labeled freezer bags. When a recipe calls for 1/2 tsp of thyme I simply grab a pinch out of the bag and throw it in.

2 – Preserve Them in Oil

For herbs used in cooking, such as basil and cilantro, I preserve them in oil to keep their green freshness. To do this, I remove the leaves from their stems and pack them in a Magic Bullet or blender. Then, I add olive oil and blend into a paste. I then place the mixture in labeled Mason jars and top with more olive oil to prevent mold from growing. When needed, I scoop out the amount I need and put a little olive oil back on top. Like this, herbs can last about 6 months refrigerated.

3 – Dry Them

To dry herbs, like basil, pick the leaves off the stems and wash them well. Then, place them in a single layer on a paper towel & plate. Microwave at 20 second intervals until they are completely dried, turning them over at each interval (I did mine 9 times, for a total cooking time of 3 minutes). Crumble, and store in a sealed container. Dried like this, these herbs will last indefinitely.