I’m a big fresh herb gal. Cilantro on salads, dill in yogurt dressings and sauces, basil on pizzas, chives on eggs—I use herbs in my meals by the handful. Incorporating fresh herbs is a foolproof way to add oomph during cooking or as a final touch. While I love keeping all types of herbs on hand, unfortunately they don’t last very long in the fridge, even when stored properly. But that’s where the freezer comes in.
Stock your freezer with herbs now and you’ll be able to add their fresh flavor to dishes for months to come (this is especially handy if you have an herb garden that’s overflowing). There are a number of ways to freeze fresh herbs, but my go-to is the one Kenji Lopez-Alt landed on when he tested various methods to find the best way to store herbs in the freezer. While you can simply freeze herbs in water—or even as-is—Kenji found that freezing herbs in oil is the best way to cut down on freezer burn and to reduce melting time when cooking with them. And while you can freeze herbs with oil in ice cube trays, an even better method is to freeze them flat in zipper-lock bags. This method makes it easy to store the herbs and to cut off the exact amount you need whenever you want.
How to Freeze Fresh Herbs in Zipper-Lock Bags
Serious Eats / Yasmine Maggio
This method works for any fresh herb, including basil, mint, and parsley. To freeze herbs this way, first clean and chop them, either by hand or using a food processor, then transfer them to a large zipper-lock freezer bag and add enough neutral oil (such as canola or light olive oil) to coat them. Any neutral oil works here, or you can use an oil you know you want the flavor of in your dishes, such as extra virgin olive oil or even a nut oil. Seal the bag, leaving about a half inch of space open, then carefully squeeze out excess air before sealing the bag completely. Now place the bag on a large plate or baking sheet, spreading out the herb mixture to a thin, even layer, and place it in the freezer until completely frozen solid. When you’re ready to use your herbs, just cut off the amount you need with a knife or kitchen shears. (To cut down on plastic waste, you can reuse the same plastic bag numerous times or opt for a reusable storage bag.)
While you won’t be able to preserve the texture of herbs when freezing—a result of ice crystals dismantling the herbs’ cell walls, leaving them limp once defrosted—you can definitely preserve their flavor. Frozen herbs should keep their flavor for three to six months—after that, they might lose potency or begin to suffer freezer burn.
Serious Eats / Yasmine Maggio
This method is especially wonderful for incorporating the flavor of fresh herbs during colder months. “I can pop frozen herbs right into soups or sauces to thaw and finish a dish throughout the winter,” says Serious Eats senior culinary editor Leah Colins. If your recipe calls for fresh herbs, you can simply eyeball the amount called for and adjust to taste. Frozen parsley adds a welcome freshness to this hearty winter vegetable soup, while frozen basil perks up Italian-American red sauce, and frozen cilantro brightens up channa masala.
So next time you find yourself with a whole bunch of herbs and don’t know what to do with them, you can turn to this tip to preserve them. Who doesn’t love always having herbs at the ready?
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