How many times have you opened the fridge and noticed that your fresh herbs have wilted or are brown?
If you’re like me, too many to count.
How can we easily prep and store our fresh herbs to last?
So, how do we store fresh herbs to last 2 weeks? It all starts with cleaning, prepping, and storing them appropriately. The key is understanding the difference between leafy and woodsy herbs, and how the environment affects them. Once you understand all of this, then you can easily store fresh herbs to last 2 weeks or more.
Let’s start with cleaning and storing leafy stemmed herbs.
Leafy stemmed herbs have delicate leaves and include parsley, cilantro, and basil. When you’ve returned from the store with your bounty of herbs, you need to rinse them off well, spread them out on a towel, and pat them dry with a paper towel. The secret to preserving leafy herbs is to treat them like flowers. Yes! Prepare them in the same way you would freshly cut flowers. To do this, you need to trim off the stem ends to expose them more easily to water. Then, place the bunch in a glass with about 1-inch water (see pic below). You should store them in the fridge being sure to change out the water daily. You should also seal them in a closed container or zip-top bag to limit too much oxygen exposure. These steps can buy you time in using them, and they’ll easily last 2 weeks or longer.
Basil has slightly different rules
For basil, prepare as above except leave the bunch in the glass on the counter because the refrigerator cold will turn the leaves brown.
Keep in mind… too much moisture on the leaves makes them wilt, too much light turns the leaves yellow, and cold or excess oxygen can turn the leaves brown… fine line to follow.
What about cleaning and storing woodsy herbs like rosemary and thyme?
You have all these herbs you bought on sale with the intention of using them in the near future. First, you should rinse them well and pat them dry with a paper towel. Next, you should wrap them in a moist paper towel (not wringing-out wet) and place them in a sealed bag to store in the fridge.
What if you know you’re not going to us them for weeks or so down the road?
If you know you’re not going to use your herbs for a long time, once you pat them dry ensuring there’s absolutely NO moisture, mince them with a knife, and put them in a labeled zip-top freezer bag until you need them. Moisture free herbs are necessary when freezing herbs because moisture will produce a wilted herb when thawed. After frozen, these herbs will be great used in baked dishes, soups, and chilis.
What’s the proper way to chop or mince all these herbs?
Parsley: I prefer Italian parsley over curly parsley. Italian parsley has less of a bitter flavor. To mince parsley, you simply cut the stems and leaves since both add flavor. Parsley stems are thin enough that after they are chopped, they blend in with the leaves and provide a good parsley flavor with the leaves.
Thyme: Most of the stems on thyme are thin enough to eat; however, some are yet too thick and need to be discarded. For thick stalked stems, use your non-dominate hand and place those fingers at the top of the stalk. Place your dominate hand fingers just below the other on the stalk and while going against the grain, rub your fingers down the stalk removing the leaves away from the stems. Then, with a good sharp knife, just mince the leaves to your preferred size.
Rosemary: Most of these stems are more like stalks. They are too thick to eat. You’re going to follow the same steps to remove the leaves as with the thyme. Just grab the top section with your non-dominate hand fingers and place your dominate hand fingers just below the other. Then, rub your fingers down the stalk going against the grain to pull the herbs away from the stems. Then, just chop away with a good sharp knife.
For visuals of this process, see my YouTube video on Prepping and Storing Fresh Herbs.
Looking for dishes that incorporate fresh herbs? Check these out.
Sinfully Rich and Silky 2 Way Mashed Potatoes
Savory Bread Pudding Stuffing Alternative (Gluten or Gluten Free)
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