Fresh herbs wake up your palate with every mouthful. Plus they make your everyday meals look extra fancy. I love including fresh herbs to most dishes that I cook.
The only downside to fresh herbs is that they wilt and spoil so quickly.
Here is the best way that I’ve found to store fresh herbs.
- When you bring fresh herbs home from the store, the first step is to get rid of the rubber band that’s holding the herbs together.
- Wash them really well and dry them by using a salad spinner.
If you don’t have a salad spinner, you can dry the herbs without it, but the salad spinner works great on getting the herbs dry very thoroughly.
Extra moisture will make the herbs wilt and spoil much quicker.
- Place the dry herbs on a paper towel and roll up the paper towel loosely.
- Place the herbs inside a ziptop bag but leave it partly open.
The paper towel will wick away the moisture and keep the herbs fresh.
The other great thing about storing herbs this way is that you always have clean dry herbs available. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I don’t add herbs to food just because I’m too lazy to wash it.
It’s also much easier to chop herbs when they’re not wet.
Thanks for the great tip, Olga. I almost never buy fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley because my chickens end up getting most of it. Can this method be used to store herbs in the freezer?
I usually mince the herbs finely and store in the freezer in a sealed container. It’ll be great added to soups, casseroles, etc. What do you mean that your “chickens end up getting most of it?”
However, I prefer the taste of fresh herbs, and only freeze them if I can’t use them up quickly enough.
Olga, I have real live chickens in my backyard, they are the lucky ones who get all the table scraps:)
Ah! I see, Marina! Now it all makes sense:). Good for you. That is awesome.
I always mince my herbs, and store them in the freezer in ziplock bag. My mom gave me that idea after i’ve complained to her how my herbs bunch would spoil, and it was a waste. And its already washed and minced, ready to add to any dish.
this is a great idea! we’ve recently been given the opportunity to particpate in the Bountiful Baskets program in our area and frequently the add-ons include fresh herbs which I’ve been just trying to use up in the first couple of days of receiving them. I have heard of others drying them, but would prefer to keep them fresh for longer. thank you!!
Hi Olga!
I usually store my herbs in container in freezer, but I was just wondering how long do they herbs last like this in paper towel?
Hi, Olechka!
Thank much for your great job on your website. I absolutely love it (pictures, decoration, colors your explanation etc.)
and cooked some of your recipies. I also love your tips. It’s a great idea to store fresh herbs using paper towels and even more to dry them using a salad spinner. You are so smart because I have a salad spinner but never used it for drying fresh herbs. I like others just minced it’s and store in my freezer using plastic bags. Your idea is much better. You can use them for decoration or minced later. GREAT JOB!!!
GOOD LUCK and BLESSING TO YOU!!!
Hi Nina!
Thank you for taking the time to write! I am so glad that the tips are helpful to you. God bless you too.
Hi Olga,
I also store all fresh herbs the same way. Another way I also do is: chop any herbs you want, mix them with a little olive oil and put them in ice cubes container and freeze it. Any time you need it just take one or more cubes and put in soups,gravy,etc.