Hi, Everybody! I have a quick little kitchen tip to share with you today! I love using fresh herbs when I’m cooking and baking, there’s just nothing like that fresh flavor and aroma that herbs bring to a dish. But whenever I buy a bunch of parsley, or rosemary, or any other herb, I use a little bit and then end up throwing the rest away. I recently I started freezing the herbs and that way I can just take them out and pop them into meals whenever I need them! All you need to do is chop up your herbs as roughly or finely as you want, put equal amounts of chopped herbs in the little ice cube compartments, slowly pour water in each and freeze them. Once they are frozen, you can move them into a ziplock bag and keep them in the freezer until you need them!
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Have a great rest of the week, Everyone!
This is an awesome! I currently have rosemary, basil, and chives in my fridge right now and this is perfect for not throwing the rest away, which like you, inevitably happens. Have a great day! ~ Jamie P.S. Pinning and sharing on my FB page! 🙂
Thanks, Jamie! You could also freeze them in olive oil instead of water, but I usually just do water, that way I can use them for anything!
Amazing Blog !!
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Thanks so much! 🙂
What a great tip! It seems like you have to buy such a big bunch of fresh herbs and I always have some left over, now they won’t go to waste. Thanks for sharing, Laura
Thanks, Laura! I always think the same thing, and this is such a great way to save all the herbs!
Thanks for sharing this! I have a large French potager filled with fresh herbs, but I know our summer heat will just about do them in, so I’m definitely going to start freezing some.
I definitely need to do this – I am always throwing away moldy herbs in my fridge. Maybe this will be the push I need to start freezing them before they go bad!
what happens when you want to thaw them out tho? Are they all soggy?
I usually just throw the “herb ice-cubes” into soups or sauces or whatever else I’m cooking so it’s fine! 🙂 But you could thaw them out by themselves and just dry them off too! 🙂
How ’bout dropping them in an herb infused cocktail…..or into a simple syrup, then stain? Anyone tried?
You could definitely use these frozen herbs in many ways! You could also freeze them in olive oil instead of water.
I did this with some sage I grew, it was last summer since I froze it. Do you think it is still good? And does it work with all herbs? Mostly thank you for the info and recipes!
I will try it. I’ve been throwing away 95% the herbs I buy allllllll the time. Hope it works for me. Thanks
I will try it. I’ve been throwing away 95% the herbs I buy allllllll the time. Hope it works for me. Thanks
One of my friends used to add a little olive oil instead of water to her herbs before freezing – not sure how well you can freeze olive oil?
I’ve read about that too, freezing the herbs in olive oil, I need to remember to give it a try next time!
I just freeze them in a zip lock bag no water or oil — thats how mom did it – no problems for many years and it takes up less room than cubes
Ohhh, I like THAT PaulaMarie, no muss, no fuss!
Can you freeze cilantro?
I have frozen in my freezer right now, basil leaves in a baggy, basil leaves in oil in a baggy, cilantro leaves in a baggy, parsley in a baggy. I grow a lot of the herbs and during the growing period take off leaves and wash them, dry them and place in baggy and mark as to the date and what leaf it is.
I forgot to say, when I use it, I just break off what I need of the leaves in the baggy. Just like using fresh.
If you take the leaves/sprigs and place on cookie sheet to freeze before bagging, it is easier to separate just what you need instead of trying to separate large chunks frozen together. Just lay out single layer (not touching) on cookie sheet. When frozen, place in labeled Ziploc baggies.
I freeze as well. I just rise, air dry then chop and store in zip lock bags in the freezer. I use a lot of cilantro and this is how i get it to last.
i have been freezing them for years but follow a step that is really important: vinegar to disinfect!
pick and prepare herbs of just about any description (i like to save both whole stalks and and leaves of Rosemary in separate ziplocks) then soak in mild vinegar solution for a few minutes, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper, shred or chop as if you are about to use. freeze on baking sheets to keep free flowing and transfer to bags to store and pour from. Takes a little time but a chilled task and saves sooooo much hassle as well as time and money in the long run.
really important to be food safe though so do kill bugs with vinegar
Awesome idea! thanks 🙂