Preserving Herbs: Drying and Freezing

If you’re growing your own herb garden, you already know how satisfying it is to pluck fresh herbs straight from your garden or countertop to liven up main dishes, salads, sauces, salsas, cocktails, and more. But what to do when you have a surplus? If you can’t use up all those herbs while they’re fresh, the two best ways to preserve your homegrown herbs are drying and freezing. Read on to learn how to preserve your herbs and which ones are best to dry vs. freeze.

 

To Dry or To Freeze?

Here’s a helpful chart of herbs and which do best preserved using the freezing method and which are better to dry:

Herb	Freeze	Dry
Basil	✔	✔
Chives	✔	❌
Cilantro	✔	❌
Dill	✔	✔
Fennel	❌	✔
Lemon balm	✔	❌
Lemon verbena	✔	❌
Marjoram	✔	❌
Mint	✔	✔
Oregano	✔	✔
Parsley	✔	✔
Rosemary	✔	✔
Sage	✔	✔
Savory	✔	✔
Scented geranium	❌	✔
Tarragon	✔	✔
Thyme	✔	✔

 

How Do I Freeze Herbs?

As you can see on the above chart, many herbs will do great using the freezing method. Freezing helps maintain oils and bright flavors in your herbs. Below are three different ways to go about freezing herbs.

With all options- rinse your herbs in cool water and pat dry before:

• Freezing in layers. Lay your herbs in a freezer-safe bag and lay flat in the freezer.
• Placing in ice cube trays. Chop your herbs then tightly place them into ice cube trays. Add a little water, enough to cover, and place in the freezer. Once frozen, you can store the cubes in a freezer-safe bag or container in your freezer for future use.
• Freezing with olive oil. Main dishes, salad dressings, and pastas will be even better once you add some frozen herbs in olive oil. Chop your herbs then combine them with a little olive oil. Spoon or pour the mixture into ice cube trays and place in the freezer. Once frozen, you can store the cubes in a freezer-safe bag or container in your freezer for future use. Feel free to mix it up and combine herbs you love to enjoy together!

 

How Do I Dry Herbs?

Drying herbs is easy! You can hang them in bunches or even use a dehydrator. To hang them in bunches (the classic method):

1. Rinse your herbs well under cool water then lay them out to dry off.
2. Tie a small bunch of herbs together at the ends with string.
3. Hang in a dark and dry place.
4. Once the leaves of your herbs are fully dry, separate them from the stems and store in an airtight container.