Fresh herbs are a wonderful addition to soups and sauces, but we don’t always have them on hand. And I don’t know about you, but I often buy herbs with the best of intentions, and then don’t always get to use them.
I’m going to share a super easy way to preserve your herbs for later use, whether that be next week or next month!
This can work with any herb you like, but I am going to highlight parsley here. Parsley can often get overlooked but there are lots of health benefits, including:
-Boosting immune function
-Fighting inflammation
-Protecting blood vessels because of the presence of folic acid
It also fits into a WIDE variety of cuisines. Anything from lentil soup to chicken noodle can be brightened with some fresh parsley!
All you will need:
Herb of your choice (Here I use Josie’s Organic Flat Leaf Parsley, it’s so versatile)
Boiling water
Ice cube tray
That’s it!
Simply wash your herbs. Chop the herbs up to desired size. Fill each ice cube tray divot about ¾ full. Add boiling water (boiling water “blanches” the herbs and helps them retain their bright green color). Freeze. Once the cubes are frozen, pop them out and place in a freezer safe container or bag.
A tip: If you measure your herbs once they are chopped and as you are putting them in the tray, you will know exactly the pre portioned sizes when you are going to use them to cook. I normally fit about 2 tbsp. packed in there.
This also works great for herbs that may look a day or two past their prime! By having them in water, it perks them right up and then freezing preserves them for months on end.
How to Preserve Herbs
Equipment
- Ice cube tray
Ingredients
- 1-2 cups Flat Leaf Parsley or any herb
- water
Instructions
- Clean and chop herbs to desired size.
- Firmly pack herbs into ice cube tray, about ¾ way full.
- Cover with hot water and place in freezer.
- Once frozen, pop out of tray and place in an airtight container to keep in the freezer until ready to use.
I realize this is an old post, so I don't know if you'll see this, but, when it is time to use the herbs, any tips? In recipes, usually fresh herbs are added at the end, but if they're frozen in ice... Do you know what I mean? Do you thaw them out first or throw them in frozen? Using hot water is genius! I've tried freezing herbs in oil and they came out gross.
Hi Heather! Great question. If I am adding them to something hot (like a soup or sauce), I simply pop the herb ice cubes in at the end of cooking, with just enough time to melt. If I am adding them to something cold (like a salad) I let them thaw in the fridge on a paper towel to soak up the water. It's not quite the same as true fresh, but it is pretty close. Hope this helps!