The 3 Best Ways to Freeze All Your Fresh Herbs

Frozen herbs aren’t a perfect substitute for fresh, but if they’re going into sauces, dressings, or anything that requires cooking, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

And the best thing about freezing herbs? It’s ridiculously easy… at least, the way I do it. None of that blanching nonsense here. You don’t even have to strip the leaves from the stems first.

I’m going to share with you the best ways to freeze parsley, cilantro, chives, and other herbs for winter (or anytime) use!

Freezing herbs as pesto or pistou

01.

Pistou is a variation of pesto that usually consists of basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt — the traditional recipe omits the cheese and pine nuts. But these days, it’s common to see cheese added, or sometimes even a tomato for extra flavor.

Freezing herbs as ice cubes

02.

Herbs that are frozen in water make more sense for lemon verbena, lemon balm, anise hyssop, mints, basil, and other herbs and edible flowers that you don’t plan to use in oil.

Freezing herbs in tightly packed or rolled freezer bags (or small jars)

03.

Herbs with sturdy leaves and stems freeze well right on the stems. Simply cut them into 6-inch stems, spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet, and place in the freezer.

Want to freeze chives? This is one of the simplest herbs to freeze, because you can just chop them up, pack them in a small jar (like a half-pint mason jar), and store in the freezer. Grab a pinch of frozen chives as needed and return the jar to the freezer.

Remember that once frozen herbs are thawed, they retain all their flavor but not their crispness. So don’t try to sprinkle them as a garnish on, say, grilled fish or roasted vegetables.

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