Freezing Herbs - How To Keep Cut Herbs In The Freezer

Bag Of Herbs Next To An Ice Tray Full Of Herbs
(Image credit: Qwart)

Storing fresh herbs is an excellent way to make the herb harvest from your garden last year-round. Freezing herbs is a great way to store your herbs, as it keeps the fresh herb flavor that can sometimes be lost when using other herb preserving methods. Keep reading to learn how to freeze fresh herbs.

How to Freeze Herbs

Many people are looking for how to keep cut herbs so that they can use them year-round. Freezing herbs is fast and easy to do. When storing fresh herbs in your freezer, it 's best to first chop the herbs as you would if you were going to cook with them today. This will make it easier to use them later. Keep in mind when freezing herbs that while they keep their flavor, they will not retain their color or looks and so will not be suitable for dishes where the herb's appearance is important. The next step in how to freeze fresh herbs is to spread the chopped herbs on a metal cookie tray and place the tray in the freezer. This will ensure that the herbs freeze quickly and will not freeze together in a large clump. Alternatively, when preparing for storing fresh herbs in the freezer, you can measure out typical measurements, like a tablespoon, of the chopped herbs into ice cube trays and then fill the trays the remaining way with water. This is a good way for how to keep cut herbs if you plan on using them frequently in soups, stews, and marinades where the water will not affect the outcome of the dish. Once the herbs are frozen, you can transfer them into a plastic freezer bag. When storing fresh herbs like this, they can stay in your freezer for up to 12 months. Freezing herbs is an excellent way for how to keep cut herbs. Now that you know how to freeze herbs, you can enjoy the bounty of your herb garden year-round.

Heather Rhoades
Founder of Gardening Know How

Heather Rhoades founded Gardening Know How in 2007. She holds degrees from Cleveland State University and Northern Kentucky University. She is an avid gardener with a passion for community, and is a recipient of the Master Gardeners of Ohio Lifetime Achievement Award.