How Do You Freeze Fresh Herbs

Welcome to how do you freeze fresh herbs.

This is something that has been long over due on Recipe This and comes as part of something that I am very passionate about and that is reducing food waste.

Food waste is a huge problem around the world and it is often being highlighted on a huge number of cookery shows. I think it is something that you don’t appreciate until you have done it yourself and personally wasted money on food that has ended up in the rubbish bin.

We used to do our weekly grocery shopping at Walmart between 2006 and 2008. We were also the fattest we had ever been then too so we enjoyed a life of takeaways and meals at Pizza Hut. But we still did the weekly shopping as if we were not having takeaways. We would spend on average about £100 as a family of three and now as a family of four ten years later we spend 35% less and waste nothing.

We would probably have a takeaway 4-5 times a week so 5 days worth of food would end up in the bin. I was never a big eater so it wasn’t like I was bulking up on breakfast and lunch because I wasn’t.

As I recall our biggest food waste areas were:

• Sliced bread
• Chicken breast
• Fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables
• Eggs
• Salad
• Fresh herbs

Though as Dominic points out we never ever wasted any cheese or chocolate!

We have probably reduced our food waste from 60% of what we were buying down to about 5%. Plus this is without trying over the last few years. Occasionally we end up getting really upset that we have wasted something because it has gone mouldy, but all in all we were pretty impressed.

But take away the chicken breasts I am sure those wasted food items are on most peoples lists of the things that they waste the most. Eggs get bought and if you don’t eat them everyday they suddenly go passed their best before and they end up in the bin. Salad can often be used once a week and then with so much leftover ends up looking disgusting in the bottom of the fridge and don’t get me started about the fruit bowl.

But the best thing is that they can all be used for various items and there is no need for food waste. But what brings me to this blog post is the area of food waste that I have never been able to accomplish and that is the fresh herbs.

In Portugal it gets incredibly hot in the summer so whenever I go to grow my own fresh herbs I always end up killing them, so I kind of gave up on that a long time ago. I plan to have another go next year now that we have a house with shade, but until then I love my fresh herbs. Though, I must confess to giving priority to dried herbs as I just don’t want to waste any.

But what if you want fresh herbs and you don’t want food herbs? Well this is when the time comes when you should look at freezing your leftovers and then using them as you need them.

I also find from a frugal point of view that the best price for fresh herbs and spices is always from buying the plant and with those unless you are on a cooking marathon there is no way you could use them all before they go off.

What Is The Easiest Way To Freeze Herbs?

The easiest way to freeze fresh herbs is to remove the stems, wash and pat dry the leaves and add them to a liquid like olive oil, butter, water, coconut oil, or cooking juices. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays, pressing the leaves down as much as possible. Freeze until solid, then remove and store in an airtight freezer bag.

The other way I mentioned is to turn the herbs into a stock. To do this, blend the fresh leaves with butter or olive oil before pouring into the trays. Freeze until firm, then remove and keep in an airtight bag in the freezer.

What Is The Best Container To Freeze Herbs In?

The best container to freeze herbs is a good mould or tray that would allow the frozen liquid and herbs to be easily removed. Once frozen, I pop the herb-liquid combo into an airtight freezer-safe plastic bag.

Is It Better To Freeze Fresh Herbs In Water Or Oil?

Both water and oil work really well to freeze fresh herbs but the oil helps the herbs to retain their colour slightly better. Freezing will still cause a colour change, but it won’t be as pronounced with the oil.

Should Fresh Herbs Be Washed Before Freezing?

Herbs should absolutely be washed before freezing to remove any dust, dirt and even microbes from the leaves. Pat dry afterward to remove any excess moisture especially if you are planning to use fat or an oil. Also make sure you pat dry the leaves with some kitchen/paper towel first.

More Tips For Preserving Fresh Herbs

Tip #1: Plan before you buy

Before buying fresh herbs, have a meal plan with the specific recipes you want to make with the herbs. In this way, you will be using the fresh herbs right away in your meals without even processing or freezing them yet.

When we make our soup maker tomato soup, the plan is always to buy some fresh basil and then use it for the recipe and then the leftovers can be frozen into cubes for another day.

Tip #2: Freeze before they’re sad

It is best to freeze the fresh herbs before they turn into sad, wilted herbs. Is it just me or do the fresher, crisp herbs always have a better texture and taste than the wilted ones?

Tip #3: Use the frozen blocks as you prep dinner

It is one thing to freeze fresh herbs so you can have them for later, but it’s another thing to remember they are there before going out and buying new herbs. We keep our herb cubes in the door of our inside freezer for easy reach and then when doing dinner I can grab them at the same time as some frozen chopped garlic.

Tip #4: Get the herbs on sale

If the herbs are on sale, you can get them at reasonable prices and freeze them using the tips I talked about above. That is frugal living right there and you’ve also done your part to reduce the food waste (I mean the supermarket would likely throw it away, right?).

Why Not Dehydrate Your Fresh Herbs?