What's the best way to freeze basil leaves so that they remain as fresh as possible and are easy to use in recipes throughout the winter? Here are six different ways put to the test!
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I've always believed that freezing basil to preserve it through the winter is best accomplished through making pesto. And it's great to have it so convenient to use for bread toppings and pasta dinners, among other things. But if you've ever grown a couple basil plants, you know that when they're happy (in my garden, that's after getting rid of bugs…) they will continue to pump out leaves until frost kills them.
And you only need so much pesto (plus, it's not the cheapest thing to make), which is why I researched and wrote about 22 other ways to preserve basil. Because using up is a good thing. But while I was searching for ways to preserve basil, I came across a number of different ways to freeze basil - some in comments, some on Pinterest, and some from websites - that had me curious:
What is the best way to freeze basil leaves?
Can it really be done and still have that great basil flavor? And since I've been pretty vocal about my love for not blanching produce before freezing (like beans, peas, corn, and peppers) because of how easy it is and the better results, of course you can guess I'd have to test this with basil, too.
So I gathered six different methods, tested them all on one day, froze them for a week, and took pictures along the way to share with you. There was a clear winner for me - and a second method that surprised me. Each method is pretty easy to do, though, so you can choose any one you think looks best!
6 Ways to Freeze Basil Leaves
1. Blanched
I'm starting with the method of blanching and freezing fresh basil leaves because it is the "official" way. Meaning, when you search for how to freeze basil, this will most likely be the first thing that comes up.
How to blanch & freeze basil leaves:
- Wash & dry basil leaves.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water.
- Put fresh basil leaves into a colander that fits into the pot (it's important to have the basil in something so you can quickly remove it all at once).
- Dip the colander with leaves into the boiling water for just 3-5 seconds.
- Transfer blanched leaves immediately to the ice water bath.
- Spin the blanched leaves dry in a salad spinner (or pat dry as best you can). This is the spinner I use and love - it's the longest lasting one I've had.
- Lay out on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 12-24 hours.
- Transfer leaves to a freezer bag - they start thawing immediately, so move quickly.
Results:
Brightest color, though most time-intensive. If leaves are blanched just a few seconds too long, some turn brown, which I found stressful. Transferring to freezer baggie was hard since they start to thaw within seconds on tray and are very wilted.
Once in the bag, though, the individual leaves were easy to remove to use in recipes.
2. Unblanched, spread on tray
This is my typical go-to method for preserving produce from berries to green beans, so it made sense for me to try it with basil, right? Of course it's super easy:
- Wash & dry basil leaves.
- Lay out on a cookie sheet in a single layer.
- Freeze until firm, 12-24 hours.
- Transfer leaves to a freezer bag, pressing out as much air as possible.
Results:
The frozen leaves looked exactly like they did when I put them on the tray, BUT they started to thaw so quickly it was tricky to get them into the bag and they turned brown rapidly as I did.
They, too, were easy to remove for recipes, though they 'broke' more than the blanched leaves (which may be better for recipes?).
Above is a side-by-side comparison after bagging up both the blanched and unblanched leaves.
You can see on the left how brown the unblanched leaves became as I transferred them to the bag. The smell and flavor (I pulled off pieces to taste just to see if there was a difference) seemed the same, however, so it's a matter of visual appeal, I think.
3. Fresh Leaves Rolled in a Paper Towel
I read about this method in a comment on a website, "I have always rolled my basil in paper towel and then in Ziplock bag in freezer" and was curious to see if the paper towel made any difference. I'm assuming it is to soak up moisture?
- Wash & dry basil leaves.
- Add a single layer of leaves to a paper towel and roll it up.
- Place in a gallon freezer bag, removing as much air as possible (have you used this trick yet?) and freeze.
Result:
Hard to peel leaves off paper, not easy to access leaves for recipes (have to take roll out, unroll and peel off leaves…), and some of the leaves actually turned brown in spots.
This was probably my least favorite method - there wasn't much to recommend it in my opinion.
TIP: Keep track of how much basil you freeze - and all your other food preserving - with the free printable Preserving Record Notebook!
4. Unblanched Straight Into Freezer Bags
This was another method I read about in a comment on a website I visited: "I often harvest my basil leaves and put them straight into freezer bags. Once frozen, I just take out what I need to cook with and chop while still frozen. They maintain that great fresh taste."
Since this was a version of my favorite non-blanching method, I wondered if it could be any different than how I usually do it on trays?
- Wash & dry basil leaves.
- Place leaves into freezer bags.
- Remove as much air as possible, either by pressing or using this trick, and freeze.
Result:
Decent color, easiest method (only handle the leaves one time), easy to break off portions to use.
Oh, my gosh, this was the WINNER in my book! Look at the more natural green color (the blanched basil looks unnaturally green to me) and how fresh the leaves still look!
While you have to actually break off chunks to use (vs. the individual frozen leaves of blanched), that's not hard to do and it's how you would use them in cooking anyway. It's true that the leaves will turn brown as you cook with them, but that's what fresh leaves do, too, so that's not a negative for me.
I love, love, that again the easiest method proved to be a good one - and the best one for me.
But there are still two more popular Pinterest methods to test, one that surprised me with its usefulness, the other with its…not so usefulness.
5. Chopped & Coated With Oil
This method is very popular on Pinterest and I wondered if coating in oil would somehow help preserve the leaves versus the other methods. Here's how to do this:
- Wash, dry & chop basil leaves.
- Toss leaves with a bit of olive oil (I used 3 c. of leaves to 2 TB. oil).
- Portion into mason jars and freeze.
Results:
Very dark leaves and very hard to remove - I needed to chip away at it just to remove a bit. The oil didn't seem to help keep color at all.
I was actually surprised to learn that this was another of my least favorite methods since it seemed to be so popular.
6. Chopped in Liquid Cubes
I've read about this method many times and have done a version of it by processing leaves in a food processor, almost like pesto, before adding them to ice cube trays (one time in olive oil).
I didn't find these cubes easy to use - they seemed to be a one-shot wonder good for only marinara or pasta sauces (and since I usually have this amazing roasted sauce in the freezer, I hardly make it from scratch in the winter). What I liked about this version (again from a comment) was the differences:
- Wash, dry & slice basil leaves.
- Divide among ice cube tray sections.
- Add either water or broth to cover leaves.
- Freeze until firm and place in labeled freezer bags (or use ice cube trays with covers and store them in the trays).
Results:
The leaves kept good color in both the water and broth. Although there is slightly more time involved with cutting and pouring, it's easy to transfer the cubes to baggies and easy to use cubes in soups and stews.
This was another WIN for us as I see these cubes being a lot more versatile than smaller cut basil or oil-covered basil. The cubes would even be a way to add basil flavor to curries.
So, how will I be preserving our garden basil?
I will be preserving the rest of our basil leaves unblanched straight into baggies and I'll make sure to have a few liquid cubes, too, for our favorite winter soups and stews.
I'm happy to have these tested ways to keep the basil flavor all winter- along with lots of pesto, of course.
Have you used any of these methods for freezing basil? Do you have a favorite? Let me know in the comments!
Other Freezing Preserves To Try:
Homemade Pesto (with secret, frugal ingredient!) to Freeze and Eat All Year!
4 Ingredient No-Cook Chia Berry Freezer Jam
Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn't change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.
Lindy Hamilton says
I prefer the ice cubes. I also freeze a variety of herbs and veggies together in small plastic containers. Especially tomatoes and peppers with herbs for specific dishes (spaghetti sauce, beans, stir fries, soups). The possibilities are endless.
Jami says
Great tip, Lindy - thanks!
TRUDY MANN says
This was one of the best articles I’ve read in a long time!! You have really done your homework for tips to freeze fresh basil, you guided us through each method, you tested it, checked it, and gave your honest opinion of each one. I will agree, after reading this article very carefully, I will agree, the “no blanch”, straight into the freezer bag method works for me!!! Thank you for this awesome article, now I don’t even have to go to Pinterest!!
Jami says
Thank you so much, Trudy - I'm so glad this was helpful for you!!
Anita says
This was extremely helpful. Thank you so much for doing all the work. I appreciated the time you took to do this for everyone looking for freeze basil.
Jami says
You're welcome, Anita - so glad it was helpful!
Ashlie Lund says
Thanks so much for this post!! I tried blanching my leaves but there’s just a lot of stress involved with this process, and it’s great to find out a good easy way to preserve basil! Thank you so much!
Jami says
I hear you, Ashlie!
Mimi says
You are quickly becoming my go to website for how to freeze anyting! I have frozen basil by chopping it in the food processor and adding just a little bit of olive oil. I then put that in a ziplock bag and roll the bag to get all the air out. I find it fairly easy to break off what I need for stews or soups.
Jami says
Thank you, Mimi - I'm glad to know it's been useful for you! And I love that idea -I'll have to try it. 🙂
Yula says
My basil grew out of control this year! Thank you for testing all the methods and taking the time to write this all up. I will try your favorite method 🙂
Jami says
Great - glad that was helpful!
Valerie says
Thank you Jami .. I was just about to freeze A bunch of basil and thought I would look up to see if the “direct in the bag” method was actually One of the best ways and thanks to you I know that it is. For anyone who likes N the leaves to remain a bit separate once frozen after washing and drying I leave them out on baking paper and freeze overnight. In the morning take them out, called the baking paper a bit for all of the lease directly into A freezer bag. Because so fast I don’t have to worry about anything thawing.
Jami says
Thanks for the review and that tip, Valerie!
Sharon V says
I have frozen chives in “logs “ wrapped up tightly in plastic wrap. You simply unwrap and cut off a chunk. I will be Trying this with basil!.
Jami says
Good idea!
Steve D says
Many thanks for this 'scientific' study, a real service to the community. We just got 1/2 bushel of fresh basil from a local grower which went to 6 bags of pesto and 10 bags of fresh basil - all popped into the freezer. I anticipate lots of fresh pasta with basil/pesto next winter.
Jami says
You're welcome, Steve - it sounds like you put it to good use!
Kate says
Thanks for trying all of these. Now I know what I’ll do!
Jami says
Glad this was helpful, Kate!
jodie filogomo says
You think of things the way I do...experiment with all of the ways. I just loved this, and of course I'm so glad the easiest way worked out the best.
Thanks for this,
XOOX
Jodie
Jami says
Glad it was helpful!
Kathy Yearwood says
Thank you for posting this article and doing so much research to share with us! I would love your opinion/experience on freezing basil/parsley to use in bean dip. I'm of course looking to retain the freshest flavor.
I put together the following recipe which I make weekly.
RECIPE FOR Basilicious Herbed Bean Dip:
• Cannellini Beans - one (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed or 1-1/2 cups of cooked beans of your choice
• Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream – 1 Tablespoon
• Mayonnaise - 1 Tablespoon
• Milk – 3 Tablespoons (or nut milk of your choice)
• Agave – 1 Tablespoon (or sweetener of your choice)
• Lemon juice – 2 Tablespoons (half a medium lemon)
• Lemon zest – from ½ of a lemon, finely minced
• Table or fine sea salt - heavy pinch
• Cayenne Pepper – ¼ teaspoon (or spicy pepper of your choice)
• Basil - 1/2 cup using leaves and tender stems (or 1/2 of kit contents)
• Parsley - 1/2 cup using leaves and tender stems (or 1/2 of kit contents.
• Garlic – if spring garlic then use 2 small or 1of medium, if garlic scapes use 2 and if cured cloves use 1 to 2. If spring garlic use both the white and green portions trimming away roots and any dried leaf tips.
• Olive Oil - 1 Tablespoon
Place coarsely chopped garlic in food processing and process until finely minced. After mincing garlic add herbs and repeat. Combine all ingredients except olive oil in food processor and process until smooth, stopping and scraping down sides as necessary. Pour contents into a bowl, stir in olive oil, sample and add additional salt to taste. Keep refrigerated and use within four days of preparation for best flavor. Note: If using as a wrap or sandwhich spread, we increase the spiciness so that it stands out from the other fillings, otherwise it is not as zesty as when serving as a chip or vegetable dip. Also, if preferring a plant based dip / spread, replace the yogurt and mayonaise with equal amounts of fresh avocado.
I would like to freeze the basil and parsely once chopped into individual zip lock bags with the amount for one recipe. I'm contemplating preparing the herbs and testing three frozen samples. One, mix with a small amount of beans; two, mix with the 1 T of mayo; and three mix with the 1 T of oil. I know you can freeze lemon juice but since I use fresh I would like to use it fresh when I make the dip. I cook my own beans, so I used the liquid instead of milk, that why I'm think just use a small amount of beans.
In your opinion on this type of recipe, are there advantages to freezing the herbs with any other particular ingredient?
Jami says
This looks like a great recipe, Kathy! Of your three options, I would only do the oil. The mayo tends to break down when thawed after freezing and I'm not sure of what the bean puree would do (definitely test it, though).
Why not just add the leaves to a baggie in the portions you need? That was my favorite method and seems like they would be easy to add to the food processor still partially frozen right from the bag...
Pixie @ Cheerfully Vegan says
I have always thought that blanching veggies before freezing had to suck out some of the nutrients ahead of time. I have rarely done it. Maybe it is because I am also supremely lazy when it comes to finding the easiest methods! lol I have a garden for the first time in years. I've grown things I never grew when I was a young upstart, because I've learned to like different produce since I've gotten healthier. That includes basil. I decided after reading that you can freeze unblanched greens for short periods (less than 6 months) that you should be able to do the same with basil. I just tried it last week, but, of course, I haven't used any of it yet! I look forward to reading your other no-blanch adventures!
Jami says
Yes, I agree - and while fresh is best, finding a way to freeze the summer's basil makes good use of it.
And it seems that we are of the same mind, re: "supremely lazy when it comes to finding the easiest methods." Amen!
MommaDuck says
I always thought blanching was a MUST..." It stops enzyme actions which can cause loss of flavor, color and texture. Blanching cleanses the surface of dirt and organisms, brightens the color and helps retard loss of vitamins."
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/blanching.html#:~:text=Blanching%20(scalding%20vegetables%20in%20boiling,helps%20retard%20loss%20of%20vitamins
The loss of vitamins was my biggest concern. Your testing shows the color stays after blanching, but you mentioned the taste is the same.
Hmmm...to blanch or not to blanch...?
I believe I will try not blanching this round. Thank you for your post.
Jami says
I, too, have read that a lot. I think the key is "helps retard the loss." Blanching just helps, but doesn't prevent. There is loss the longer things are frozen, but it's actually pretty minimal. And my thought is if we don't eat it because of the texture, etc., we're not getting any vitamins at all, lol.
However, I don't really think about vitamins with basil - mainly with green beans, snow peas, etc. that I also freeze without blanching. 🙂
Margie says
I am going to try the unblanched straight into freezer method. Is it best to take the basil leaves off the stem or can you freeze the entire stem?
Thank you!
Jami says
I always take the leaves off the stem since it makes them easier to use after freezing.
Joe B says
I love pesto, and home made is so much better than jarred commercial stuff. I live in an apartment so grow a bunch - store bought starters repotted into larger containers, inside when needed (nights here can ge chilly) and outside daily for sunshine and extra heat. I harvest when I have enough for a small batch of 8 - 10 servings of pesto, freezing the pesto in ice cube trays then wrapping each frozen cube in Glad Wrap and then pack 9 flat into a medium freezer bag removing all air possible. Besides regular use I can build up a good supply of pesto to last me over the winter by the time the season is too late to keep the basil going. The last of the basil from a final harvest of the plants is simply wrapped tightly in Glad again (each bunch enough for 8-10 pesto cubes) and again put those in a freezer bag removing all air. Tht gives me enough basil to make pesto the next spring while I wait for my new plant purchases to mature enough to harvest again.
Jami says
What a great system, Joe! You are a picture of using what you have and doing what you can where you're at. 🙂
Totally agree with homemade pesto vs. commercial, too!
Debra Ward says
Thanks so much! Thrilled to find the results of your experimenting as I tried to figure out how to save up enough basil (from my weekly countertop AeroGarden pruning) to make a batch of pesto. 🙂
Jami says
Super glad this was helpful to you, Debra! Love that you are gardening where you can, too. 🙂
wade sisler says
Great post. I really appreciated your science like comparisons. I'm also going for easy ways to prune and take care of my basil all summer on the way to the big pesto making summit in early August.. Can't imagine blanching it every two weeks.
Jami says
Glad this was helpful!
Dhaval says
Is there an issue with botulism associated with the coat in oil before storing technique similar to how garlic oil has issues with botulism when stored in oil?
Jami says
If it were at room temperature, yes. But freezing basil in oil is fine.
Joe Agosta says
Wash/dry the basil leaves and then vacuum bag before freezing. Works great.
Jami says
Thanks for the tip!
Cheryl Snow says
Thanks for your reply, Jami..... to each her own RE: freezer bag process!
PS: totally agree re: no-blanch method, I quit doing that years ago when discovered we didn’t like blanched frozen veg, so: why?!
Jami says
Exactly!
Cheryl Snow says
Hi Jamie, am curious about why you don’t use a vacuum sealer for for frozen produce rather than straw-in-freezer bag? I use my vacuum sealer so often it has a permanent place in my countertop. That and my wide-mouth funnel are 2 kitchen items I couldn’t do without!
Jami says
I get this question a lot, Cheryl! It's just a personal decision based out of my frugal nature. I never wanted to spend the money on the machine and they special bags. I reuse our freezer ziplocks as storage bags over and over. It's just been easiest for me and I haven't had issues with freezer burn that bothers me enough to purchase one. 🙂
Carol says
I’ve frozen chopped herbs (basil, parsley, rosemary) in ice cube trays. The first year I topped the cubes with olive oil. I found if I wanted lots of herbs in a dish, it was too much oil. The next year (and several thereafter) I swapped the oil for water. I like this better. But then my mother-in-law said she froze whole leaf herbs in a clear jar and simply broke off what she needed. This is rather like your freezing them without blanching in freezer bags. I confess this is the easiest method with great results.
Jami says
Yep - agreed, Carol!
M. says
Thank you, Jami, for doing all the "research". I appreciate your diligence in this and will profit from it. Now, going out to harvest basil. Thanks again and God bless. Have a great weekend.
Jami says
Thank you so much! Enjoy your basil. 🙂
John says
Nice job on the basil freeze methods. In my ignorance I've just been stuffing washed leaves into repurposed cottage cheese containers and slicing what I need off the resulting bricks --- same as direct to freezer bags. Good to know there's no better way.
Jami says
It's nice when I works out that way, isn't it?
Jo Ann Holmes says
I gather the basil leaves and purée them in my food processor with just enough oil to make a paste. Then I put it in quart freezer bags, spreading the paste flat in the bag and no thicker than 1/8 inch to make it easy to break off for cooking. Freeze laying flat on a tray. I have done this for years with basil, dill, tarragon, cilantro, and rosemary. It lasts well over a year and is so much better than dried herbs.
Jami says
Great tip, Jo Ann - thank you!
CHRISTINA BERRY says
I love this way as well but smear mine on wax paper, which I have on a baking tray and then I put it in the freezer. Once the puree it freezes into a hard sheet, I leave it on the wax paper, put in a gallon bag, and pop it in the freezer. Then when needed, I just break off a chunk and throw it in my dish; or I'll thaw it to add to dressings, butter, or marinades:)
Jami says
Love this!
Marjana says
So thankful for the time you've put in to make life easier for the rest of us 🙂 Love it! Thanks!
Jami says
Glad to help 🙂
Amy R says
Thank you for the article, it’s what I was looking for. Now I just have to do what you suggested ;8)
Jayme says
Just how dry does basil need to be to do the unblanched method? I washed, laid out between towels for about an hour, there’s still some water between the folded or curled parts of the leaves. Will this make a difference?
Jami says
I don't think so, Jayme, though you can always blot with a paper towel to remove more if possible. Or run through a salad spinner.
Shannon says
Thanks so much for writing this article! It’s exactly what I was looking for when trying to decide how to preserve my extra basil (while avoiding blanching or adding oil).
Jami says
I'm so glad this was helpful, Shannon!
Katia says
Thank you for experimenting! Luckily, your "WIN" method was the one I was naturally inclined to try-- also the easiest for those of us who are lazy!
Jami says
I, too, love it when that happens!
Debbie says
I really enjo Reading this. I loved that you tested abscess reported on each process. : )
Jami says
I'm glad it was helpful to you Debbie!
Josh says
Thanks for doing the legwork! One other freezing method we used at a pasta shop I worked in: process the basil in a food processor, ice cream scoop basil onto parchment-covered baking sheet. Freeze overnight and transfer into baggies and put back into freezer. No water or oil added. I’m going to do the superb easy method and wash and put right into baggies. 🙂 thanks!
Jami says
Well, that method would sure make it easy to plop some basil into a recipe, wouldn't it? Thanks for sharing this Josh!
Heather says
Very grateful for your research! I just put the gallon zips of unblanched basil leaves in my freezer. Here's hoping for winter bounty! Much appreciate!
Karley Marsh says
I'm very thankful for all the leg work you've done! Now I'm excited to preserve my basil knowing I can quickly and easily toss it in the freezer! Cheers to great basil all year round!
Jami says
Sure glad you found this helpful, Karley - enjoy your basil!
Marie says
I wish I’d found your page first. Had a huge basil plant and used the blanch method. Came out with mostly brown mush. Stuck to 2 seconds but when the leaves came out of the ice bath and dried, they were mostly brown. Mostly unusable too as the flavor was gone. So wasted most of my lovely plant. (Probably didn’t do it quite right either, so there also the ease factor ..) Hopefully there is enough of it left to grow back so I can use the wash dry freeze method. Or, I’ll just buy some...
Jami says
Oh, I hope it grows back for you, too - basil is usually pretty good at growing after pruning, so keeping my fingers crossed. 🙂
Kimberly M Gardner says
Once again, you helped me out Jami! I absolutely appreciate your tried and true methods for freezing basil. You are my go too source, and when you've done all the homework, how can I go wrong. Thanks again for being the bomb.com when it comes to preservation of the fresh stuff.!!!
Jami says
Ah, thank you so much, Kimberly - that made my day. 🙂
Jennifer Bentley says
If the basil is from my garden why do I need to wash it first?
Am going to put some in snack size bags then put them in a freezer bag.
Jami says
Nope, you don't unless it's dirty from harvesting or something. Totally up to you!
Carolynn Wayman says
I was wondering if you have tried the freeze in a zip lock bag method with cilantro? Thank you so much for sharing your work. I just froze up some of my basil.
Jami says
I haven't (I'm not a cilantro fan...), but I think it would work as well. Maybe better since cilantro is a sturdier leaf.
Krista says
I freeze cilantro in a freezer bag, just toss it in dry and freeze. Works great for adding to cooked foods, breaks off and chips easily when frozen. I often do this with a bunch from the store because I rarely need all of it in the time that it stays fresh in the fridge.
Jami says
Wonderful idea, Krista!
Gramma K says
Please do not tell people they can freeze produce without blanching. While it may remain edible for a bit, it will ROT through winter storage.
Jami says
I haven't had that happen and I've been freezing all kinds of vegetables this way for years. Each person has to make their own decisions about things like this (that aren't life or health threatening).
C says
I never blanch, and have never had things rot either. The only reason I can think that things would rot is if they defrost. If that's happening, you need to fix your freezer.
Cheryl says
Have you harvested mint leaves? Did you freeze like your basil? I’m thinking that should work?
Jami says
I haven't, Cheryl, but I'm with you and think that the methods here would work with mint, too.
Susan Gallagher says
Thanks for trying so many different methods. My favorite is just a bit different. I have a FoodSaver. I wash and dry basil verrrrry well. I count how many leaves I want to use in most recipes or make a variety of sizes, then seal them in the FoodSaver bags and freeze. There isn’t the accumulation of ice crystals as there might be if one is squeezing air out of a zip lock.
Jami says
That sounds good, Susan. However, that would be a LOT of foodsaver bags, wouldn't it? If each only has a few leaves for a recipe in them?
gk says
um. foodsaver bags are cut to size from giant rolls. Check them out.
Elizabeth says
Regarding freezing basil, why not use baking soda to keep the color?
Jami says
I've never heard of that, Elizabeth - how does it work? Do you soak the basil in soda water or something?
V says
The basic idea is simply to turn your blanching water alkaline (i.e. the opposite of acidic) by adding baking soda. Acidic water leaches out chlorophyll from the herbs/vegetables and then turns it brown. It's a fairly old cooking tip that dates back to the times when veggies were usually boiled to brown mush. The problem with baking soda is that it rapidly breaks down the pectin that ensure plant cell integrity, making any vegetables you blanch mushier. Not sure if it would be an issue for basil. There are other ways of turning water alkaline that don't do this but they're not as readily available as baking soda.
Also keep in mind that tap water varies in acidity from area to area so you may not even notice much of an effect.
Ruth says
I like the freezer bag method for basil as I have done this for fresh dill for years. I have washed the dill, dried and even chopped finely and then froze in freezer bags and my sister froze dill with stems and then peeled only what was needed and put balance back in the freezer,
Jami says
That's a great tip, Ruth - thanks!
Jo Ann Butts says
Jamei,
Can I have your pesto recipe? Also which freezing method do you use?
Thank you for your time.
Jami says
I link to the recipe in the first paragraph, Jo Ann, but maybe it's hard to notice. 🙂 Here it is: https://anoregoncottage.com/pantry-basics-frugal-pesto/
And I still use the methods I mentioned at the end: adding right to freezer baggies mainly and then chopping a some in ice-cube trays with water. The easiest was the best in my opinion!
Norma Jean Brown says
Hi I also use this method. I only have a balcony garden so all in pots limited growing space. I also do the same with Parsley as the bunches you can buy are far larger than I need.
Got some Origano I'm going to try.
Jami says
Perfect - I hadn't thought about parsley, but you're so right!
Holly says
This is exactly the type of article I was looking for after harvesting all our Genovese & Thai basil today before the first frost. Awesome that you tried all these methods and shared, thank you! Very helpful. 👍👍
Jami says
Wonderful! I'm so glad this is helpful for you, Holly.
Abbey says
Hi! Thanks for these ideas! Earlier this summer I froze basil in a Ziploc bag like you instructed and am now ready to make pesto. I'm following your pesto recipe but do I need to let the basil thaw before processing? Sorry if this is a dumb question, first timer here! Thanks!!
Jami says
No dumb questions here, Abbey! But I've never tried to make pesto from frozen basil before, so I have no idea how that might work - sorry! Did you measure before freezing? The basil will be a different volume after being frozen. I don't think it will chop finely enough when thawed - probably process while frozen?
Abbey says
I didn't measure but it worked out fine! I probably could have used a little more basil as the garlic flavor really took over but overall it was delicious. So much flavor, more than expected from freezing. I also froze several of the stems with seed pods so I scraped them in there too. They have the most flavor out of anything!
Jami says
This is SO good to know, Abbey - thank you so much for following up with this - I'm glad it worked!
Diane Davis says
I love the simple method u describe..... but my question is when u read about blanching ...the reason to do it is to kill enzymes. I'm no scientist but wonder how important that is, any thoughts?
Jami says
The blanching stops the enzymes that continue to mature the produce. Most preservation guides will say this also creates a better product when frozen - better texture and maybe longer freezing quality. It's not necessary or a safety issue - just a quality issue. Once I found out with green beans that we like the texture better without, I started testing the blanching theory with everything. 🙂
Elizabeth Gifford says
Wonderful! Last year's basil crop when frozen turned brown and unappealing! I will try the straw method..simple and smart! Thanks so much.
Vicki says
Best tutorial on freezing basil as well as ideas for other herbs. Glad I found your site.
Jami says
Thank you so much, Vicki - glad you found me, too!
Hauna S says
Thank you so much for doing all of this legwork and posting pictures along the way!! I don't know how many websites I've read that each feature one or two methods but never say anything about the results. I was about to give up and just throw my basil in the freezer as is (which would have worked lol) but I really appreciate your time and effort! Adding this blog to my list of faves 🙂
Jami says
That makes me so happy to know, Hauna - that was my goal. 🙂
Linda says
My favorite way of freezing basil is the "wash, dry and put in a ziploc bag". Easy and the basil tastes so fresh. I've been doing this for years and was just checking out if there was a better method... guess not. Thanks for all your great advise!
Jami says
Good to know more agree with me, Linda. 🙂
Doreen Saunders says
I must say that I am super impressed with your style of giving complete information and instruction. Any newbie can follow and understand. Thank you!
Linda K says
My favorite way is a variation of your top choice. I wash and dry leaves and then place them in a vacuum seal bag (no need to separate leaves). I then vacuum seal the bag and freeze. When I need basil, I simply cut open the bag, break off the basil I need, and re-seal the bag.
Jami says
Sounds perfect, Linda! I have really liked breaking off some of the frozen basil during the winter. I've added them to Thai dishes as well as soup and think it had a nice flavor still!
Sharon says
WOW, Thanks for testing all of these. I was dreading dealing with my mountain of fresh basil and ending up with something I wouldn't take the time to use. Great to know I can just bag 'em & tag 'em!
Jami says
You're welcome - I'm happy to share! I'm always hopeful that what I find helpful, others will, too. 🙂
SandyToes says
Hi Jami,
I cam across your blog while searching for a way to keep tender herbs like basil fresh after freezing, and learned a lot, thanks. One question, though. Will any of these methods give me basil that's decent to use as a garnish, or is only good for cooking after it's been frozen? I suspect not, but hope springs...
Jami says
Sadly, no. All of the freezing (and another method I tried: layering leaves with salt and refrigerating) turn the leaves dark-green/black. Not a good look as a garnish. 🙂
Nancy says
My mother in law (born in Italy) get them in a biggish baby food jar covered in olive oil. The key is not to let the leaves come above the olive oil or it will mold and then spoil leaves and oil. Can't remember what she used to keep them submerged, but I use one of those plastic things that come to keep pizza box from collapsing down on the pizza. The "legs" keep leaves submerged.
Jami says
Interesting, Nancy, it sounds like another good option for preserving basil!
Joi says
I do Basil the same way I do Shallots and Garlic. 1: I chop or mince leaves or cloves 2: place fresh herb in to reasonably small containers 3: cover with olive oil 4: freeze
When I have used prior container I take out another and leave in refrigerator. Covered in oil (not just tossed) they will remain colorful and tasty for any recipe you might want for a very long time.
To me it is easy and I can always see how much I have in stock.
Jami says
Are the chopped herbs floating in the oil, meaning is there a lot more oil than herb?
Joi says
No ~ the herbs are pressed down and the oil is poured over just to barely cover. Not particularly pretty, by remain quite full of flavor for cooking. When I was outside today and cutting back my Chives it occurred to me that I do the same process with them. Dried Chives are useless. Straight frozen are OK, but . . . Thanks for the reply and question.
Jami says
Oh, I see! I'll have to try that method, too. And so agree with chives, though I usually just freeze them.
Carol O'Callaghan says
The method that works best for me is to put cleaned, mostly-dry leaves into a food processor with a little olive oil (and sometimes garlic), pulse 5-6 times to chop small but don't purée. Then scoop into small zip lock baggies and press flat and freeze. When you want some for soup or sauce, just break off a chunk and reseal the bag, or place the whole closed bag in a pie dish full of water for about 10 minutes to thaw and use all at once in pesto. Works great, stores efficiently space wise, and great fresh flavor lasts a long time. Color is never brown, just dark green.
Jami says
Hmm, do you think mine was so hard to remove because it wasn't in a thin sheet? The frozen oil made it really hard to chip any off in the mason jar. Maybe the jar lets too much air in, too, turning it more brown?
Cheryl says
I do the cubes the freezer bags and an old not sure where it came from but works well
I layer fresh washed and dried leaves on to sheets of foil by portion sizes and leaves barely touching single layers then fold sealed freeze and they stack after frozen one on top of the other or into large zip lock bags for extra sealing....
Jami says
Oh, that's one I hadn't heard of - like the paper towel, but without the difficulty removing them. Thanks for offering another option, Cheryl!