How To Freeze Basil 6 Ways: Which Is Best?
I tested how to freeze basil in six different ways to find which were the best so that the leaves remained as fresh as possible and were easy to use in recipes throughout the winter. The results showed a clear winner that surprised me!
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I’ve always believed that preserving basil through the winter is best accomplished through making and freezing pesto. I love that it’s ready to use for bread toppings, appetizers, 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 shared 22 other ways to preserve basil here.
Because being able to use what we have is a good thing.
While I was researching more ways to preserve basil, I came across a number of different methods 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?
Can you really freeze basil leaves and still have that great basil flavor?
I decided to put the methods to test – 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, you can guess I’d have to test this method with basil, too.
The Tests
I gathered six of the most-mentioned methods to freeze basil, tested them all on one day, froze them for a week, and took pictures along the way to share with you.
The results?
There was a clear winner for me – and a runner-up method that surprised me.
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.
Results:
- 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.
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.
Results:
- 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.
Can I freeze basil without blanching?
The answer is YES! By using this packing basil leaves straight into baggie/container method, removing as much air as possible, and freezing.
Can I freeze whole basil leaves?
The answer to this is also yes – because you can easily throw all the leaves in the baggie with only washing needed before hand.
I love, love, that again the easiest method proved to be a good one – and the best one for me.
Two More Methods – In Liquid
But there were still two more popular Pinterest methods to test both of which start with chopped leaves and use a type of liquid.
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 cups of leaves to 2 tablespoons 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 find that this was another least favorite method, since it seemed to be so popular.
6. Chopped in Liquid Cubes
I’ve read about preserving chopped leaves in liquid cubes many times (also for herbs in general) 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 in the past – 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 of the method (again from a comment I found) were the differences from my previous tries:
- Wash, dry & slice basil leaves.
- Divide among ice cube tray sections (no blanching needed).
- 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 these cubes have proven to be a lot more versatile than smaller cut basil or oil-covered basil.
I also find the cubes add nice basil flavor to curries and other saucy dishes where the liquid is absorbed.
Is it better to freeze basil in water or oil?
From the last two tests, it’s clearly better to freeze chopped basil leaves in water (or broth) versus oil. The leaves are brighter green frozen in water and are more versatile to use in recipes.
What are the best ways to freeze basil?
After testing all of these methods, the clear winners in ease of preparation and best results were:
- Unblanched, straight into baggies (or other containers).
- Chopped (unblanched) in liquid cubes.
After testing these 6 ways to freeze basil how will I regularly preserve our garden basil?
You guessed it!
After making the amount of freezer pesto our family needs for a year, I now preserve the remaining basil leaves unblanched straight into baggies.
I also try to make a set liquid cubes in both broth and water, too, for our favorite winter soups, stews, and curries.
It’s so great to know I can preserve our basil abundance and have the best flavor.
And also to know simpler is often better in regards to basil, too!
Freezing Basil Leaves FAQs
In our manual defrost freezer (see here why this is the best kind of freezer for storing food, even though it’s more work), frozen pesto lasts for up to two years and frozen basil leaves for 8 months to a year. After 8 months, the leaves may start to degrade a bit, but I still usually use them (it’s a quality issue, not a safety issue).
I always take the leaves off the stem since it makes them easier to use after freezing. If there are small, tender stems near the leaves, those would be okay to freeze.
If the basil in olive oil were at room temperature, yes, that would be dangerous. But freezing basil in oil is fine.
As dry as possible – blot with a paper towel to remove more if possible. Or run through a salad spinner.
No you don’t unless it’s dirty from harvesting or something (I don’t usually). Totally up to you!
The blanching is supposed to stop 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 non-blanching theory with everything.
Yes! A commenter made pesto with the frozen basil and said “it worked out fine! (With) so much flavor, more than expected from freezing.”
To make it easiest, measure the basil before freezing (according to your recipe) and label the bag with the amount and “for pesto” so you remember.
Have you used any of these methods for freezing basil? Do you have a favorite? Let me know in the comments!
More Freezing Preservation Methods
- Homemade Pesto (with secret, frugal ingredient!) to Freeze and Eat All Year!
- Three Ways to Freeze Corn
- Zucchini Freezer Muffins (freeze dough for fresh-baked muffins when you want!)
- 4 Ingredient No-Cook Chia Berry Freezer Jam
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How To Freeze Basil – 2 Best Ways
Equipment
- 2 quart freezer baggies or other air-tight, freezer safe containers
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups basil
For Liquid Cubes:
- 1/2 cup broth* (chicken or vegetable)
- 1/2 cup water*
Instructions
- Harvest, wash and dry basil leaves as needed (TIP: you don't need to remove all the tender stems, just the thicker, harder stems).
Unblanched Into Freezer Bags:
- Place dried basil leaves into freezer baggie. I usually but 1 to 2 cups of leaves into each bag.
- Remove as much air as possible, either by pressing or using this trick, and then freeze.
- To Use: break off chunks of frozen leaves and add directly into your recipe.
Chopped In Liquid Cubes:
- After drying leaves, SLICE them into thin strips (gather a stack of leaves, roll them up and slice from one end to the other).
- Divide among ice cube tray sections (no blanching needed).
- Add either water or broth to cover leaves.
- Freeze until firm (about 2 hours) and then place in labeled freezer bags (or use ice cube trays with covers and store them in the trays).
- To Use: add a frozen cube to any soup or stew recipe – also is nice in curry sauce and other types of sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
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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!
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. 🙂
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.
Yep – agreed, Carol!
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.
Thank you so much! Enjoy your basil. 🙂
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.
It’s nice when I works out that way, isn’t it?
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.
Great tip, Jo Ann – thank you!
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:)
Love this!
So thankful for the time you’ve put in to make life easier for the rest of us 🙂 Love it! Thanks!
Glad to help 🙂
Thank you for the article, it’s what I was looking for. Now I just have to do what you suggested ;8)
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?
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.
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).
I’m so glad this was helpful, Shannon!
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!
I, too, love it when that happens!
I really enjo Reading this. I loved that you tested abscess reported on each process. : )
I’m glad it was helpful to you Debbie!
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!
Well, that method would sure make it easy to plop some basil into a recipe, wouldn’t it? Thanks for sharing this Josh!
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!
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!
Sure glad you found this helpful, Karley – enjoy your basil!
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…
Oh, I hope it grows back for you, too – basil is usually pretty good at growing after pruning, so keeping my fingers crossed. 🙂
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.!!!
Ah, thank you so much, Kimberly – that made my day. 🙂
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.
Nope, you don’t unless it’s dirty from harvesting or something. Totally up to you!
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.
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.
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.
Wonderful idea, Krista!
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.
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).
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.
Have you harvested mint leaves? Did you freeze like your basil? I’m thinking that should work?
I haven’t, Cheryl, but I’m with you and think that the methods here would work with mint, too.