Preserving Basil
- Sep 16, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 17, 2024
Basil plants love the warmth of Summer, and will grow very large in the ground. I've been enjoying harvesting fresh basil leaves for several months, and while my plants will continue to grow and produce during our mild Fall weather, I like to preserve large batches of leaves for future use.
There are so many ways to preserve basil and in this article I will discuss drying and freezing fresh basil.
While there's nothing quite as satisfying as cooking a meal and being able to step into your own yard and snip off as many fresh basil leaves as you need for your recipe, there are times when you may not have plants growing in your garden. This is when having preserved basil will come in handy! Not only is preserving basil simple and convenient, but when you've grown something yourself, you know how it was taken care of, and you know it's free of chemicals and pesticides. Sounds like a win-win!
The first preservation method we will discuss is Drying fresh Basil. Now the trick to drying basil and not losing it's color or its potency, is to dry it quickly. This may be more of a challenge if you live in a humid region, but here in the desert southwest, we tend to have rather dry air. When I hang basil to dry, I try to make smaller bundles, because this will allow better air circulation to move throughout the leaves and stems. You will get a much quicker and more thoroughly dried basil cluster if you take the time to make smaller bundles.
Hanging location is a consideration as well. Direct sunlight and heat both degrade the quailty of your basil, so it's best to place your hanging bundles in a cooler location, out of direct sunlight. Try not to hang them in a windowsill either. That may look pretty for photos and magazines, but it's not the most ideal location for usable basil.
I like to hang mine on a nail in the corner of my kitchen/dining room area, near the air vent.
I know this is one of the cooler places in my house, and it gets great air circulation due to the air conditioning vent nearby. Basil will typically be dried for storage within 7-10 days in the right conditions, but just be sure yours is crisp and dry before storing it. I like to use mason jars to save dried basil, and I will either put the leaves in whole, or I will grind them up. Think about how you'll be using your dried basil...you can add it to spaghetti and marinara sauces, or to fresh baked breads and pizza crusts. Keep a small jar in your spice cabinet, and store the rest in a larger mason jar in a cool, dark place to ensure maximum freshness.
Another wonderful method for preserving your fresh basil is to freeze it in a carrier oil. Basil holds its flavor amazingly well when frozen like this and it's such a simple method. I recently did a TikTok about freezing basil and it went viral. That's when I realized just how excited people are about this topic!
If you'd like to watch that video, here's the link:
Now in the video, I demonstrated how to freeze basil and I used a small mason jar. This method worked fine for me because it was in a smaller jar and if I'm making a recipe such as pesto, using the entire jar amount is what I would do. However, if you have a larger amount of basil you are wanting to preserve, saving it in ice cube trays might be a better option.
First you want to cut and wash your basil (and you can use the stems along with the leaves) and be sure it's dried off. Next you'll want to chop it up and then start packing the basil into your ice cube trays or jars. Add olive oil, or whatever oil you prefer. I like to use a chop stick to be sure there are no air bubbles in the oil, and then top off with more if necessary. It will take about 24 hours for the basil mixture to fully freeze, and then you can pop the basil cubes out of the trays and store them together in a large zip lock bag. Then when you need to cook with it, you just take out however many basil cubes you need! Basil preserved like this is great for recipes that call for both basil and an oil.
Fresh Basil Tip: If you don't have your own basil plant growing, but you enjoy having fresh basil on hand, you can easily keep it happy and fresh for up to 2 weeks in your refrigerator. Simply trim 1/4" off the stem, and place bunches of basil into a jar with fresh cool water. Be sure none of the leaves are submerged (just remove them and use those first), and place it in your refrigerator. Some people put a baggie over the entire thing to trap more moisture.
One final way I like to use my fresh basil is in flower arrangements. I started doing this in the early summer, when I realized my plant was going to be a super producer. Mixed with other fresh cut flowers, basil makes a beautiful and fragrant filler. The best part is the leaves and flower buds stay perky and fresh for over a week in arrangements!
If you have any questions about harvesting and preserving basil, OR about growing your own basil, please reach out. I love talking about gardening!
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