How to Preserve Fresh Basil: 4 Ways to Preserve Basil

There are several ways to preserve basil leaves so that these fresh herbs can be a year-round ingredient in your cooking:

1. 1. Dry basil in the oven. No kitchen is complete without dried herbs like oregano, thyme, and basil. Whether you have an herb garden or bought fresh basil from the store, you can dry basil easily in the oven and then crumple into flakes when you need it. Destem the basil leaves, rinse and dry them, then set your oven on its lowest temperature setting. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet, and evenly space out your basil leaves on it. Bake for two to four hours (until the leaves crisp), remove the cookie sheet from the oven, and let the basil cool. Then, crumble up the leaves and store in an airtight container.
2. 2. Hang the basil to dry. After cleaning your basil, you can hang the basil to air-dry. If your stems are still attached to your basil, gather a bunch of stems together and tie string tightly around the ends of the stems. Hang them upside-down in front of a window where they will receive direct sunlight and good airflow around all of the leaves—this will help the excess moisture to evaporate.
3. 3. Make basil vinaigrette. You can make a basil-infused salad dressing that can last for months. Dressings vary depending on taste and preference, but for a simple recipe, try mixing half a cup of olive oil with half a cup of apple cider vinegar. Then, wash fresh basil leaves, pat dry with a paper towel, and chop them up into fine slivers. Add to your dressing bottle, and give it a shake. Add in a sprig of basil for garnish and enhanced flavor, and keep the bottle in the fridge.
4. 4. Store in the freezer. Basil is a great addition to wintry soups, and you can keep basil fresh for the colder months by freezing. You can freeze chopped basil in an ice cube tray. Put a cup of basil leaves in a food processor. After the leaves are chopped, drizzle in a tablespoon of olive oil, adding more as needed until the mixture becomes a paste. Spoon the contents into an ice cube tray and place in the freezer. Come soup season, pop a basil cube out and place it into your soup, tempering the heat.

If you are harvesting basil from a growing plant, cut or pinch the fresh basil leaves right above the leaf node—this will encourage further growth if the plant is still in its growing season. Or to harvest the whole plant, cut the entire stem almost to the soil line. (This won’t prevent the basil from growing back next season.)

There are multiple ways to freeze basil. Select your method depending on how you plan to use the herb in future recipes:

1. 1. Blanch: Blanching is the best way to ensure you have full and flavorful basil leaves when you need them. Add a dozen ice cubes to a large mixing bowl and add enough water so that the cubes can float separately from each other. Add three cups of water to a saucepan, and bring it to a boil. Toss in your basil leaves, letting them sit in the boiling water for only three seconds. Immediately transfer the basil leaves to your ice water, letting them submerge. Remove the leaves from the bath and let them fully dry atop paper towels. Separate the leaves between layers of parchment paper zip-top freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze the basil. Remove the frozen basil a good half hour before you plan to use it so it can defrost and reach room temperature.
2. 2. Purée: Wash and dry your basil leaves, then add them to a blender or food processor. Add in one tablespoon of oil for every cup of basil, then place the purée into a freezer-safe container. You can use the purée in soups, tomato sauces, and more.
3. 3. Basil cubes: You can also use the purée method to create basil cubes—chop your basil in a processor, add some olive oil, and pour into ice cube trays so you have individually sized cubes to dole out for future use.
4. 4. Pesto cubes: Enhance your basil by making it into pesto cubes. For a simple basil pesto recipe, mix two cups of fresh basil leaves, half a cup of olive oil, a quarter cup of Parmesan cheese, half a cup of pine nuts, and two peeled garlic cloves in a blender. Add in a pinch of salt and pepper, blend it all together, and then pour out the contents into your ice cube tray to create pesto cubes in your freezer.

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