How to Freeze Parsley
Knowing how to freeze and preserve fresh produce and herbs helps cut down on food waste and saves on your food budget. Herbs, in particular, always seem to be going to waste, with many sold in large bundles that cannot always be completely used before they go bad. These leafy greens will not freeze well if you just stick the bundle in the freezer as is, but you can freeze leafy herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, and mint if you follow the right procedure. With a little prep and an ice cube tray, you can successfully them in the freezer for 6 months or even up to a year. Follow our video and written directions below to start freezing your herbs!
How to freeze parsley and other fresh herbs:
Supplies:
Parsley (or other leafy herb like cilantro, basil, or mint)
Cutting board
Knife
Ice cube tray
Tablespoon
Liquid measuring cup or other cup with a spout
Water, oil, or broth
Directions:
Remove parsley leaves from the stems.
Discard stems or save for another use (like infusing a homemade stock).
Carefully chop the parsley leaves.
Measure 1 tablespoon parsley and put it into one of the ice cube compartments in the tray. Repeat until there is no more parsley left on the cutting board.
Put a small amount of water, oil, or broth into the liquid measuring cup.
Pour just enough liquid into each ice cube to cover the parsley. Push the leaves down, if needed, to make sure they are all covered in liquid.
Put the ice cube tray in the freezer. Freeze for at least 3 hours, until frozen solid.
Pop the cubes out of the tray and store in a plastic zip bag or food storage container labeled with “parsley.” Put the bag or container back in the freezer and save the cubes for the next time you need parsley in a meal.
How to use frozen herb cubes:
Often recipes call for fresh herbs to be used towards the end of a recipe, added at the last few minutes or topped on the plated meal as a garnish. The frozen cubes do not work well as a fresh garnish since. Even if you defrost them first, they will be wet, wilted, and stuck together when not cooked. Instead, you can use the cubes by adding them to a recipe in the last few minutes of cooking to add some flavor and color to a dish. You don’t even need to defrost the cubes since the heat of the cooking with melt the liquid. Make sure to mix your meal to help the cube melt and to disperse the parsley evenly throughout the dish. Below, we demo this technique with Pinch of Yum's Spanish chicken and potato stew.
You can also use them in an uncooked sauce like a yogurt sauce by defrosting the cubes in a small bowl and adding the parsley to the sauce once the ice melts.