Selecting and Storing Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs are the difference between a flat meal and a vibrant one, but they are fleeting. Learning to spot the healthy bunches at the market and treating them like cut flowers ensures you aren't tossing half a package into the trash by midweek.
Treat them like a bouquet.
Soft herbs like basil and cilantro are thirsty and fragile, while woody herbs like rosemary and thyme are rugged survivors. Match your storage method to the herb's architecture.
- small glass jars or tumblers
- plastic produce bags
- paper towels
- sharp chef's knife
What goes in.
- variesSoft herbs: cilantro, parsley, basil, mint, dill
- variesWoody herbs: rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage
The Glass Jar Setup
Treat soft-stemmed herbs exactly like cut flowers: trim the base of the stems, remove any leaves that will sit below the waterline, and stand them upright in an inch of water.
The method.
Inspect the stem base
If the bottom of the stem is mushy, dark, or smells fermented, the herb has already begun to decay. Move to the next bunch.
Check the leaves
Ignore the top of the pile. Dig into the center of the bunch to look for crushed leaves or hidden dampness, which leads to rapid rot.
Wash and dry thoroughly
Do not wash until you are ready to use them. If they are gritty, rinse, spin dry in a salad spinner, and roll in a dry paper towel before refrigerating.
Store woody herbs
Wrap rosemary, thyme, and sage loosely in a dry paper towel, place them in a plastic bag, and keep them in the vegetable crisper. They need airflow, not water.
Other turns to take.
Basil-specific storage
Basil is sensitive to cold. Keep the jar on the counter at room temperature away from direct sunlight rather than in the refrigerator.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If your parsley or cilantro looks limp but the stems are still firm, submerge the entire bunch in a bowl of ice water for 20 minutes to revive them.
Always use a sharp knife when chopping. A dull blade crushes the leaves, bruising the oils and leaving them on the cutting board instead of in your food.
Hard herbs like rosemary can be frozen whole in a freezer bag for months; just pull off the needles as you need them.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I store all my herbs in the same container?
No. Woody herbs need to stay dry, while soft herbs need hydration. Mixing them causes the woody herbs to rot.
What should I do with herbs that are starting to look tired?
If they are not yet slimy, turn them into an herb oil or compound butter. Once they have turned dark or slimy, they have lost their aromatic integrity and should be composted.
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