Freezing Fresh Basil for Winter!
It’s an annual ritual. The days get a little shorter, the mornings a little cooler, and my basil plants are ready for a final harvest. I always have several bushy basil plants, so that I only have to take a few steps outside my door for a handful of fragrant green leaves. Fresh pestos appear at whim, and you can see how it goes in this Roasted Tomato Sauce over Pan-Toasted Gnocchi
It’s easy to get attached to my basil plants, and put off the harvest. To garden is to suffer, and change is inevitable. The seasons will move on without me, and if I pretend it’s not happening, I’ll end up waking up to basil blackened by a night with a drop in temperature. It has happened before, when deadlines loomed and some part of me wanted summer to just keep on going.
Harvest Time is Here
For better or worse, this is the year when I am not “too busy” to harvest basil. In fact, we seem to be going through a collective shift from being crazy busy to being a little bit idle, and it can be uncomfortable. Talking to people in different situations, I find that some are replacing their old routines with things like gardening and going for walks, and relishing it, while some are having a harder time with finding a sweet spot.
Every day offers me a lesson in letting go and accepting what is. It’s time to put away my basil.
You might want to invest in a good food processor, to puree the basil with the least amount of olive oil. I use a Cuisinart. Then you need a good spatula to scrape out your basil paste. Both are kitchen helpers you will use over and over.
Drying vs Freezing Basil
Freezing basil the best way to save it. I’ve tried drying it, and it always seems like a waste of good basil. The flavor weakens, and the magic is gone. I’ve developed this method, which is simple, and avoids some of the pitfalls that can befall other methods. Back in the day, it sounded so smart to freeze basil in ice cube trays. But even though Martha said it was best, I noticed that a bag of basil cubes didn’t hold up well as it rattled around my freezer in the ensuing months. The enemy of your basil puree is oxidation, and all those basil cubes had lots of exposed surfaces, and air in the bag between them. After a while, the cubes looked shaggy, and the basil darkened.
I also read up on the effects of freezing pestos with garlic and other ingredients, and learned that those additions caused the puree to go bad sooner in the freezer. So, I came up with my own method of freezing basil.
I hope you’ll watch the video, where all is made clear in my kitchen. The gist of it is that you want to puree your basil with only olive oil, and to pack it in a zip-top bag so that it is completely sealed off from air. Then you can flatten the puree to a thin sheet of basil puree and lay it flat in the freezer. Once it’s solid, you can stack the sheets wherever they fit.
Then, just open the bag and break off a chunk, like these:
I’ll keep on picking from what’s left on my plants, and who knows, we might get a few more weeks of warm nights.
But at least I saved a good stash of basil, and I can savor the flavor of summer all winter long
The Best Way to Save Fresh Basil
Ingredients
- fresh basil
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Pick all the leaves from your basil. Place them in a food processor bowl. Process, scraping down as needed, until the basil is minced.
- Drizzle in olive oil with the machine running, just until a paste is produced.
- Scrape the paste into sturdy quart-sized zip-top freezer bags, and flatten into a sheet, about 1/3 inch thick. Label the bag and lay flat in the freezer until solid.
- To use, break off a chunk of the paste and add to pestos, sauces, soups, or anything else that needs a little basil, and a little taste of Summer!
Can I use the same method ,of freezing Basil,for parsley,cilantro ,Dill,mint?
Mary, yes, as long as you plan to use them in a pureed form, it will work really well. Thanks for reading!
Thanks fir the tip!
Try making a paste without oil and freeze it in zip lock bags.
my experience is that it would get freezer burn and dry out without a little something to keep it moist.
The basil turns a black color due to it oxidizing. The oil protects it from that happening.
thanks, I’ll give thos a go.
Three quick questions please. I’m new to fresh herbs and just got me a lighted growing machine and the herbs are growing so fast I can’t use them fast enough. Here are my questions…
1. Do we keep the stems, shred and use them and if so, which herbs?
2. If I give herbs to neighbors and friends, what is the best way to give cut herbs? In a platic bag with a paper towel in it to collect moisture or inserted in a small glass bottle filled with water.
3. Do I wash my herbs that I grow myself before using?
Mary,
The tender herbs, like basil, cilantro and mint, can have some stem ground in with the leaf to make the paste or pesto. Your method for giving herbs sounds good- do wash, spin dry and roll loosely in paper towels, then put in a plastic bag, or put in a bottle of water.
Great tip! I’ve been looking for a safe way to use up my basil glut, especially as I’m not a big fan of pesto! Thank you
It’s so much more versatile this way-drop a chunk in vegetable soup, or your fave spaghetti sauce!
I am so happy to have found this!
I have numerous basil plants full and bushy, didn’t want them to bloom and get bitter so thanks for the tip!
So glad it helps! I do this every year.
Trying to find out if basil can be preserved/frozen without using oil. My husband is on a diet that does not allow any oil.
Angela, Yes, you can do it, it might need a little water to puree, and the result will freeze more solidly than with oil.
Thanks for reading!
Thank-you for sharing. Yes I do the same but add pine nuts and freeze in small parcels to use when needed. I share with family and friends. I add the seasoning, garlic and parmesan when I cook the pasta and add when hot, works a treat. Kids love it. I buy my pine nuts in bulk size to save money.
That’s wonderful. I just leave it simple so it can go into spaghetti sauce or soup.
Thank you for this smart space saving method of freezing Basil 🌿 flat!
It really works! Thanks.
Do I wash basil before putting in processor?
wash and spin or pat dry. I’m jealous, my basil if just getting started!
For ease of use, you could use a trick I use when freezing ground beef.
Once the product is in the bag, and the air has been removed, I seal the bag and use something small but full (like a chopstick or back of a butter knife) to make a grid pattern in the product while it’s in the bag.
That makes it easier to break off and take out small, more regular pieces.
interesting! Let me know if it works for you.
Thanks for the great tip! I’ve put whole leaves in freezer bags but I’ve never like the brown floppy effect once added to my sauce. This method will be my new “keeper”!
It really works, I still have a little from last year, still green and fresh tasting!
May I use another type of oil rather than olive oil?
Certainly, a neutral oil like avocado or canola would work. I just go with olive because the two pair well.
Thanks!
I have read that basil should be blanched to help preserve color and to reduce oxidation. Is this an added step I need to do? Can you say why you feel that it’s not necessary? Thanks for your video! Much appreciated!
Samantha, I’ve been doing it this way for years, The oil prevents the leaves from being exposed to air, so they don’t oxidize, or oxidize very slowly. The puree is a darker green, but still looks appetizing!
Hi Robin,
Thank you for the Basil freezing tips. I just harvested 12 ounces of basil leaves. 6 ounces I made into pesto, 2 pints. The rest I want to freeze. I’m so glad I watched your video. I will take your advice on freezing. I was going to use the ice cube trays, but not now. Thank you again.
Glad I could help. The time I did it in ice cube trays it was freezer-burned within a few months, and I want it to last longer!
Thanks for the tip on freezing basil. I also use the ‘flat” method with tomato paste. I buy large cans use a tablespoon or so then bag the remainder & freeze flat, breaking off what I need kater for soups,chilis, etc.
It’s good to be able to use little bits!
That is a fabulous idea! Thank you.
My basil plants are huge- I will be doing this later today!
I put mine in small amounts in ice trays to freeze and then take them out and put them in a ziplock freezer bag to freeze.
I was about to make pesto to freeze, but this video provided a whole new outlook on freezing basil! Thank you!! 🙂
So glad to help!
Do you recommend washing the basil first?
yes!
Can you use the same method fir freezing oregano?
Yes, maybe puree more coarsely so the pieces will be bigger in the finished dish.
Thank you so much for the help in freezing Basil!
Much appreciated.
You are welcome! I love having it on hand!
What is the best way to keep Rosemary and sage? I have a bumper crop this year and would like to preserve it. Thanks
I’ve actually just frozen it on the stem, in airtight bags.
This is my first time growing basil, I’m a newbie and my question is do you need to chop the basil and add olive oil on It and will it stay green? If you blanch it will that make it turn dark? I want a method to use that will keep it green?
I have been using some salt in with my basil and oil as I thought it might help to keep the colour. Is there any benefit? Thanks, Mhairi
I don’t think it will hurt. Thanks for the comment!
Could you tell me the measurements for the basil and the oil? How much of each? Thank you
It’s really up to you, use the amount of basil you have, and add oil gradually, just to make a paste. It’s flexible.
I’m so excited to try this! Except I don’t own a food processor. Can I use an immersion blender for this recipe? Or should I borrow someone’s food processor?
I think it’s much easier with a food processor, you don’t have to add as much oil to get it to flow in the blades.
Olive oil is good for you!
I finally pulled the trigger and purchased a compact food processor, thank you so much for the nudge Robin. I can’t wait to start saving my basil! P.S. I live in Italy and my in-laws produce their own olive oil, lucky me. 😊
congratulations- as you can probably tell, I use mine often!
Have you ever tried using avocado oil instead of olive? I prefer it due to the lighter flavor and higher temperature abilities.
you certainly can- it would have a milder flavor, for sure. You don’t want to heat the basil puree after thawing, just kind of melt it into warm foods, so the high temp part won’t come into play. I love avocado oil, but some people are not into it.
I absolutely love Avocado Oil!! I am going to use Avocado oil with my Lemon Basil to make the paste. I will use Olive Oil with my Sweet Basil to make the paste
Hi! Is there any way this method will work with a blender? I don’t have a food processer.
You can do it, but in a blender, you put oil in first, and you’ll have to use more oil to get it to blend. You’ll also need to scrape it down. But yes, you can.
It says you can use this to make pesto…. How would you go about doing so? Do you use the frozen portion of basil and oil and add cheese and nuts?
Yes, drop a chunk of frozen basil in the processor with your desired nuts, cheese, and salt, grind until smooth, then add oil to taste. You can make it however you want, with walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, or leave out the cheese if you avoid dairy.