Fresh herbs are a culinary short-cut for adding a burst of flavor and pop of color to just about any dish. But they are also very perishable and can be challenging to use up before they end up languishing in your crisper drawer. To learn more about how to keep herbs fresh, we consulted Allison Vallin Kostovick, a longtime organic gardener, creator of the gardening resource website Finch + Folly and author of The Garden Maker's Book of Wonder.

Understanding Different Types of Herbs

There are two different types of herbs, tender herbs and hardy herbs.

Kostovick explains that tender herbs, also known as soft herbs, have delicate, tender stems and leaves. Common examples of tender herbs include basil, cilantro, dill, mint, parsley and tarragon. Hardy herbs, which are also known as woody herbs, have thicker leaves and woodier stems, and include herbs such as oregano, rosemary, sage and thyme.

How to Buy the Freshest Herbs

When it comes to selecting the freshest herbs, Vallin Kostovick recommends assessing color, scent and touch and looking out for the following attributes:

• Color: Seek out bright, vibrant colors and avoid herbs with yellowing or discolored leaves or moldy sprigs.
• Scent: Take a sniff. “You should be able to smell the herb’s aroma. For woodier herbs like thyme or rosemary, you may need to rub a leaf or two to release their scent,” she says.
• Touch: Look for firmness. “Droopy herbs aren’t happy herbs, especially when it comes to tender herbs like basil and parsley,” she says. “Some droopy herbs may be helped by trimming the bottoms and placing in jar with some water, but ideally look for vibrant, aromatic herbs that are firm to the touch.

How to Prep Herbs So They Stay Fresh Longer

Learning how to properly prep your herbs can help extend their freshness. Vallin Kostovick waits to wash her herbs until just before use so as to avoid leaving any residual moisture on the leaves that could encourage bacteria growth. When it comes time to handle your herbs, use a gentle touch for tender herbs as their leaves can bruise easily. “For best results in keeping your tender herbs fresh as long as possible, you’ll want to start by trimming the stems slightly and remove any browning/yellowing leaves.”

Hardy herbs are much tougher, so they’re less prone to bruising and don’t require as delicate of a touch when handled.

How to Store Tender Herbs

The best way to store tender herbs such as basil, cilantro, parsley, mint, dill, chives or tarragon, is in a jar with a small amount of water, stored in the refrigerator or on the counter.

Vallin Kostovick recommends first prepping your herbs by trimming the stems slightly and removing any discolored leaves. “Place your herbs in a jar filled with one-inch of water, making sure no leaves are touching the water, stem only,” she says. “Cover the jar with a paper or plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. If using a Mason jar, gently tuck the leaves into the jar (avoiding directly touching any water) and screw on the lid for easy storage.”

Covering the herbs helps prevent browning in the dry environment of the refrigerator. Be sure to avoid placing the jar in the fridge’s coldest spots, such as in the back. “Tender herbs are not a fan of exposure to cold. Especially basil, whose leaves blacken upon exposure,” Vallin Kostovick says.

If you plan to use fresh herbs within a few days, you can skip the refrigerator and store your herbs in jars on the counter, away from direct sunlight, as you would with cut flowers. “Whether in the refrigerator or on the counter, make sure to change out the water for fresh every other day,” Vallin Kostovick says. “Stored in this method, your tender herbs can stay fresh like this for 2 weeks.”

How to Store Woody Herbs

The best way to store woody herbs such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage or lavender is in a damp paper towel in an air-tight container or resealable plastic bag.

When it comes to storing hardy herbs, Vallin Kostovick says they are happiest when arranged in a single layer on a damp paper towel, then gently rolled (like a jelly roll), transferred to an airtight container or resealable bag and stored in the fridge. “Keeping the container sealed from exposure to air helps prevents the browning of the herbs’ leaves,” she says. “Check every few days on the dampness of the towel, refreshing as needed. Stored in this method, hardy herbs can stay fresh for 2 to 3 weeks.”

Alternative Methods: Drying and Freezing

You can also store fresh herbs by drying or freezing them.

How to Dry Herbs, Step-by-Step

“I prefer to air dry my herbs, as exposing herbs to any type of heat zaps away some of their essential oil,” Vallin Kostovick says. Depending on the herb, you can dry herbs on screens, racks or baskets or hang them in bunches.

1. Select a Humidity-Free Area

Dry herbs in a humidity-free, well-ventilated room out of direct sun.

2. Arrange Herbs in a Single Layer

Arranging herbs in a single layer on screens, racks or baskets helps promote air circulation and also helps retain the herbs’ color. This method works well for thicker-stemmed herbs.

3. Hang Herbs in Small Bunches

Hang herbs such as sage, lavender, catnip, oregano and mint in loose, small bunches. (If you tie the bunches too tightly, you might invite mold growth.) Vallin Kostovick shares that another benefit of hanging herbs in bunches is that it allows herbs’ essential oils to flow into the drying leaves.

4. Cover Herbs Drying in Bunches

If you plan to hang herbs in bunches and will store them like that for a prolonged period, Vallin Kostovick recommends covering each bunch with a paper bag (punch a few air holes in it first) to protect them from dust.

5. Check Your Herbs Every Few Days Till Dry

Inspect your herbs every few days and give them a good shake or toss. When the herbs crumble easily, it means they are completely dry and ready for storage.

6. Store Your Dried Herbs

Transfer herbs to glass Mason jars, keeping the herb intact as much as possible, as this preserves the flavor for longer.

How to Freeze Herbs

Vallin Kostovick shares that a quick, easy way to freeze fresh herbs is to chop them up, place them in an ice cube tray and cover each cube with water or olive oil and then freeze. “I like to use olive oil because then not only do I have the delicious herb, but I also now have herb-infused olive oil which is a treat on its own,” she says. After the cubes freeze, pop them out and transfer them to a freezer-safe, airtight container, label with the date and contents and store in the freezer, up to three months.

You can also freeze whole herbs simply by placing them in a freezer-safe, airtight container and storing them in the freezer. Vallin Kostovick likes using this method for herbs that lose a lot of their luster once dried, like dill, parsley and basil.

How to Use Dried and Frozen Herbs

You can use dried or frozen herbs in cooking to add an herbaceous, floral or aromatic notes to dishes. One of Vallin Kostovick’s favorite ways to use dried herbs is mixing them into salt blends to add to roasted meats and vegetables or season a variety of meals. One of her preferred combinations is to blend Kosher salt and dried rosemary, thyme and sage, but you can mix-and-match herbs to your preference or create different flavor profiles. She also uses dried herbs in savory baked goods, breads and crackers.

“I also always keep of bundle of dried oregano on hand and whenever I'm making my favorite Italian dishes, I just take that bundle and give it a gentle crush to release some of the delicious herbs over my dish, then I tuck that bundle away until my next time to use it,” Vallin Kostovick says. “I remember watching Lidia Bastianich always doing this.”

Kostovick uses frozen herbs primarily in sauces, soups, stir fries and stews, though she says you could also use them to make simple syrups for cocktails and teas. “Because of their delicate nature, tender herbs are usually added at the end of cooking as prolonged heat zaps most of their flavor away,” Vallin Kostovick says. “Hardy herbs tend to also pack a little more concentrated bite to their leaves, allowing them to be used during any stage of cooking.”

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