This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
After many trials and errors, I’ve concluded that freezing fresh herbs in olive oil is the best way to preserve their freshness and flavor. I’ll show you how to freeze fresh herbs in ice cube trays so they’re ready to use in your favorite recipes!
This method is perfect for storing fresh herbs long-term. Use your frozen herbs when pan-searing chicken, or add them right into roasted tomato soup, pastas, and more.
As someone who loves cooking with fresh herbs, I was always looking for a way to preserve them. At least around here, grocery stores charge an astronomical price for the convenience of fresh-cut herbs. Stocking up leaves me with bushels of basil, rosemary, parsley, and thyme. And if we’re paying Gucci prices for grass, I’m going to make those greens go the extra mile! Aside from turning them into pesto and zhoug, freezing fresh herbs in olive oil is BY FAR the best method I’ve found. And it’s so easy.
The Benefits of Freezing Fresh Herbs
- It cuts down on food waste. I won’t admit how many times I’ve had to throw away wilted herbs before I’ve had the chance to use them. Freezing means not a single herb leaf goes to waste.
- Preserve the herbs’ flavors. Fresh herbs bring flavor to recipes that dried herbs just can’t match. This easy freezing method locks all that freshness inside a neat little oil cube.
- It’s convenient. You can use these herb-infused oil cubes directly in your cooking, saving time and adding a burst of fresh flavor to your meals.
- A money-saving alternative to buying fresh every time. Freezing a big batch of my favorite herbs all at once is the way to go.
What You’ll Need
Freezing herbs in olive oil is one of my favorite kitchen hacks. It’s a simple and effective technique for keeping your herbs fresh and ready to use in any recipe, and you only need two ingredients: fresh herbs and olive oil.
Choose Your Herbs
This easy technique works with any fresh herbs, whether you buy them from the store or harvest them from the garden. Opt for fresh, firm herbs to ensure the best flavor. These are some common ones that I use in my recipes often:
- Basil
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Oregano
- Chives
Is It Better to Freeze Herbs in Oil or Water?
I always freeze my herbs in olive oil as it preserves the color better. Plus, if they’re already in oil, I can simply stir them into recipes like soups, stir-fries, etc., without the need to thaw them out first. Highly recommend.
Tips For Success
- Rinse and dry. Make sure to rinse and thoroughly dry your herbs before freezing to prevent ice crystals from forming.
- Chop the herbs or leave them whole. You can chop the herbs or leave them in larger sprigs or leaves. A combination works well, too.
- Label your bags. Don’t forget to label your freezer bags with the type of herb and the date it was frozen.
- Use within a few weeks. For the best flavor, use your frozen herbs within a few weeks.
How To Use Frozen Herbs
Apart from the preserving deal, the coolest thing is that you can remove a piece from the freezer, throw it in the pan, and bam! You didn’t have to pour out the oil, AND you didn’t waste any energy on chopping up that rosemary.
These are some of my favorite ways to use my frozen herbs, but I’m sure you’ll find even more! Drop 1-2 cubes into a pot or pan to make:
- A warm and comforting chicken noodle soup recipe.
- Your go-to spinach pasta dish.
- A delicious chicken and vegetables skillet meal bursting with flavor.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
How to Freeze Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Fresh herbs, basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, etc…
Instructions
- Choose firm, fresh herbs. You can chop up the herbs or leave them in larger sprigs and/or leaves. I always do a combination.
- Assemble in ice cube trays. Fill the ice cube compartments about 2/3 full of herbs. Pour in the olive oil, covering the herbs.
- Freeze. Top the tray with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours or overnight. Remove the frozen cubes from the ice trays and store them in freezer bags.
- When ready to use, remove a cube or two from the bag and transfer it to a frying pan.
Notes
- Rinse, clean, and thoroughly dry the fresh herbs.
- Keep in the freezer.
- Use within a couple of weeks.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How To Freeze Fresh Herbs for Long-Term Storage
I’ve been using this easy method from The Gardener’s Eden for the past several years, and it hasn’t let me down. Here’s the best way to freeze herbs in olive oil. This method also works with other cooking oils, like avocado oil or vegetable oil.
- Fill the ice cube trays. Fill the ice cube compartments about 2/3 full with herbs.
- Add the olive oil. Next, pour extra virgin olive oil over the herbs so they’re fully submerged.
- Freeze. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours or overnight. Once frozen, remove the cubes from the trays and stash them in freezer bags.
- Use from frozen. When you’re ready to use the herbs, they can go from the freezer straight to the frying pan, no thawing needed.
How Long Do Herbs Last In the Freezer?
For best freshness, use these frozen fresh herbs within 3-4 weeks. They’ll store well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Is it possible to add garlic to this mix. I’m thinking like minced…
This is such an awesome idea.
I know it’s not a herb but I have a tip with fresh ginger to save money. I’ve been doing it forever and never waste any. Buy the youngest firmest ginger when you come across it. Give it a quick wash and dry then into a bag in the freezer then whenever you need some you just grate it into your cooking peel and all (you won’t see or taste the skin plus I’m sure it will have extra nutrients like most things do under the skin) then put the rest back in the freezer! Last for ages too. I’d never store it any other way since I don’t use it all the time.
HI Sue!! I love this tip – that is so good to know!! Thank YOU very much for sharing!
I’m a fan of freezing ginger too. I chop up the ginger, place it in an ice cube tray, add a little water, then add the frozen cubes to a small container. I use the ginger in dishes, but mostly use the cubes to make a drink of ginger and honey – boil one or two cubes of ginger for 10+ minutes and add a little honey – has wonderful health benefits and tastes good too, and is a good “good night” drink.
Thank you for the hint about freezing the ginger without chopping or grating it as sometimes I like the ginger to be more finely chopped or want to slice it into slim slices.
Okay, I just have to say that this is brilliant. Every time I throw away old, unused herbs that I paid an arm and a leg for, I die a bit inside. And lovely photos, as always!
Great idea. Where the recipe states to use within a week, do you mean a week after it is frozen or within a week of thawing it out after it has been frozen for a certain amount of time?
Hi Bee! Yes, after they are frozen try to use them within about 2 weeks. And you don’t have to thaw them – just place in a frying pan and the cube will begin to melt right away over any amount of heat.
I have a food saver and store them in that and they store for a year…. Take out what you need and reveal!
What is a food saver? Thank you.
A food saver is a vacuum pack machine that takes all the air out of the bag of food you want to save for a longer amount of time. You can search the internet for many brands!
Genius!!! And I just so happen to have some rosemary I need to try this on today! Thanks for the info 🙂
Oh wow this is genius. I must do this sometime soon. Loving the pictures!
Okay, this is practically ART! So gorgeous! I’d be almost tempted to just plop those beautiful cubes straight into my mouth!
I love this so much! Would love to just pull some Fresh Herbs out of the freezer!
I’ve done this with pesto, but my brain just exploded – I can use it for all my herbs! I have quite the nice little thyme garden going, and I miss that fresh flavor during the colder months – but now I don’t have to!