Herbs Bombs! An Easy Guide To Freezing Herbs
Many herbs will go dormant in the winter and a lot of our favorite ones such as cilantro and basil are very sensitive to cold which means unless you grow them inside or in a greenhouse you may have to go without those herbs during certain parts of the year.
UNLESS!!…you freeze your herbs! Using this super easy method you can have fresh herbs year round!
Best Herbs to Freeze
Not all herbs freeze well, but the following herbs are perfect for freezing because they’ll maintain their flavor and texture.
- Basil
- Tarragon
- Sage
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Chives
- Mint
Those herbs are best frozen but you can still preserve herbs like rosemary and oregano by hand drying your herbs.
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
- Fresh herbs (basil, tarragon, chives, sage, parsley, cilantro, dill, mint)
- Olive oil or avocado oil(you can use water too! I know oil ain’t cheap!)
- Ice cube trays or silicone molds
- Knife and cutting board or food processor
- Flat freezer space to freeze herbs
Instructions
Step 1: Prep Herbs
Wash and thoroughly dry the herbs. Remove any tough stems. Don’t forget to check under those bigger leaves for eggs or little friends still hiding.
I use baking soda and cool water to wash my herbs.
Step 2: Process herbs
Chop or process herbs finely. If you’re using a food processor you can add oil or water to the herbs while they process to make it a bit easier to chop up.
Step 3: Fill Ice Trays
Place the chopped herbs into the ice cube trays or silicone molds, filling each about 2/3 full.
Step 4: Fill trays with Water Or Oil
Pour olive oil, avocado oil, or water over the herbs filling each cube space. Make sure the herbs are fully submerged.
Pro tip: If you’re cooking with oil be careful when placing herb bombs frozen in water. Hot oil and freezing water can cause hot oil and water to splatter out of the pan, putting you at risk of getting a splatter burn.
Step 5: Freeze Herbs
Place the tray in the freezer and freeze until solid, usually overnight.
Step 6: Label & Store Your Herb Bombs
Once frozen, transfer the herb bombs to a labeled freezer bag or airtight container for future use. Don’t forget to label(Name & Date) them! It’s hard to tell what’s what once they’re frozen.
I save my herb bombs until I’ve used up my herbs in the garden.
How to Use Frozen Herb Cubes
You can use your herbs in many different dishes and even remedies.
Adding a cube directly to hot pans, soups, or stews can give it a burst of fresh herb flavor. You can also use them to saute and roast veggies and meat.
Mint herb bombs can even be used to aid digestion. Just add frozen mint cubes to warm water with lemon.
No matter if you choose to use them in a month or in 5 months they will be just as fresh as the day you cut them.
Tips for Freezing Herbs
The quality of your herb bombs depends heavily on the freshness of your herbs. The fresher the herbs, the better the flavor will be preserved.
One of the biggest mistakes I can make whenever freezing my herbs is forgetting to label them. While sometimes I can tell the difference, that’s not always the case. It’s really frustrating to have perfectly frozen herb bombs but not know which herbs are which.
So take it from me lol label and date your herbs either on the freezer bags or containers.
Speaking of containers, keep herb bombs in a tightly sealed freezer bag or container to prevent freezer burn and maintain flavor. Frozen herb cubes will retain their best quality for up to six months but can still be used for months after that.
We hope this guide to freezing herbs into herb bomb was helpful! Let us know what you think, and what herbs you plan on freezing and how you plan to use them! 🌿
