Freezing is a great way to preserve food fresh for many months. When it comes to herbs like parsley, your best options for preservation are freezing or drying. Both methods have their benefits, but today we’ll learn how to freeze parsley to preserve it for months.
We’ll be freezing parsley in two different ways: chopped in freezer bags or with olive oil in ice cube trays. I’ll also share some ideas on what to do with the frozen parsley, so you can make the most out of this super fresh herb.
Why Freeze Parsley
There are many reasons to preserve food, especially nowadays. Here are some reasons to freeze parsley:
- freezing helps to preserve the beneficial nutrients in parsley
- it helps to slow the growth of microorganisms that can cause spoiling and extends shelf life
- helps to reduce food waste if you’ve got a big bunch of parsley you just can’t eat up within the next 5-6 days
- it’s super easy to do and will save you money
- you can enjoy fresh parsley at any time during the year
Parsley Benefits
Parsley is one of those miracle herbs that have great health benefits. According to Healthline it’s labeled as one of the most powerful disease-fighting plants.
Parsley won’t just lighten up and add freshness to your meals, it actually also boosts the antioxidant and nutrient content of your food. Here are some amazing ways parsley can benefit your health:
- improve bone health
- reduce cancer risk
- protect your eyes
- improve heart health
- antibacterial and antioxidant properties
As you can tell, these are just some more reasons to preserve parsley!
How To Freeze Parsley In Bags
My go-to way to freeze parsley has been and will always be freezing it in bags. Here’s what you need to do for this easy method:
- Wash parsley, shake off the water and let it air dry. I use the dish drying rack and the bunch of parsley is dried within 20 minutes. It’s important to not freeze the parsley with water on it, because it will lead to lower quality of the final product. Therefore, wait on your parsley to air dry.
- Chop the parsley thinly. I freeze all parts of the parsley – leaves and stems, they’re both delicious and nutrient-dense.
- Fill a freezer bag with the chopped parsley. I transferred the parsley with a knife, but a spoon will work well too.
- Close the bag tightly, squeezing the air out of the bag as well as possible. Avoid pressing/smashing the parsley.
- Place the bag in the freezer and freeze parsley for 4-5 hours or overnight.
- Congrats, your frozen parsley is ready!
When you want to use the herb, just open the bag gently and use a spoon to take out as much as you need. Then quickly close the bag again.
How To Freeze Parsley In Ice Cube Trays With Olive Oil
You can also freeze parsley with olive oil using ice cube trays. This results in beautiful cubes that resemble mini herb butters. To do this you need to:
- Wash parsley, shake off the water and let the plant air dry for about 20 minutes.
- Chop the parsley thinly.
- Portion chopped parsley into ice cube trays.
- Pour olive oil just enough to cover the chopped parsley.
- Pop out the parsley ice cubes. I use silicone trays since it’s easier to get the parsley cubes out once frozen. If you do use regular ice cube trays, you will need to let them defrost in warm water for 10-20 seconds to get the frozen parsley cubes out.
- Transfer cubes into freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to 3 months
- When it’s time to use, just let the mini butter melt for a few minutes or use it on the stove/oven.
While the result of this method looks good, I wouldn’t say that I prefer it to freezing parsley in bags. It takes definitely more effort and involves some cleanup. I find it also hard to transfer all the cubes from the ice cube trays to a bag without melting any.
How Long Can You Store Frozen Parsley
As with most frozen plants – parsley will stay good for up to three months in the freezer.
How To Use Frozen Parsley
Frozen parsley does have a different texture than fresh, but when it comes to quality it’s the closest it can be to the fresh thing. You can use frozen parsley in soups, stews, one-pan meals, for meat, fish or even in salad dressings.
If you have a lot of it, you can even use it to make your own falafels.
More Food Preservation Tips
- How To Freeze Cherries
- Freezing Strawberries To Preserve For Months
- Why and How To Dry Mint For Tea and Cooking
- Drying Basil Leaves: How To Dry Basil Naturally
- How To Freeze Peaches To Have For Months
Enjoy freezing your parsley – it’s really easy to do and pretty quick. The method with the freezer bag should take you no longer than 5-10 minutes. The ice cube trays can take about 20-30 minutes. I hope you learned something new and useful!
How To Freeze Parsley: Two Ways
Learn how to freeze parsley to preserve it for months! Freezing parsley in freezer bags or with olive oil in ice cube trays is easy and a great way to preserve this delicious herb.
Ingredients
- a bunch of parsley
Instructions
In freezer bags:
- Wash parsley, shake off water and let it air dry to remove most of the water.
- Chop thinly.
- Place parsley in a freezer bag, pressing out the excess air from the bag, while trying not to smash the parsley. Close the bag.
- Lay the bag flat in the freezer and freeze for up to three months.
- When you want to take out some, open the bag and use a spoon to get some parsley out. Then seal as fast as possible and put the bag back into the freezer.
In ice cube trays with olive oil
- Wash parsley, shake the water off and let it air dry to remove most of the water.
- Chop thinly.
- Fill ice cube trays with chopped parsley. (silicone ice cube trays are easier to handle).
- Add olive oil to ice cube trays to cover the parsley.
- Freeze for 4-5 hours.
- Pop out the parsley ice cubes and transfer into freezer bags.
- Store for up to three months and take out whenever needed. Store leftover cubes in the freezer.
Nutrition Information
Yield 1 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 1Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 2mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g