How do I freeze fresh basil?

Wash and dry basil leaves. Place them in a food processor and puree with a bit of oil. Then transfer the pureed leaves to ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Pop frozen basil cubes out of the tray and place in a plastic bag.

Can I freeze fresh basil without blanching?

To freeze basil, blanch the leaves, flash freeze them separately, then combine and freeze them long-term in an airtight, freezer-safe container. If you don’t need to preserve individual leaves, you can also freeze basil without blanching and flash freezing it, or you can freeze basil in puréed form.

Is it better to freeze or dry basil?

You can dry it or freeze it, but freezing retains the fresh taste better. Before you start, wash basil in cold water and dry; a salad spinner works well for this step. To freeze your basil, pull leaves from stems. Pat leaves dry and store in a large, freezer-safe container, separating each layer with plastic wrap.

How do you blanch basil for freezing?

To blanch fresh basil:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Have a big bowl of ice water ready.
2. Once the water is boiling, dip your bunch of basil into it just until the basil wilts. This shouldn’t take more than a few seconds.
3. As soon as the basil has wilted, immediately transfer it to the ice water.

Is it better to dry or freeze basil?

You can dry it or freeze it, but freezing retains the fresh taste better. Before you start, wash basil in cold water and dry; a salad spinner works well for this step.

Does basil freeze well?

You can dry it or freeze it, but freezing retains the fresh taste better. Before you start, wash basil in cold water and dry; a salad spinner works well for this step. To freeze your basil, pull leaves from stems. You can also freeze leaves whole and keep them for up to a year.

How do you store fresh basil long term?

Trim the cut ends, put the bunch in a glass, jar, or vase of water that will fit in the fridge, and cover the whole thing, or at least the basil leaves, with a plastic bag. Put the whole in in a refrigerator. Basil kept that way will stay vibrant and green for up to a week.

Can you use frozen basil for pesto?

Toss a couple of cubes of frozen basil in, and BAM, it tastes like August. Having frozen cubes of basil is like a time machine to summer. A lot of people freeze basil in pesto form, and that’s totally fine, but I like the simplicity and flexibility of just freezing basil solo.

How long does basil last in the freezer?

about 4 to 6 months
Properly stored, fresh basil will maintain best quality for about 4 to 6 months in the freezer, but will remain safe beyond that time. The freezer time shown is for best quality only – basil that has been kept constantly frozen at 0°F will keep safe indefinitely.

Can you freeze basil leaves whole?

To freeze your basil, pull leaves from stems. You can also freeze leaves whole and keep them for up to a year. First, blanch leaves for two seconds in boiling water, then drain and rinse immediately with cold water. Pat leaves dry and store in a large, freezer-safe container, separating each layer with plastic wrap.

Does frozen basil turn black?

Basil tends to turn black when it’s frozen. If maintaining that bright green color is important to you, use option 3. Oil should only be added to basil if it will be frozen. Storing basil in oil, either in the refrigerator or at room temperature, is a botulism risk.

How is flash freezing done?

Flash freezing techniques are used to freeze biological samples quickly so that large ice crystals cannot form and damage the sample. This rapid freezing is done by submerging the sample in liquid nitrogen or a mixture of dry ice and ethanol.

How do you preserve fresh basil?

Steps Store in water away from direct sunlight. Prepare the basil for freezing. Freeze the basil by starting a pesto sauce. Freeze the basil as is. Freeze the basil using a milk carton. Hopefully you will try one (or all) of these easy ways to freeze basil.

What is the best way to freeze fresh basil leaves?

Freeze basil whole leaves in these 3 easy steps: Blanch: Remove the basil leaves from the stem and blanch them in boiling water for 2 seconds. Ice bath: Transfer the leaves to an ice bath. Dry & freeze: Dry completely and store in a freezer-safe container, separating the layers with wax or parchment paper.

How do you use fresh basil?

Whip up simple finger foods using fresh basil leaves. Whip up a batch of a summer veggie soup–add ribbons of chopped basil for more seasonal flair. Basil pairs nicely with a wide variety of seasonal veggies.

How can you keep basil fresh?

To keep basil fresh, trim the stems and place them in a glass or jar of water, just like cut flowers. Loosely cover it with a plastic bag and leave it on the counter. Although certain herbs, such as parsley and cilantro, can be stored this way in the fridge, basil does better at room temperature.