How To Freeze Basil And Store It All Year Round

Basil is a fresh and aromatic herb that we use in cooking to give the dishes a special flavor. Since it is a plant that thrives in the warmest months, its appearance will change as the temperature drops. It usually dries out, withers, and it becomes difficult to get fresh leaves. If we choose to freeze basil, we can enjoy it all year round.

Whether you have a plant in your garden or on your balcony, or you have bought it fresh from the supermarket, it is possible to keep it fresh and intact for a long time.

In this article we will share how it will be possible to enjoy the taste that basil gives to dishes, all year round.

Alternative ways to freeze and preserve basil

There are various options when it comes to freezing basil and storing it in a perfect condition for a long time. What we need to keep in mind is that in each case, we are only working with the leaves and throwing the stems away.

Another important detail is that basil contains a lot of water. It is for this reason that if we cut the leaves off and do not use them right away, they turn black and lose their flavor. We therefore recommend that you do not dry the basil because it is a very delicate herb and it will lose its aroma.

At frost, it can last for up to 10 months,  so here are some ways you can freeze basil and make sure it retains all of its character traits.

Freeze the leaves whole

To freeze the leaves whole, follow this procedure:

• Remove the leaves from the stems.
• Rinse them very gently. To do this, we recommend that you put them in a glass of cold water, as they are very delicate and a strong jet can ruin the leaves.
• Wipe them with paper towels.
• Put them in an airtight container and freeze them.

This way, we can store basil for at least 10 months, according to a study published in the Cuban Journal of Pharmacy. It is likely that some of the leaves will break or shrink and will not be as fresh when we dry them up.

However, it will not be a problem if we chop them to get them in the food.

You can freeze basil in ice cube trays

It is a more convenient way to freeze basil. You only need an ice cube tray like the one used to make regular ice cubes. Once you have rinsed the leaves thoroughly, put five or six in each compartment and add oil.

That way you will have basil ready at any time!

With olive oil and salt

Preserving basil in olive oil is one of the most commonly used methods. After rinsing and drying the leaves as indicated above, you can follow these steps:

• Put the leaves in a blender and add olive oil. It takes about two spoonfuls for each handful of leaves.
• Blend it until you get an even mixture.
• Distribute it in the compartments of the ice cube tray and then freeze it.

To preserve it with salt, the procedure is very simple and you just need basil leaves, salt, olive oil and a glass container. Add the leaves with salt in between until the container is completely full.

Later, cover it all with olive oil and put a lid on the glass. You can store basil this way for about two months.

Make pesto and freeze it

This option is one of the favorites because when you have pesto on frost, you save a lot of preparation time when making a good pasta dish.

You need basil leaves, olive oil and salt to make pesto. Blend the leaves and add oil and salt. To freeze it, you can put the pesto in ice cube trays.

If you prefer a pesto that is a little more elegant, we suggest trying this recipe:

• 2.4 dl basil leaves.
• 0.6 dl olive oil.
• 0.6 dl nuts.
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
• 1.2 dl parmesan or a similar cheese.
• 1 clove garlic and salt to taste.

Blend all the ingredients, and put them in a container that can withstand frost, add a little olive oil, and freeze it. It will last a year.

Advice on freezing basil or preserving it

If you do not want to freeze basil, but you would like it to last a little longer than it does naturally,  then store it in a place where it is protected from natural light. In a vase in a dark place you can store it for up to two weeks in good conditions.

Another alternative is to freeze it but keep the leaves intact. To do this, take clean and dry leaves and put them in a container in the freezer.

Once frozen, you can store them in an airtight container. That way, the leaves will be stored under better conditions than if you freeze them by following the instructions at the beginning of the article.

As a last  resort, there is always the option of drying fresh herbs such as basil. To do this, place them outside after rinsing and drying the leaves, but do not leave it in the sun to prevent insects from eating them or losing their flavor.

One will know that they are dry when crisp and can be easily crushed. Many people advise against doing it with basil because it is a delicate herb, so we will leave it up to you to decide.

Final recommendations for freezing basil

In this article, you have seen that it is possible to preserve basil for a long time and preserve most of its organoleptic characteristics. We just want to add that when it comes to using it, one should grind it when adding it to his food. If you pick the leaves in advance, they will turn black and wither.

We use fresh basil to enhance the taste of beverages, tea, vinegar and oil. All of these foods should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within four days of being cooked. It is necessary to prevent the formation of bacteria.