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How to Preserve Basil

August 8, 2016 by Susan 12 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.  See my disclosure for more information.

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Freezing basil to add to recipes year round is so easy! All you need is basil, olive oil and ice cube trays. It’s my favorite way to preserve summer.

Freezing basil to add to recipes year round is so easy! It's my favorite way to preserve summer.

There’s nothing like walking out onto your deck and picking fresh basil to add to a recipe.  But sadly, for much of the year in Minnesota, that is not an option.

I am a terrible gardener, but I’ve always been successful with basil.  It grows gangbusters for me, for some reason.

Several years ago, I looked into various ways to preserve my harvest.  To maintain freshness, I decided against drying.  I found a number of different methods of freezing herbs.  Some involved water as a base, some oil.  I tried both methods and have settled into what I like best.  Olive oil.

This is such an easy process, y’all.

Freezing Basil

Freezing basil to add to recipes year round is so easy! It's my favorite way to preserve summer.

Here’s what you need:

  • Basil leaves
  • Olive oil
  • Ice cube trays


The first time I made these, I chopped the basil, put it in the trays and filled with olive oil.  That works fine, but I’ve discovered a much easier method that gives better results.  I use my blender/food processor.

You can wash your leaves…I’m lazy and don’t.  I give them a shake to get off any bugs that might have sneaked in when I picked them.  Of course if the leaves are dirty, from a heavy rain stirring up the soil, or whatever, wash them. (That falls into the Duh category)

Freezing basil to add to recipes year round is so easy! It's my favorite way to preserve summer.

Put the leaves into your blender/processor and pour a little oil over the top.  I don’t measure, because you’ll end up adding more anyway.  All you want is enough oil to get things moving in there.  Maybe 1/2 cup?

 

If you’ve made homemade pesto before, you’re familiar with this process.  If you wanted to, you could blend the leaves to a paste here, like that.  I don’t, though.  I’m just going for a sort of fine chop.  It’s never perfect, and that is OK with me.  I am not a perfectionist.  A few bigger pieces are yummy, I think.  But blend as finely as you prefer.

Freezing basil to add to recipes year round is so easy! It's my favorite way to preserve summer.

 

Next you just take a spoon and scoop spoonfuls into your ice cube trays.  I usually fill each one about 1/2 full.

Then you pour olive oil over the top.  It helps prevent browning.

Freezing basil to add to recipes year round is so easy! It's my favorite way to preserve summer.

After they’re frozen, pop them out and store in a labeled Ziploc bag.  I use mine all year, mostly in spaghetti sauce, lasagna, and things like that.  But you can use them in lots of ways…be creative!

Freezing basil to add to recipes year round is so easy! It's my favorite way to preserve summer.   Freezing basil to add to recipes year round is so easy! It's my favorite way to preserve summer.

In the deep of winter, while I can’t walk outside and pick fresh basil, this is a close second.  It’s a fresh taste of summer when there’s snow on the ground.

I’d love to hear how you’d use these little frozen gems.

Freezing basil to add to recipes year round is so easy! It's my favorite way to preserve summer.

 


 

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Filed Under: Freezer Recipes, Preserving, Recipes, Vegetables & Sides Tagged With: freezer, frugal, garden, vegetables

Comments

  1. heidi williams says

    August 8, 2016 at 10:51 pm

    That is so awesome I need to try it! I hate when I buy fresh herbs and waste so much of it.

    Reply
    • Susan says

      August 8, 2016 at 11:34 pm

      Me too, Heidi! And you can do as much or as little as you have. Being able to get the taste of fresh herbs in the summer is priceless!

      Reply
  2. Dara says

    August 9, 2016 at 6:27 am

    Thanks for the tips! Although I keep killing my own basil, a neighbor gave me several bags of fresh leaves. I was thinking I would just make a giant batch of pesto to freeze, but I can do some like this as well.

    Reply
    • Susan says

      August 9, 2016 at 9:29 am

      Give it a try! I find it so versatile to use all year long.

      Reply
  3. Roy Miller says

    August 9, 2016 at 8:53 am

    This is a very neat idea. I must show this to my wife. I had no idea that you could do this. Thank you for posting this.

    Reply
    • Susan says

      August 23, 2016 at 9:44 am

      Roy, I’m glad you stopped by! I am always glad I have these cubes in my freezer. Hope you and your wife enjoy using them as much as I do!

      Reply
  4. Kelly T. says

    August 27, 2016 at 8:24 am

    I planted one basil bush this year & it is huge. I was trying to think of ways to save this great flavor & you have done it!!! I thank you my dear.

    Reply
    • Susan says

      August 27, 2016 at 11:55 am

      Yay! Enjoy it!

      Reply
  5. Donna says

    June 12, 2017 at 10:34 am

    This is so helpful. I had just been trying to figure out what to do with mine as it is growing like a weed, I campuses it fast enough. I’m going to do this!

    Reply
    • Susan says

      June 12, 2017 at 10:58 am

      Fantastic! It really does taste fresh all year, I just used up my stash from last summer.

      Reply
  6. Kathy Stonestreet says

    May 28, 2019 at 2:23 pm

    I use these in soup, a very fresh spring taste soup all year round. Also add ground garlic in it and put it in a bread recipe for really great summer taste all year long.

    Reply
    • Susan says

      May 28, 2019 at 10:51 pm

      I haven’t tried adding to to bread with garlic. YUM! You are right, it adds such a freshness that you just can’t get from dried herbs.

      Reply

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