Spices and aromatic plants are allies in the kitchen. They are ideal for flavoring and enhancing the taste of dishes. To flavor your sauces or broths, you can add a bouquet garni. This is made from thyme, bay sauce and parsley, bound together. To enjoy the flavor of the plants, they must be fresh! In this article we show you how to keep parsley fresh for up to two months!
Keeping aromatic plants fresh is possible! All you have to do is adopt the right advice. Don’t know how to store your parsley? Don’t worry, in this article you will find all the techniques you need to keep your parsley fresh for as long as possible.
How to keep parsley stems fresh?
To keep parsley fresh for a long time, it is important to choose it carefully. It should be bright green in color and have a fresh scent. Avoid dry, brown or shriveled parsley, which has lost its freshness before even being stored. You can therefore preserve this aromatic plant in different ways.
Store parsley in an airtight container
You can do this in two different ways.
Store parsley in a jar
Just chop it finely and store it in an airtight glass jar. In this way the parsley remains fresher than if it were kept in branches.
Store parsley in the refrigerator
- First wash the parsley to remove dust, dirt and insects that have found their way into the herb. Gently shake the parsley to remove excess water;
- Finely chop the parsley and discard the stems;
- Place the parsley on a plate, then store it in the refrigerator. Keep the plate away from foods that might drip onto the parsley;
- Every day, add the parsley. Turning it on all sides will ensure that it dries evenly;
- Use an airtight container to store dried parsley and store it in a cool, dry place.
Store the parsley in a jar with water
Fresh parsley can be kept as a flower bouquet.
Our instructions:
- Do you want your parsley to stay fresh in your jar of water? All you need to do is cut the bottom of the stems 12mm to allow them to absorb more water and then remove the golden leaves.
- Make sure the leaves are dry. To avoid wetting the leaves, rinse your herbs only when they are ready to use them;
- Place the parsley sprigs in a glass jar or container ¾ full of water;
- Store aromatic herbs in the refrigerator. To do this, wrap a plastic bag around the jar, loosely. Secure it with an elastic. The bag will allow the leaves to retain their moisture and will prevent them from browning.
- Change the water in the jar every other day to keep the herbs fresh;
- Before using the parsley, rinse it under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel or salad spinner.
This trick can keep your weed fresh for up to two weeks. Note that this same method can be used to preserve basil. But instead of refrigerating the latter, it is recommended to keep it at room temperature… You just have to enjoy the freshness of your favorite herbs!
Store the parsley in a paper towel
We have a smart idea for you to maintain your aromatic plant in a different way! Use a moistened paper towel (a paper towel, preferably unprinted) and wrap it around the parsley. Place everything in an airtight bag that goes in the fridge, to keep the leaves intact and prevent them from wilting. Remember to re-moisten the paper towels once they have dried.
How to store chopped parsley in the freezer?
To preserve parsley for several weeks, the best solution is to store it in the freezer.
Should parsley be washed before freezing?
Before freezing diced parsley, it is important to wash and dry it well. This way you will avoid freezing your grass with dirt, or worse, insects!
Store the parsley in oil
How would you tell me? Well, we have two options…
option 1
- Wash the parsley to remove dirt;
- Let dry. You can dab the herbs with paper towels or use a salad spinner;
- Finely chop the parsley. You can do this manually, using a knife and cutting board;
- Fill the cubes in the ice tray with chopped parsley;
- Pour a drizzle of olive oil or vegetable oil of your choice but with a neutral flavor into each cube, then place in the freezer.
These cubes will be used to flavor your soups and stews.
Want to know another way to freeze parsley with oil?
- We place the finely chopped parsley in a freezer bag;
- Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil;
- The bag is closed by expelling the air from the container. And that’s all, it’s simple and practical, don’t you think?
option 2
- Wash the parsley and dry it well;
- Chop it finely using a food processor;
- Add 2 tablespoons of a vegetable oil such as olive oil to your appliance. This has two advantages:
- Maintains the flavor of herbs even when frozen.
- Frozen oil melts faster than water.
- Fill the ice tray with this mixture;
- As soon as the cubes are frozen, remove them from the ice tray and store them in a freezer bag. And it’s done!
Store the parsley in water
Don’t want to use oil? No problem, you can keep parsley in water. Here is the user guide:
- Wash the parsley and pat dry with a paper towel or salad spinner;
- Separate the parsley leaves from the stems;
- Divide parsley among cubes in ice tray;
- Then fill the cubes with water. Don’t add a lot of water. Use just enough to cover the parsley leaves and freeze.
Curious to know how to use cubes? Add them directly to your preparations, or defrost them and drain them to use only the leaves. What do you think of these brilliant ideas?
Blanch the parsley to make it easier to preserve
If you want to know this method for preserving parsley, follow these steps:
- Shake the parsley in boiling water after first rinsing it;
- When its color begins to lighten, remove the parsley from the water;
- Pass the parsley under water, remove the stems and finely chop the parsley;
- Fill the cubes in the ice tray with chopped parsley and add a little water;
- Leave to freeze for 24 hours;
- Store ice cubes in a freezer bag.
Do you flavor your dishes with parsley? Nothing could be easier with these tips. We use the right preservation methods, we freeze and keep the parsley fresh for as long as possible…