Can You Freeze Parsley?

If you need to keep your parsley longer than 3–5 days, freezing it is your best option. The herbs won’t be sprightly enough to work as a garnish, but they’ll definitely work when stirred into an herb sauce, a pan of scrambled eggs, or a pot of beans.

What is the best way to freeze fresh parsley?

Simply double-bag the parsley, pushing out as much air from the bags as possible, and pop it in the freezer. You can just pop entire stems into the bags; there’s no need to take the leaves off yet. When you’re ready to use the parsley, snap off the leaves when you want to use them.

How long does parsley last in the freezer?

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

Does parsley need to be blanched before freezing?

Mint, chives, tarragon, fennel, parsley, basil and dill all retain their flavor better when frozen than when dried. Except for basil and dill, these herbs should be blanched before freezing to preserve their fresh color and taste.

What can you do with an abundance of fresh parsley?

Treat it like any other leafy green and use it as a salad base — or mix it in with other lettuces to add a punch of flavor. You can also blitz it into a sauce, like chimichurri or pesto, stir it into a grain or bean salad, or throw it into a frittata.

How do you store parsley long term?

Treating the parsley much like a bunch of flowers will keep it fresh longer. Trim the stems slightly, and without washing place the bundle in a container filled with about 1 inch of water. Cover the container loosely with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.

Should parsley be refrigerated?

Parsley can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. According to Harold McGee, basil is ideally stored at room temperature and not in the refrigerator, because it is susceptible to damage from cold.

Can you use parsley when it turns yellow?

Yellow parsley is regarded as safe to eat, however I would recommend that you trim away any yellow parsley leaves and discard them, as by the time they have turned yellow, the leaves have generally lost all taste and culinary value.

Does parsley lose nutrients when frozen?

Freezing herbs is an alternative to drying, but again the flavor and nutrition is less and they do go limp when thawed out so not great as garnishes.

Can parsley be chopped and frozen?

Once the parsley leaves are as dry as possible, you can either freeze them whole, chop or mince them down to your desired size.

Should you blanch parsley?

Blanch the parsley in boiling water. Blanching is a method that scalds herbs, vegetables or fruit so that their color and flavor will last when they are preserved.