How To Freeze Basil And Store It All Year Round?

Find out how to freeze basil and keep it fresh all year round. With these tips, the aroma and flavor of this aromatic plant will be present in your kitchen every season of the year.

Basil is a fresh and aromatic plant that is used in cooking to give a very special and characteristic flavor to meals. Since this is a plant that retains all of its splendor in the warmer months, its appearance changes when temperatures drop.

It dries up, fades and it is very difficult to find fresh leaves. However, when we freeze it, we can enjoy it all year round. Whether we have a plant in our garden or on our patio, or buy it fresh from the supermarket, it is possible to keep it for a long time. Thanks to the advice that we are going to offer you, you will be able to enjoy all the flavor it brings to your meals.

Alternatives to freeze basil and store it for a long time

There are different options to be able to freeze basil and keep it in perfect condition for a long time. We must take into account that in any case we will only work with the leaves and discard the stems.

Another important detail is that basil consists of a lot of water. This is why if we cut the leaves and do not use them immediately, they turn black and lose their flavor. In addition, it is not recommended to dry it because this herb is very delicate and it will lose its aroma.

Basil can last up to 10 months if stored in the freezer. Here are some ways to freeze it in order to retain all of its characteristics.

Freeze whole leaves

To freeze the whole leaves, we will proceed as follows:

• Separate the leaves from the stem.
• Wash them carefully. For this, we must immerse them in a container of cold water because they are very delicate and the water jet could damage the structure of the leaves.
• Dry them with a paper towel.
• Place them in an airtight bag for the freezer.

This way we can keep the basil for at least 10 months. It is likely that some of the leaves will break or bend back because they will not look the same as the fresh ones when we thaw them. This will not be a problem, however, if we grind them to add them to dishes.

Freeze it in ice cubes

This is a very convenient way to freeze basil. We will only need an ice cube tray, like the one we usually use, to make oil ice cubes. After we have washed the leaves well, we need to put 5 or 6 in each square and add oil. Thanks to this, the ice cubes will be naturally scented.

With olive oil and salt

Preserving basil with olive oil is one of the most useful ways for us. Once we have washed and dried the leaves, we will need to do the following:

• Place the leaves in a blender and add olive oil  (about two tablespoons for a good handful of leaves).
• Mix until everything forms a homogeneous paste.
• Divide the mixture into the compartments of an ice cube tray and freeze.

When it comes to salt, the process is very simple. We’re going to need basil leaves, salt, olive oil, and a small glass container. In this container we will interpose a layer of leaves with a layer of salt, until it is filled. We will then cover everything with olive oil and close it. We can keep this preparation for about two months.

Prepare pesto and freeze it

This option is one of the best because by having frozen pesto you will save a lot of time in preparing good pasta. We will need basil leaves, olive oil and salt to make a basic pesto. We need to grind the leaves and add the oil and salt. To freeze them, we can place the dough in an ice cube tray.

If you prefer a slightly more elegant pesto, we offer you this recipe:

• 1 cup of basil leaves.
• 60 ml of olive oil.
• 1/4 cup of walnuts.
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
• 1/2 teaspoon of Parmesan or similar cheese.
• 1 clove of garlic and salt.

Combine all the ingredients, place in freezer-safe containers, pour in a little olive oil and freeze. This pesto will keep for a year.

Tips for keeping basil fresh

If you don’t want to freeze basil but would like it to last you a little longer in its natural state,  you need to put it in a place out of natural light. In a vase and in the dark, it can be stored in good conditions for two weeks.

Another alternative would be to freeze it but keep the leaves healthy. For this you need to place the already clean and dry leaves on a freezer tray. Once they have solidified, you can store them in airtight containers. This way the leaves will keep better than if you freeze them as we told you at the beginning of the article.

You will always have the option of drying fresh herbs in small pieces, such as basil. For this, after washing and drying the leaves, you should place them in the open air, but not in the sun, to avoid the proliferation of insects and loss of flavor.

You’ll know the leaves are dry when they are crunchy and crumble easily. Many advise against doing this with basil as it is a very sensitive herb, so we’ll let you decide.

Freezing basil: final recommendations

We have seen that it is possible to preserve basil for a long time while keeping the majority of its organoleptic characteristics. It only remains for us to add that when using it you will have to grind it when adding it to the food. Otherwise, it will turn black and fade.

Fresh basil is used to enhance the flavor of drinks, herbal teas, vinegars and oils. All these preparations must be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within four days to avoid the proliferation of certain bacteria.