The Ultimate Way to Store Fresh Herbs

ByGaby Buller

*Updated July 11, 2024

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Fresh herbs are one of the simplest ways to bring flavor and beauty into everyday cooking. But if you’ve ever bought a bundle at the market only to watch it wilt in a few days, you know the frustration.

Fresh herbs are one of the simplest ways to bring flavor and beauty into everyday cooking. But if you’ve ever bought a bundle at the market only to watch it wilt in a few days, you know the frustration.

Luckily, there’s a tried-and-true French farmhouse method for keeping herbs fresh — one that has been passed down in my own family for generations. It’s simple, it works, and it fits right into a slower, more intentional way of living.

clear glass jar with herbs

What You’ll Need

  • A mason jar or other glass jar with a tight-fitting lid (I love using Le Parfait jars — they feel timeless and French).
  • Fresh herb clippings (any kind except basil — for that, see my post on The Best Way to Store Fresh Basil).
  • Refrigerator

How to Store Fresh Herbs

  1. Clip or gather the herbs you want to save (store-bought or garden).
  2. Place them unwashed in a clean, dry glass jar. (Tip: place the whole bunch in at once so they don’t get crushed.)
  3. Screw the lid on tight.
  4. Tuck the jar into the refrigerator.

That’s it! Truly.

Why This Method Works

The secret is keeping moisture away from the herbs. Washing before storage makes them spoil quickly. Instead, keep them dry in the airtight jar and give them a rinse only right before you cook with them.

Stored this way, herbs can last up to a month — sometimes even longer.

A French-Inspired Gift Idea

If you grow your own herbs, this trick doubles as a charming hostess or housewarming gift. Place clippings in a Le Parfait jar, tie on a linen ribbon or a square of French fabric, and you have a thoughtful present in minutes.

mason jar with lid and fresh herbs inside

Bringing It Back to the Kitchen

This little storage secret has been passed down from my grandmother to my mother, and now to me. It’s proof that the old ways — simple, mindful, seasonal — often work best.

If you love cooking with herbs, you might also enjoy:

À bientôt,

Gaby

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53 Comments

    1. Hello Vanessa!
      I am glad that you find it helpful. I haven’t tried to freeze it in the jar. But, just based on prior experience with herbs, I don’t think it would freeze well. I hope that helps!

  3. I just did this and was thinking it would be a safe place for all the basil I picked from my Aero Garden. I am going to put some of it in an ice cube tray with olive oil to freeze. I’m so glad I did not was it first. I’m more relieved to know I don’t have to hurry. I learned a lot from your site.

    1. Hello Holly! I haven’t tried plastic jars. But, I think they would work the same way. The whole idea is that you are keeping moisture away from the herbs. The moisture is what makes them spoil more quickly. Let me know if you try it, and how it works for you!

    1. Hi Clara! I have never tried a paper towel in the jar. This trick has always worked for me as is. But, if you try it, please let me know if it works for you!

  6. Thank you for this info. I have also had luck this season by putting basil clippings in a closed zip top bag in the fridge. This has kept it fresh for at least a couple of weeks.

  7. Can you put more than one kind of herb in the jar together? It looks like you had a couple different ones in the jar.

    1. Hi Kim,
      Yes, I put several different kinds together in a jar. I can see keeping them separated for organizational purposes. You could even put little labels on them. 🙂 But, for the purposes of keeping them fresh, I haven’t found that mixing them up is a problem at all.

  8. So glad I found this, had lots of fresh basil and this is a great way to keep fresh. Thanks for sharing. Cindy in Mass.

  10. This is similar to rinsing berries with vinegar, completely air drying, and storing in glass container. They last up to a month and do not mold.
    I will definitely be refrigerating a jar of fresh picked dry sweet basil, Thai basil, and cilantro!
    May give it a try with my spinach before winter.

    1. Hi Kathy, I do not put any water in the jar with the herbs. In fact, it works best if they are completely dry when placing them in the jar. I hope that you try it!

  14. My issue is I’m usually doing this for cilantro from the grocery store which is sopping wet from the dreaded misters…what would you suggest??? Let them dry on the counter then proceed with the dry jar method? I imagine they may wilt while drying? Any thoughts?

    1. Hi Melody! I would use a salad spinner to get some excess water off of the cilantro first. Then, I would gently pat the leaves dry with paper towels before placing them in the jar. I hope this helps!

  15. Thanks for the information I’m willing to try it because my herbs has been growing pretty fast and so I had to pick a lot of them and put them in a plastic baggie and then refrigerated them to find in a couple of weeks some of them were going bad so then I were trying to use them up so this I will try and let you know how it goes.

  16. Hi. This is such a great idea. For which herbs does it work? Cilantro and rosemary as well? Thanks.

    1. Hello Hayat!
      I’ve used it for cilantro, parsley, rosemary, basil and mint. Let me know if you try any others and how it works out for you!

  18. I wish I saw this before I tried another method for preserving basil that I used. Just threw it out yesterday because it was turning brown. The season is over here in CT but I’m using this method next season for sure. Do you know if this works with green onions? They go downhill so quickly in the fridge. I’m going to buy some organic herbs and give this a try. Thanks!

    1. Hi Sandra! I have not tried it with green onions. I would love to know how it works for you! I may try it myself as well so that I can answer that question in the future!

  21. I was wondering if there is another way to dry them out if you don’t have a dehydrator. I have heard that you can place on paper towel and store in dark warm area? And that will take several weeks? Are there any other methods?

    1. Hello Christina!
      The method that I have always used is hanging the herbs to dry. Gather a bunch of herbs, and tie a string around the stems. Then, hang them upside down in a cool, dry, dark place (like a pantry) until they are dried. For drier herbs (like rosemary) it should only take a week or two. Herbs with a higher water content (like basil, cilantro, mint) will take longer to dry, like 2-3 weeks. I hope this helps!

  22. Hi…if you joining several herbs together, will they take on the other scents and flavors as well?

  23. Hi! Can you open the jar tonremive a stem with leaves now and then? I’m going to give it a try with my basil!

    1. Hi Donna,
      I have found that basil doesn’t last as long as other herbs with this technique. It will last a few days, but eventually turn dark. If I have lots of basil to trim, I remove the bottom leaves from the stem, and place the trimmings in a glass of water, like you would do with cut flowers, and place it on a window sill. I find that it stays fresh this way, and it doesn’t turn dark. If left long enough in the water, it will eventually grow roots, and you can even plant them again! After trying this a few times with basil, this my best advice for keeping it fresh after cutting. The jar method in this post works great for hardier herbs. I hope that helps!

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