It’s happened to us all: You buy a bunch of parsley or cilantro, use about a quarter of it, and three months later find yourself excavating a bag of green slime from the bottom of the crisper. At our supermarket herbs average anywhere from 49 cents to $1.99, which, for a one-time use, adds up fast. Of course, it doesn’t have to be this way.
A fresh bunch of herbs is no different than a bunch of cut flowers—the cell structures for pulling in water are still intact; so long as the herbs can still drink water, they can still live. When I buy a bunch of herbs at the store, I immediately wash them, cut between 1/8 and 1/4 inch off the bottom stems with kitchen shears, and plop them in a jar or cup full of water. I then put them in a fridge with the produce bag over them so they don’t dry out. (Below are cilantro, parsley, and epazote I bought on March 3—still going strong.)
Then, three weeks, four weeks, or—depending on how fresh the herbs were when I bought them—even a month or more later I find the bunch is still there, crisp and green and ready to use. Parsley seems to last the longest this way, followed by cilantro and basil (all other herbs I find I can grow year round). Try it out next time you buy some at the store.
The $35 a Week Project 
What a great tip~ So many people will likely be amazed how easy it is. I’ve posted in on my Facebook Page for my fans! Cheers
Thanks!
Yes, this is a great way to keep cut herbs. Here on the Gulf Coast of Texas, I grow many of the herbs I use for cooking year round but even mild winters like the one we just had does away with basil. Dill and cilantro are growing great right now, but ready to bolt as soon as the days get hotter. If you have bought more than you will use before the cut herb goes bad, or if you have a bountiful harvest and just need to save some for later, I have good success with freezing small amounts in olive oil in ice cube trays. After freezing, plop them into a ziploc bag and pull out just what you need. Better than dried, although I love the look of bunches of dried herbs hanging around.
I tried the ice-cube freezing thing a while back but ended up with a wilted, flavorless, sludgy-looking leaves. I didn’t try the olive oil, though; I wonder if that’s the key.
Great tip! I run into this problem with parsley more than anything, and am trying to grow some on my own, but this is a great idea to preserve some. Thanks!
I don’t think I’ve ever had parsley go bad when stored this way.
Great tips! I’m totally going to save my herbs this way from now on!
I have to try this! I wash herbs and wrap them in paper towel, and that helps, but it doesn’t hold them anything near three weeks.
I did exactly that in the past—I agree it worked for a couple weeks, but even then they weren’t in the greatest of shape.
I use a similar method for parsley, but wonder about the basil. Doesn’t it turn black in the refrigerator?
Thanks for stopping by my blog btw 🙂
I have to admit I don’t buy it very often. I only cook with it when I can grow it in season; the few times I have bought it I’ve kept it in the fridge, and it does turn black eventually. Does it last longer outside the fridge?
The best temperature for keeping basil is between 50 and 60 degrees or so. So I keep it in a wine fridge at 55 (in a bag with some water just like you).
Good to know!
Great tip! Like you, I grow much of my own, but cilantro bolts so quickly.
Glad to know I’m not the only one who has cilantro problems. I’ve since tried growing it indoors in the Aerogarden, and it lasts longer but ends up spindly and anemic-looking. I can’t win!
You can also make celery bunches last longer this way. Just cut the bottom a bit and insert in a tall tmbler or putcher and store in the fridge door. Nice and crispy for up to 4 weeks.
Indeed, if you’re lucky enough to have space in your fridge! (My celery bunches are always too tall.) You can grow entirely new celery this way, too: http://35aweek.com/2012/02/26/free-celery/
Reblogged this on dirt n kids and commented:
It’s no secret we eat a lot of veggies. If you’re not picking your own home-grown variety, here’s a great way to keep store-bought bunches of herbs (organic ones can be expensive!) fresh until you’re ready to use them. The only thing I do differently is to use a tall rectangular container which is more modular for my packed 21.9 cu-ft fridge space (I’ve all but ditched round containers).
But she’s right — herbs and stalk plants like celery keep much better and longer this way.
Great tip; I;ll try it. I do this with celery, why not herbs?
Jess
I’m SO happy to have read this post. Great tip!
Great tip – thanks for sharing.
Pingback: The Return of Pesto | jewelsincolorado
Brilliant! I’m constantly buying herbs, scrambling to use them, and then throwing half the bunch out. Thanks so much!
Fantastic tip! I just had to throw away a big bunch of slimy cilantro after using maybe a dozen stems a week ago. Thank you!