Parsley: How To Freeze

Have fresh parsley throughout winter

Parsley is one of the easiest herbs to grow in a home garden. If you’re growing it, chances are you have more than you need. Parsley freezes exceptionally well. It’s easy to reuse straight from the freezer and its taste and texture remain remarkably in tact. The secret to making this process simple is the use of a salad spinner.

To freeze parsley from the garden.

1. Harvest the parsley.
2. Fill your sink with cold, clean water and submerge the stalks and leaves.
3. Swish around lightly–you’re trying to dislodge any soil or insects from the plant.
4. Once it has been thoroughly rinsed, remove it from the water and carefully separate the leaves from the stalks.
5. Save the leaves in a large bowl.
6. Toss the stalks into your compost pile or freeze and add to your next batch of vegetable stock.
7. Drain and rinse out the sink. Refill with cold water.
8. Dump bowl of parsley leaves into sink filled with fresh water. Rinse again.
9. Place the fresh, clean parsley in a salad spinner and spin until dried as thoroughly as possible.
10. Once dry, slowly lay the parsley leaves in a 1 quarter freezer bag. Do not stuff it in. Place it carefully so the leaves lie somewhat flat.
11. Lay the bags flat in your freezer.

To use:

1. Remove bag of frozen parsley from freezer.
2. Reach in the bag and grab as much parsley as is needed. Because you so thoroughly dried the parsley, the leaves will not be stuck together and you can take only what you need at the time.