Five Ways to Save Summer Herbs

Count on these five ideas to preserve herbs you’ve grown yourself or use up fresh herbs you buy. There’s more than one way to let herbs add pizzazz to meals.

When summer turns to fall, gardens get put to bed for the season. You can have fresh herb flavor without paying grocery store prices with one or more of our ways to save what you’ve nurtured these last months. Or, if you’ve a sunny window, it’s time to get some pots of seedlings started for snips of fresh herbs all through winter!

One: Put Them on Ice

Snip or chop herbs in recipe-sized portions [1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon] into a divided ice-cube tray. Pour in water to cover. Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove; store them in your freezer in labeled food storage bags. Use within 3 months.
See the How-To video!
Use when cooking veggies, making soups, sauces or skillet dishes.

Two: Butter Them Up

Give washed herbs time to dry. Add ½ cup coarsely chopped herbs and ½ cup (1 stick) softened butter to work bowl of food processor. Process until mixed and herbs are finely chopped. Portion by tablespoonfuls into ice-cube tray or onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove; store them in your freezer in labeled food storage bags. Use within 3 months.
Use on cooked veggies and baked potatoes, let melt over cooked chicken breasts, fish fillets or beef steaks, or toss with linguine or rice.

Three: Process into Pesto

Make our recipe for Classic Pesto or one of its variations, Cilantro Pesto and Spinach Winter Pesto. Watch recipe’s How-To video! Portion, freeze and package as directed. Use within 3 months.
Search for recipes having ‘pesto’ as an ingredient; add those you’d like to try to your Recipe Box.

Four: Bottle Them in Vinegar

Follow our recipe for Rosemary-Garlic Vinegar, then think what other herb and vinegar combinations suit your taste. Here’s one idea to make-ahead for holiday gift giving!

Five: Use Abundantly in Recipes

Seek out recipes that use an herb in quantity—and perhaps more than one—so you can turn to them easily when you’ve plenty. Add those you like to your Recipe Box.
Here are recipes using fresh herbs we like to use:

Basil
Grilled Turkey Breast with Lemon and Basil
Herbed French Bread
Herbed Clam Linguine
Thai Seared Shrimp with Tomato, Basil and Coconut

Dill
Baked Corn on the Cob with Herbs
Cucumbers with Yogurt-Dill Sauce
Lamb and Potato Skillet
Veggie Burger Pitas

Mint
Fattoush Pasta Salad
Mint-Cilantro Chutney (Pudhina Thuviyal)
Tabbouleh Salad

Oregano
Classic Marinara Sauce
Double-Spaghetti Squash
Green Beans with Tomatoes and Feta
Grilled Italian Sausages with Peperonata

Parsley
Couscous with Vegetables
Fast Herbed Vermicelli
Grilled Orange-Parsley Pork Chops

Sage
Cannellini with Tomatoes and Sage
Grilled Garlic-Sage Pork Roast
Herbed Carrots and Zucchini

Rosemary
Cheese Tray with Olive Rosemary Skewers
Orange-Glazed Rosemary-Cranberry Cutouts
Pan-Roasted Potatoes

Thyme
Chicken-Thyme-Penne Salad
Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken Breasts
Tomato-Goat Cheese Bruschetta