How to Freeze Basil
Pinch or snip off the stems from each basil leaf and discard them., Rinse the basil under cold, running water., Place 1- 2 handfuls of basil in your food processor., Use the “pulse” setting to chop the basil., Drizzle olive oil over the basil while...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Pinch or snip off the stems from each basil leaf and discard them.
You won't need the stems when you freeze the basil.
If you harvest basil from your garden during the middle of the growing season, snip or pinch off the top 5 or 6” (12.7 to
15.2 cm) so that you leave some stems and leaves to keep on maturing. -
Step 2: Rinse the basil under cold
You can also put the basil in a bowl of cold water and let it soak.
Drain the water from the basil.
Put the basil in a colander and let it drain thoroughly.
Gently pat the basil dry with paper towels.
Basil is fragile, so pat the leaves gently or let them rest nestled between paper towels until they are dry. , Fill up the food processor bowl, but don’t pack the leaves too tightly. , This will result in coarsely chopped leaves; if you want to make a paste, use the manufacturer's suggested setting on your food processor.
This should only take a few seconds.
The more finely you want to chop the basil, the longer you should process it. , Olive oil prevents the basil from turning dark or even black when it is frozen and gives it a richer flavor.
You should use about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil for each batch of basil.
Using olive oil is optional.
If you'd like to skip it but still freeze the basil in ice cube trays, you can add enough water to form a slush in the processor instead., If you use ice trays, you can transfer the basil cubes to larger containers after freezing them for 12 hours. , You can leave them in the freezer for months and take them out and use them for recipes whenever you like, especially in the winter months.
They'll separate from each other easily so you won't have to pull them apart.
If you're putting them into a heated dish, then just throw in the frozen leaves and wait for them to thaw
-- you won't have to thaw them on your own.
If you have too much frozen basil, give it away to your friends
-- they'll love you for it. -
Step 3: running water.
-
Step 4: Place 1- 2 handfuls of basil in your food processor.
-
Step 5: Use the “pulse” setting to chop the basil.
-
Step 6: Drizzle olive oil over the basil while you are chopping it.
-
Step 7: Spoon the chopped basil into freezer containers or ice cube trays.
-
Step 8: Use your frozen basil.
Detailed Guide
You won't need the stems when you freeze the basil.
If you harvest basil from your garden during the middle of the growing season, snip or pinch off the top 5 or 6” (12.7 to
15.2 cm) so that you leave some stems and leaves to keep on maturing.
You can also put the basil in a bowl of cold water and let it soak.
Drain the water from the basil.
Put the basil in a colander and let it drain thoroughly.
Gently pat the basil dry with paper towels.
Basil is fragile, so pat the leaves gently or let them rest nestled between paper towels until they are dry. , Fill up the food processor bowl, but don’t pack the leaves too tightly. , This will result in coarsely chopped leaves; if you want to make a paste, use the manufacturer's suggested setting on your food processor.
This should only take a few seconds.
The more finely you want to chop the basil, the longer you should process it. , Olive oil prevents the basil from turning dark or even black when it is frozen and gives it a richer flavor.
You should use about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil for each batch of basil.
Using olive oil is optional.
If you'd like to skip it but still freeze the basil in ice cube trays, you can add enough water to form a slush in the processor instead., If you use ice trays, you can transfer the basil cubes to larger containers after freezing them for 12 hours. , You can leave them in the freezer for months and take them out and use them for recipes whenever you like, especially in the winter months.
They'll separate from each other easily so you won't have to pull them apart.
If you're putting them into a heated dish, then just throw in the frozen leaves and wait for them to thaw
-- you won't have to thaw them on your own.
If you have too much frozen basil, give it away to your friends
-- they'll love you for it.
About the Author
Janice Mitchell
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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