Hello, fam! 

I want you to imagine something today! Close your eyes, and think of an aroma. An aroma that is adequately minty and refreshing, mixed with a sizzle of oil and a dash of pepper. What picture comes to your mind? Tell, tell!

It’s Basil, ain’t it? Basil’s exquisite taste and lovely aroma are known to all.

Today, we’re here to make this member of the mint family survive for more than a week, which turns out to be its normal span when detached from its plant. Follow this listicle to know how to store fresh basil year long!

How To Store Basil

This subtly sweet and minty herb dries out very fast. That is, some special efforts are needed to store and keep them fresh, keeping their flavor intact at the same time. This brings us back to the original question of how to store fresh basil so they stay fresh and flavorful for long. So, let us begin this listicle without further hassles!

One more thing before we start. Some of the below-mentioned methods keep basil fresh for long (some weeks) and others are methods to store basil for all-time use (year-round).

Let’s Wrap It Up

When the question is how to keep basil fresh, this is one of the best ways that come to my mind. All you gotta do is pluck the leaves out of the stem and place them on a paper towel. Dry these leaves thoroughly by patting them with a napkin. When completely dried, roll’em up in the towel. Now place this in a plastic bag and place it in the refrigerator. Fresh basil at your disposal, always!

Why Not Puree-fy It?

When the question is to keep the flavors intact, then how to store fresh basil? This method that I’m going to narrate is one that’ll give you fresh flavor all year round!

First of all, boil some water. Throw in some salt. Once the water is Hot-As-Hell, throw in basil leaves and blanch for about 20 seconds. Keep ice water at your disposal and after 20 seconds of blanching, pour the leaves into ice water. The ice treatment keeps the green color intact. Now, whirl these leaves in a blender with some olive oil and pour them into an ice tray. Once frozen, store these basil cubes in a storage pouch in your freezer. 

The Lazy Freeze

Don’t wanna put in much effort, but need your basil all year long? Take a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Spread washed and dried basil leaves on the tray and freeze them. Now, this method takes away the lush green tint of basil but keeps its flavor intact.

A Basil Bouquet (Best Way To Store Basil)

Keep basil fresh and lively for more than its regular time with this bouquet method of storing fresh basil. Take a mason jar, or any jar of your choice, and fill it about halfway with water. Now, take your basil and cut its base out. Pluck all the leaves that seem to go underwater when placed in the jar. Now place this water-immersed basil bunch in the refrigerator or natural light. If keeping in the fridge, don’t forget to cover the leaves with a plastic bag. This keeps its moisture intact.

Whenever the question is “How to store fresh Basil?”, this method comes out as the best way to store Basil. 

Bake It Up!

Another way to use basil all year long is to dry it up with heat treatment. In a parchment-lined baking tray, spread out your washed and dried basil and bake at 200F until the leaves turn into crispy chips. Once they cool down. Crumble them and store them in an airtight container. Use it in your recipes or as a seasoning.

Blanch-n-Freeze 

For the ones not a fan of pesto, here’s another alternative for you. Blanch your basil and give it an ice bath. Now dry these completely and store them in a plastic bag or a container, by separating them layer by layer using parchment paper. This way you get whole basil instead of pesto.

Sun Treatment

When it comes to keeping the flavors intact, drying is the best alternative. You needn’t have an oven to dry herbs. Instead, dry ‘em using sunlight. Place your fresh basil in a bowl or platter and keep it in the sun. Once completely dried, crumble them, and store them in an air-tight container.

Olive-Basil Bombs

One of the best answers to “How to store fresh basil” is to freeze it. Now just freezing the leaves might not be your first choice, as it gets all dried and crumbly, so here’s an alternative.

Chop up your basil and put it into an ice tray. Now cover them to the top with Olive Oil. Freeze them. Once solid, place them into a plastic bag and store them in the freezer. Fresh and green basil all year long!

Salt Treatment

This listicle on “How to store fresh basil” gets even more wholesome when we get a method that not only lets you store but also keeps basil new and fresh for more than 10 days (probably 6 months).

Take a wide container and pour in a layer of salt in it. Now place a layer of basil onto it and pat it gently inside the salt. Now repeat this process until you reach the top of the container. Place the container in a cool and dry place to make the most out of your basil.

Blow-Dry

If you’re at a place that doesn’t have adequate sunlight, no worries! The wind has the same effect as sunlight, it might take a little more time though. Hang your basil with a string at a place that receives a lot of natural air and wait until it’s all dry and ready to be crumbled.

These were some of the best ways to store your favorite medicinal and savory herb. I assume your taste buds will be satisfied all year long through these minty-peppery flavor bombs.

See you soon fam!