If you’ve recently overdone it in the produce section, you may be curious about how to freeze parsley. You might be wondering if it’s even possible!
Fortunately, it is. It’s not that difficult to do, either. But why would you want to freeze parsley?
There are plenty of reasons! Maybe you accidentally bought too much.
Or perhaps the market had an excellent sale going on. Or maybe you just want to freeze it to use in smoothies later!
Whatever the reason, this article will tell you all about how to freeze parsley.
Can You Freeze Parsley?
You can easily freeze parsley. You can choose to freeze whole parsley or just the leaves. Either way, the process is super simple.
However, you should note that the texture of parsley won’t be the same after freezing it.
It’ll still taste great, but that unique parsley texture doesn’t survive the freezing process.
Keep that in mind when using the parsley later on. If you need parsley’s signature texture, opt for fresh parsley instead.
How to Prepare Parsley Before Freezing
How you prepare parsley before freezing depends on which method you’re using to freeze it.
Regardless, you’ll start the same way: by cleaning it!
It’s always best to freeze clean herbs.
That way, you don’t introduce any dirt, chemicals, or dust into your freezer. You can clean it in several different ways.
My favorite way is to fill a clean bowl with cool water and just give the parsley a dip.
You can also clean it under gently running water or in a salad spinner.
Either way, be sure it’s clean first. Then, give it ample time to dry.
You won’t want to freeze wet or even slightly damp parsley.
Even a tiny bit of remaining water can cause ice crystals to form.
If that happens, it’ll ruin your parsley. So be sure to dry it thoroughly and leave it sitting out on absorbent paper towels.
Once the parsley is completely dry, it’s time to freeze it.
How to Freeze Parsley
Like many herbs, you can freeze parsley in one of two ways. You can freeze it whole when you purchase it.
Or you can remove the leaves and freeze them as a puree.
Let’s examine each way now.
1. Freeze It Whole in Bags or Air-tight Containers
Freezing whole parsley is the quickest and easiest way to do it.
You simply take the parsley, stems, leaves, and all, and seal it in an air-tight container.
This could be a freezable Tupperware container or vacuum-sealed bags. If you don’t have either of these things, you aren’t out of luck.
Instead, you can seal it in regular bags. You’ll just need to double-bag the parsley.
Wrap it as tightly as possible in the first bag. Then, place the entire bag of parsley into another bag.
Try to remove as much air as possible from the second bag, as well.
Once that’s done, you can just put a date on it and stick it in the freezer. Easy peasy.
2. Freeze It As a Puree in Cubes
You probably already know the puree/cube method if you freeze lots of herbs. If not, that’s okay. I’m here to tell you how to do it!
Start by removing all the leaves from the parsley stems.
Then, toss them in a food processor with olive oil or water. Puree the mixture until it makes a paste.
Then, simply pour the paste into an ice tray or small, single-serve containers. (Freezer-safe ones, of course!)
If you freeze in individual containers, that’s all you’ll need to do. If you use the ice tray method, you’ll have an extra step.
Pop the “ice” cubes out of the tray and put them in Ziploc bags or a freezer-safe container. (Don’t leave them exposed in the ice trays, in other words.)
Be sure to date your bags or containers to keep track of when you froze your parsley.
How Long Does Frozen Parsley Last?
As long as you freeze it properly, parsley can last for quite some time.
My friends and I (and the internet at large) disagree on exactly how long that is, though.
I’ve used parsley that I froze nearly a year before and still had good results with it. Other people insist three or six months is the limit.
It may come down to freezing methods and your specific freezer.
However, as long as you’re using it in a recipe and not as a garnish, it should be fine for at least six months.
Just remember that frozen parsley is like most frozen herbs. The longer you leave it, the less it will retain its freshness and texture.
That’s why it’s best to use frozen herbs in recipes where they don’t take center stage. And never try to use them as a garnish.
How to Freeze Parsley
Wondering how to freeze parsley? There are 2 easy methods you can use to preserve your parsley so it’s ready for recipes when you are.
Ingredients
- Method 1
Parsley
- Method 2
Parsley
Water or Olive Oil
- Equipment
- Method 1
Paper towels
Airtight containers/Vacuum-seal bags OR
(Optional) Salad spinner
- Method 2
Paper towels
Ice trays
Zip-top bags/Airtight container
Food processor
(Optional) Salad spinner
Instructions
- Method 1
- Wash the parsley using cool water in the sink or a salad spinner.
- Thoroughly dry the parsley with absorbent paper towels.
- Place whole parsley into airtight containers or vacuum-seal bags OR
- Place whole parsley into one bag, then another bag.
- Remove as much air as possible from the bags.
- Add the date to the container/bag.
- Place them in the freezer.
- Method 2
- Wash the parsley using cool water in the sink or a salad spinner.
- Thoroughly dry the parsley with absorbent paper towels.
- Remove the leaves from the parsley.
- Put the parsley leaves into a food processor.
- Add enough water or olive oil to make a puree.
- Puree the mixture into a paste.
- Pour the paste into an ice tray.
- Freeze the tray overnight.
- Remove the cubes and place them in zip-top bags/airtight containers.
- Add the date to the bag/container.
- Place them in the freezer.
