The Best Way To Store Basil For Long-Lasting Freshness

If you've just arrived home with a bundle of intoxicatingly fresh basil, you're probably looking to avoid common mistakes everyone makes when storing herbs. While you may be tempted to toss your basil in the fridge, you should think twice; this is one of the last places you should store fresh basil. This is because other common herbs — like cilantro and parsley — do best in a cooler environment, while basil is a warm-weather herb that thrives in warmer temperatures. Because of this, keeping your basil at room temperature will get more days out of your herb.

If you've picked up basil that has its stems, you'll want to treat it just as you would a bouquet of fresh flowers. This means filling a mason jar or other container with about 1 inch of water and placing your basil inside. Let this beautiful basil bouquet sit on the counter out of direct sunlight for the best results. And while some sources may recommend covering the basil with a plastic bag, it's unnecessary. Keep in mind that if you bought a pot of basil in dirt from the store, it's slightly different. In fact, homegrown basil does best in heat and sunlight, so this kind can be left near a sunny window.

If you bought a package of basil leaves, you can remove them from its sealed package and keep them in a loose plastic bag on the counter. Keeping it in its airtight container may cause the leaves to wilt faster due to water release.

While storing fresh basil properly will stretch its lifespan, there will still ultimately be a time when your basil begins to wilt. Instead of tossing it in the trash, there are different things that you can do to make sure you get your money's worth. One of the most popular — and yummiest — tactics is to blanch your herbs, which keeps your homemade pesto from turning brown. You can then use this pesto as a spread on sandwiches, to drizzle over a homemade flatbread pizza, or to mix it into pasta for a tasty pesto dish.

Another option is to chop up the wilted basil and freeze it in ice cube trays. To do this, simply pack the ice cube tray with chopped basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Once frozen, you can pop individual basil cubes out and store them in a freezer bag. Use these cubes to flavor various dishes, including stirring them into a batch of Sunday sauce. Similarly, you can use the chopped basil to make a compound butter. You can use your basil-infused butter to make a more flavorful grilled cheese, to create an herby topping for steak, or to spread on a sandwich.