How to Store Herbs in the Freezer

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Knowing how to store herbs in the freezer lets you keep basil, parsley, chives, dill and cilantro for cooking after the garden or the market season ends. Freezing is one of the two main ways the university sources recommend for holding herbs past their season, the other being drying. Frozen herbs usually lose their crisp texture, but the flavor can carry into soups, sauces and stews. This guide walks through the steps that Penn State, Ohio State and South Dakota State extension pages describe, including how to prepare the herbs, which container method to use, how to label the packages, and how long to keep them.

Quick answer

Rinse herbs in clear water, pat them dry or spin them in a salad spinner, strip the leaves from the stems, and chop them.
Fill an ice cube tray half full of water, place about one tablespoon of chopped herbs in each section, push them under the water, and freeze.
Keep the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit and use frozen herbs within 3 to 6 months for best quality.
Plan to use frozen herbs in cooked dishes, because the texture changes after freezing and thawing.

Why freezing works for herbs

The South Dakota State extension page states that the two best ways to extend the life and flavor of herbs are freezing and dehydrating. It names parsley, basil, mint, tarragon, chives, cilantro, oregano and dill as herbs that can be frozen. Those are the herbs most home cooks will keep in the freezer, and they cover a wide range of kitchen uses, from garnishes to long-simmered sauces.

Freezing preserves the herb in a state that is close to fresh, which is why many cooks prefer it to drying for soft-leaved herbs. Drying concentrates flavor but changes it more. Freezing keeps more of the green character, although the sources agree that the leaves will not look the same after thawing. The Ohio State fact sheet says that herbs will have textural changes after being frozen and thawed.

Because of that texture change, the Ohio State guidance says frozen herbs may be better suited for use in cooked dishes than as a garnish or in uncooked dishes. A frozen cube dropped into a pot of soup gives the flavor without the need for crisp leaves on top. A fresh sprig on a salad still belongs to the fresh herb, not the freezer.

Choose the right time and the right herbs

The South Dakota State page advises that the best time to preserve herbs is right before their flowers open. Flowering herbs can taste bitter, so harvest before buds open for the best flavor. If you are still growing herbs, the timing guidance in our how to harvest herbs article covers how to cut without weakening the plant. For a drying alternative, see how to dry herbs from your garden.

The herbs listed as freezable in the South Dakota State source include parsley, basil, mint, tarragon, chives, cilantro, oregano and dill. The sources reviewed here do not give a separate freezing method for every herb, so the steps below apply to the leafy herbs named in the sources.

Prepare the herbs before freezing

Penn State gives a short prep routine. Rinse the herbs in clear water, then pat them dry or spin them dry in a salad spinner. Penn State advises against crushing them. Cut the stems back to a point just above a leaf or pair of leaves, leaving four to six inches of stem for later growth if you are harvesting from a plant.

After rinsing, pat or spin the herbs until the leaves are dry before you chop them. Leftover surface water is a practical concern for cubes, since it adds ice, and this guide follows the sources in keeping the step simple.

Chop the herbs the same way you would use them fresh. Penn State describes stripping the leaves from the stems and chopping them, so the cubes contain only the leaf material you plan to cook with. Woody stems can be left out of the cube, which keeps the cube clean and easy to use.

Step by step: ice cube trays with water

The Penn State method uses an ice cube tray and water. It is the clearest step-by-step procedure in the sources reviewed for this guide. The steps below follow that method in order.

Strip leaves from the stems and chop them as you would to use them fresh.
Fill an ice cube tray half full of water. Place herbs in each section of the tray, about one tablespoon in each.
Push the herbs under the water as much as possible, then place the tray in the freezer.
The next day, when the cubes are frozen solid, add more water to top off each section. Return the tray to the freezer and freeze solid again.
Pop the cubes out of the tray, store them in a freezer bag, and label and date the bag.

The waiting step matters. Adding water on the second day gives the cube a solid, even top, and it keeps the herbs under the surface so they stay in the ice. Penn State describes the second-day top-off as part of the method, so skip it at your own risk of cubes with exposed leaves.

Choose an ice cube tray that you can dedicate to herbs, since the cubes will pick up odors from anything else stored next to them. Once the cubes are out of the tray, the bag is the storage container, so the bag itself should be labeled. A handwritten date on the bag is enough for the three-to-six-month window that Ohio State recommends.

Packing, wrapping and labeling

Penn State says that strong-smelling herbs should be double wrapped in foil or placed in freezer jars to avoid the transfer of odors. This applies to herbs such as dill and mint, which can flavor other foods in the freezer if they are not sealed. Double wrapping means placing the bag inside a second layer of foil or wrap, which holds the aroma in place.

Labeling is part of the method. Penn State tells cooks to label and date each bag, which lets you use the oldest herbs first. Without a date, it is hard to tell whether a cube is still within the three-to-six-month window that Ohio State gives for best quality. Write the herb name and the date on the bag before it goes back in the freezer.

Keep the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The Ohio State fact sheet recommends keeping a thermometer in the freezer to check the temperature. A freezer that runs warmer than 0 degrees may shorten the time that frozen herbs keep good flavor, although the sources do not give a measured number for that effect.

Using frozen herbs

To use a frozen cube, drop it straight into the dish. The Penn State page describes adding a frozen cube to soups, sauces, stews and other combination dishes. The cube melts into the liquid, so there is no need to thaw it first. Adding it early in cooking gives the herb time to soften and spread its flavor through the dish.

Ohio State says that frozen herbs may be better suited for cooked dishes than for garnishes or uncooked dishes. Use frozen herbs where the texture change will not show. A tomato sauce, a bean soup or a braise is a good place for a frozen basil or oregano cube. A fresh salad or a plated dish with a leaf on top is a better place for fresh herbs.

Thawing is usually not needed for cubes in cooked food. If you want to use frozen herbs for a recipe that asks for a measured amount, one cube usually holds about a tablespoon of chopped herb, based on the Penn State tray method. Check the recipe, since the amount of herb in a cube depends on how full each section was when you filled it.

Storage time and quality

The Ohio State fact sheet gives a clear window for best quality. It says that although frozen herbs may be safe to eat after a year or longer, it is recommended that they be used within three to six months for best quality. That sentence separates quality from safety. For the best flavor and color, plan to use frozen herbs within the three-to-six-month range and label each bag with the date.

Older cubes do not need to be thrown out automatically, but the sources say quality declines over time. Using the oldest bag first, as the labeling advice above suggests, keeps the freezer stock fresh without a guessing game.

Oil-based mixtures

The Penn State page also describes chopping herbs, mixing them with oil, and freezing the mixture in ice cube trays or small jelly jars. The source notes that the oil keeps the mixture from freezing hard, which makes it easier to scrape out. That method raises food-safety questions that the sources reviewed here do not settle in full, so this guide does not give oil recipes or storage times for oil mixtures.

If you plan to freeze herbs in oil, check tested guidance from the USDA National Center for Home Food Preservation or your state extension service before you start, and follow the storage advice they give. Water cubes, as described in the step-by-step section above, avoid that question entirely and are the method this guide covers in full.

Common mistakes to avoid

Freezing herbs that are wet. Excess water makes icy cubes and dilutes the flavor, so dry the leaves first.
Crushing the leaves while chopping, which Penn State advises against.
Skipping the second-day top-off. Without it, the leaves can sit at the surface of the cube.
Storing strong herbs unwrapped. Double wrapping or sealed jars limit odor transfer, as the Penn State page advises.
Leaving bags unlabeled. Without a date, it is hard to know which cubes fall within the three-to-six-month window.

What we could not verify

This guide relies on the three extension pages listed in the sources section, and each one was opened and read on 2026-10-27. The pages agree on the core method and on the three-to-six-month quality window, but several details that a home cook might want are not covered by them.

What the sources do not say

The sources do not give a freezing method or storage time for each herb separately. The three-to-six-month window is a general range from the Ohio State fact sheet.
The sources do not measure how much flavor or nutrient content is kept in frozen herbs compared with fresh or dried herbs.
The sources do not give a full procedure for oil-based herb mixtures. This guide points to tested guidance instead of giving steps.
The sources do not say how much water or herb each cube holds for every tray size. The one-tablespoon figure is from the Penn State method.

How we chose

We picked three extension pages that describe home freezing of herbs and that are hosted by state or land-grant universities. The Penn State and South Dakota State pages describe the freezing method and the herbs that freeze well. The Ohio State fact sheet adds the freezer temperature and the storage window. Where the sources differ on detail, this guide uses the more specific source and says which one.

We did not use recipe blogs or retail pages to fill gaps. If a point appears in only one source, the guide says so in the text rather than presenting it as settled.

Frequently asked questions

Do herbs need to be washed before freezing?

Penn State advises rinsing herbs in clear water and then patting them dry or spinning them dry in a salad spinner. The page says not to crush them. Dry leaves make cleaner cubes that hold their flavor better.

How long do frozen herbs last?

Ohio State recommends using frozen herbs within three to six months for best quality. It also notes that they may remain safe to eat after a year or longer, but quality declines over time.

Can you freeze herbs in oil?

Penn State describes chopping herbs with oil and freezing the mixture in ice cube trays. Oil mixtures carry food-safety questions, so follow tested USDA or extension guidance before making them, rather than relying on this guide.

Should frozen herbs be used as a garnish?

Ohio State says frozen herbs may be better suited for cooked dishes than for garnishes or uncooked dishes, because the texture changes after freezing and thawing. Use fresh herbs for garnishes.

Which herbs freeze well?

South Dakota State names parsley, basil, mint, tarragon, chives, cilantro, oregano and dill as herbs that can be frozen. Those are the leafy herbs the water-cube method in this guide is written for.

Sources

Penn State Extension, “Freezing Herbs,” https://extension.psu.edu/freezing-herbs (HTTP 200, opened 2026-10-27). Used for the rinse and dry steps, the ice cube tray method, the second-day top-off, double wrapping of strong herbs, labeling, and the freezing of herbs in oil.
Ohio State University Extension, “Food Preservation: Preserving Herbs, Freezing and Drying,” https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-5360 (HTTP 200, opened 2026-10-27). Used for the 0 degrees Fahrenheit freezer setting, the three-to-six-month quality window, the note about safety beyond that window, and the advice about cooked dishes.
South Dakota State University Extension, “Preserving Herbs,” https://extension.sdstate.edu/preserving-herbs (HTTP 200, opened 2026-10-27). Used for the freezing and drying comparison, the best harvest timing before flowers open, and the list of freezable herbs.