Kitchen Hack 4 (How to Store Parsley and Other Fresh Herbs)

Want to keep your parsley fresh and vibrant for days? Try this simple trick – place the stems in a glass of water, and keep the whole setup in the refrigerator. Your parsley will stay crisp and full of flavor, ready to add a pop of freshness to any dish!

I love how parsley adds a pop of flavor to a savory dinner recipe, but I can only grow it during the summer and have to rely on the grocery for fresh parsley the rest of the time. It can look pretty droopy and only will last a couple of days in the refrigerator even if you wrap it in a wet paper towel.

When my future son-in-law was here over Christmas, he introduced me to this fabulous way to keep parsley, and other fresh herbs, fresh for weeks.

How to store fresh parsley

Whether you have cut more than you need from your plant, or have brought a bunch home from the grocery, first rinse it and then treat it like you would a bouquet of flowers.

Cut a little of the stems off the bottom, so that it can absorb water, and place the bunch in a glass of water or a vase. Just let the stems and not the leaves be immersed in the water. You can just leave it on your counter if your fridge is full and it will stay fresh for about 2 weeks. If you put it in the fridge it can stay fresh for almost 4 weeks.

Every couple of days, change out the water and snip the bottom of the stems. You’ll have fresh parsley for weeks and can make homemade ranch dressing anytime you want.

This method works not only for parsley, but also for mint, dill and cilantro. If you are storing extra basil, you can not store it in the fridge, just keep it in a glass on the counter.

Types of Parsley

There are two types of parsley to choose from, curly and flat-leaf or Italian parsley. Curly is generally used for garnish and can have a slightly bitter taste. The flat-leaf parsley is commonly used for cooking and can really add a pop of flavor to a dish like roasted potato salad or it can be used as the star in a pesto pasta salad.

Can You Freeze Parsley

If you have extra parsley, you can easily freeze it to add to soups or to make pesto. Just clean, dry, and process it in a food processor with a little olive oil, then freeze in an ice cube tray or freezer bag for future use.

How to Choose Fresh Parsley in the Grocery

When choosing a bunch of fresh parsley, try to avoid any bunches that have yellow leaves or leaves that are slimy or black. It should also smell like parsley, if not, choose a different bunch.

How to Cut Parsley From a Plant

Parsley is easy to grow outdoors in the South, it takes almost no care, and is pretty tolerant of our hot summer weather. However, mine always die in the winter and I have to start from scratch each Spring. To get your plant to continue to produce leaves, cut the stems from the outside perimeter of the plant so the new growth in the middle can mature. Cut the stems where they come out of the dirt.

Your plant needs to be trimmed, so grab some of the recipes below to try with your fresh parsley.

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