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How to Store Parsley, Cilantro, and Other Fresh Herbs

Name: How to Store Parsley, Cilantro, and Other Fresh Herbs
Cuisine: American

xxxxxyyyyy11120 comments

How To Basil Cilantro Parsley

Have you ever had trouble keeping fresh herbs fresh? This super easy trick keeps fresh herbs useable for a couple of weeks.

Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

Have you ever had trouble keeping fresh herbs fresh? Do your cilantro and parsley go wilty, limpy, or dry after a few days?

Several years ago my mother taught me this super easy trick, which really works, and keeps fresh herbs fresh and useable for up to a couple of weeks. The trick involves the clever use of a plastic bag.

Now, I don’t know why this works. It just does.

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How to Store Parsley, Cilantro, and Other Fresh Herbs

Method

1 Snip off the bottom of the stems.

2 Make sure the leaves are completely dry. Better to hold off rinsing them until you're about to use them.

3 Fill a jar or a water glass partially with water and place the stem ends of the herbs into the water in the jar.

4 If you are storing the herbs in the refrigerator, cover loosely with a plastic bag. Cilantro loves cool temperatures and should be stored in the refrigerator. Parsley can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. According to Harold McGee, basil is ideally stored at room temperature and not in the refrigerator, because it is susceptible to damage from cold.

5 Change the water after several days if the water starts to discolor.

Fresh parsley, cilantro, basil, and other fresh herbs can last up to 2 weeks or longer when stored this way.

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Elise Bauer

Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family's recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.

131 Comments / Reviews

How to Store Parsley, Cilantro, and Other Fresh Herbs Cancel reply

Candice

It really does work! I bought fresh flat leaf parsley from the grocery store on November 21st, and they still look, smell and feel fresh today, December 15th! I cleaned, trimmed, placed them in a mason jar in 2″ of water, then covered tightly with a gallon sized Ziploc bag in the fridge. No more buying parsley once a week from now on.

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- December 15, 2020
- · Reply
Laurie

This is awesome!

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- November 13, 2020
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Maggie

I work’s….. Thank u soon much for the tip

xxxxxyyyyy
- October 22, 2020
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Marilyn Upchurch

When storing herbs in my fridge, should I use city water, distilled water or bottled drinking water?
- July 8, 2020
- · Reply
Show Replies (1)
- Sara Bir
  
  Hi Marilyn,
  
  City water should be just fine.
  - July 9, 2020
  - · Reply
Rodolfo

Great help and knowledge!

xxxxxyyyyy
- June 18, 2020
- · Reply

Carolyn

For years I have kept lettuce, silverbeet, parsely, etc. fresh for many days by rinsing out a plastic bag with water, shaking out all the excess then simply placing the produce into the bag and putting it in the refrigerator. You can even revive limp green vegetables and herbs this way.
- June 13, 2020
- · Reply
Darcy Diamond

My Cuban friend told me about this via the abuelita network of wise grandma tricks. Thank you for reviewing this tip re: my cilantro! I can picture Ma Elena’s abuelita en Cuba, back in the day, when all things culinary were crafted from scratch & a prayer.

xxxxxyyyyy
- May 25, 2020
- · Reply
Dana

I snipped the bottom of the stems of my parsley and placed in a canning jar filled halfway with water and kept at room temperature. The parsley did not last a week… started to yellow in 3 days and by 5 most had wilted, browned or dried up
- May 3, 2020
- · Reply
- Jessy
  
  Did you put a bag over it?
  - May 4, 2020
  - · Reply
- C
  
  Obviously! You needed to refrigerate it. And did you cover it with a plastic bag?
  - May 5, 2020
  - · Reply
  - Sara Bir
    
    Hello Dana and C,
    
    I’ve had decent luck keeping parsley at room temperature in a jar of water. Changing out the water daily helps a lot. Why don’t I keep it in the fridge? Because I like seeing the parsley! It’s cheerful and it reminds me to use it more. To each their own.
    May 6, 2020
    
    · Reply
- Elise Bauer
  
  Hi Dana, oh that’s a shame. The parsley could just have been too old by the time it was put into water. Also the dryness of the air could have something to do with it. Here in Sacramento, I can just put the parsley in water and leave it on the kitchen counter (not in the sun). The safest bet though is to put a bag over it and store it in water in the fridge.
  - August 4, 2020
  - · Reply
- Shana
  
  This happens to me too. I’ve tried Changing the water frequently, covering/leaving uncovered, keeping in the fridge or out of it. I always get yellowing in about a week or so.
  - November 23, 2020
  - · Reply
Betsy

Thanks, didn’t know about this method. I store fresh picked asparagus in glass filled with water in fridge also.

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 21, 2020
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Roberta

I have been doing this method with cilantro and parsley because I got tired of them wilting after a week when I wrapped them in paper towels into a plastic bag. I find doing this jar and water with a loosely covered plastic bag mine lasts 3+ weeks in the frig and retains the smell and strength. It’s pretty simple and takes very little time to do plus you have fresh herbs for awhile. To make it neat I wrap a little rubber band around the bottom of the stems, they stay together and you can trim them periodically when you change the water.

xxxxxyyyyy
- February 5, 2020
- · Reply
- Lauren P.
  
  Wow, great tips! Thank you! I was debating whether to try the paper towel method or this one since my cilantro only lasts in the store’s plastic bag for about a week, and I’ve moved to every other week grocery shopping. I love cilantro on tons of things, so I’m going to give this method a try based on your suggestions. Do you only rubber band the stems together, or do you also place one around the jar and plastic bag to make a closed environment?
  - June 22, 2020
  - · Reply
William

I store cilantro in a sealed container in the refrigerator and it stays fresh for a month. Before storing remove any leaves or stems that have darkened.
- · Reply
Lisa Downs

Excellent information.

xxxxxyyyyy
- · Reply
What's the frequency, Kenneth?

I’m thinking you can rinse the herbs beforehand and remove excess water in a salad spinner, then put them into the jar, without the bag, in the refrigerator, then cover them a couple hours later. I tried a similar technique for drying blanched cauliflower before freezing and it worked outstandingly.
- · Reply
- Cheri
  
  This makes a lot of sense because you now have clean herbs. The fridge tends to dry up the moist leaves but then as they dry you then cover them with the plastic bag to retain the natural moisture of the herbs!
  - · Reply
- Caitlin
  
  My concern with the salad spinner idea would be the risk of bruising them in the process. Many herbs are quite delicate, maybe too delicate for a salad spinner?
  - March 12, 2020
  - · Reply
  - Sara Bir
    
    Hi Caitlin,
    
    I’ve been drying herbs in a salad spinner for years. It’s easier on them than patting them dry with towels. Give it a try!
    March 12, 2020
    
    · Reply
Renee

Thank you!
This is very helpful.

xxxxxyyyyy
- · Reply
Laura

I want to avoid using plastic as much as possible. It’s causing terrible problems for the environment and our fellow creatures on this planet. Our oceans are full of dumped plastic, which see creatures than consume or get caught in. Any comments or suggestions?
- · Reply
- Emma Christensen
  
  Hi, Laura! The idea is to just keep the herbs loosely covered, so anything that accomplishes that should work. Maybe try a paper bag?
  - · Reply
  - jamie
    
    Try growing your own herbs. It may take a few attempts to do so. Or you could buy potted herbs and just put them in your windowsill.
    · Reply
Bettina

I’ve got what seems like a stupid question, but I’ve read most of these posts and it still remains: When I purchase these herbs from the grocery (and they are super expensive, yes), they last at least 2 weeks, sometimes more. I just put them in the fridge as is. And it’s true that I end up wasting some.

But why would I want to go through the trouble to do this if I don’t get any extra time out of it? What am I missing here?
- · Reply
- Emma Christensen
  
  Hi, Bettina! Whatever you’re doing to preserve your herbs, keep doing that! Mine definitely start to go yellowy and wilted after 5 days or so. Using this technique helps keep them fresh and in top form for longer, at least for me!
  - · Reply
- Kayla
  
  Hi Bettina,
  
  This is NOT a stupid question as I am wondering the same thing! I put my herbs in the fridge and they last up to two weeks (or more) fresh!
  Wondering what I am missing too…….
  - · Reply
- Shelby
  
  Time stores sell fresher herbs due to faster turn around. Also moisture levels in a fridge can vary due to frequency of openings, open containers, moist produce, etc. This may just help some of us more than you.
  - · Reply
David

We store basil in water and plastic at room temperature. It turns black in the refrigerator.
- · Reply
- C
  
  The article says basil should be kept at room temp. The other herbs get refrigerated.
  - May 5, 2020
  - · Reply
[email protected]

Live in an apartment….. often get fresh cut herbs from friends but the cuttings are too short to put in water as you suggest, any ideas?
- · Reply
- Emma Christensen
  
  Hi! Emma here, managing editor. I’d suggest wrapping the stem ends in damp paper towels and then putting the herbs in an open plastic bag. Change the paper towels after a few days. This isn’t quite as ideal as putting the herbs in a glass of water, but it should help preserve the freshness of your herbs a little longer!
  - · Reply
Mae

This method is great my cilantro stayed fresh and smell the same as when I brought
it.

xxxxxyyyyy
- · Reply
Ann

It’s great. Sometimes when I buy cilantro and put in the refrigerator the next it wilt. After reading your instructions, I will try this method. Thank you , Ann
- · Reply

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How to Store Parsley, Cilantro, and Other Fresh Herbs

Have you ever had trouble keeping fresh herbs fresh? This super easy trick keeps fresh herbs useable for a couple of weeks.

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