by Elise Bauer Jump to Recipe

How to Store Parsley, Cilantro, and Other Fresh Herbs

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

xxxxxyyyyy3101 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.

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.

104 Comments / Reviews

How to Store Parsley, Cilantro, and Other Fresh Herbs Cancel 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.
- March 13, 2019
- · Reply
Renee

Thank you!
This is very helpful.

xxxxxyyyyy
- March 3, 2019
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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?
- December 22, 2018
- · Reply
Show Replies (1)
- 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?
  - December 23, 2018
  - · 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.
    January 6, 2019
    
    · 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?
- December 16, 2018
- · Reply
Show Replies (2)
- 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!
  - December 17, 2018
  - · 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…….
  - February 11, 2019
  - · Reply
David

We store basil in water and plastic at room temperature. It turns black in the refrigerator.
- August 18, 2018
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[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?
- July 6, 2018
- · 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!
  - July 11, 2018
  - · Reply
Mae

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

xxxxxyyyyy
- June 20, 2018
- · 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
- May 2, 2018
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Susan

My parsley and cilantro are going strong, almost two weeks now! Thank you!!
- April 11, 2018
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- Deb J
  
  Great! Will give it a try.
  My cilantro certainly didn’t like MY idea, of hydrating them by running them under cold water & putting back in fridge. ☹️ I basically now had wet cilantro, which sped up the rotting process, & never kept them from wilting.
  - October 3, 2018
  - · Reply
Kelly K

Super helpful to prevent waste. Thanks!

xxxxxyyyyy
- · Reply
PM

There’s something missing from these directions. Is the plastic bag used only for herbs stored in the refrigerator? Or do you need a plastic bag for all herbs?
This is exactly what it says: “If you are storing the herbs in the refrigerator, cover loosely with a plastic bag”. There is no mention of a plastic bag for any of the herbs that follow, whether kept cool or on the counter. Please clarify. Thanks
- · Reply
- Elise Bauer
  
  Hi PM, the air in refrigerators is very drying, that’s why if you save ANY herbs in the refrigerator, they should not be just sitting in the refrigerator un-protected. Both cilantro and parsley store well in the refrigerator. If you store them in the refrigerator, you should put them in a water glass with some water, and cover with a plastic bag.
  
  Basil is best stored not in a refrigerator. I don’t bother to put a plastic bag over it when it is stored on my counter. That said, if you lived in a particularly dry environment, you might want to consider putting a plastic bag over it as well, even if left on the counter.
  - · Reply
Brita

Great advice, thanks.
A couple of years ago, I remembered my biology lessons – plants thrive on carbon dioxide. So nowadays, when I store any green leaves, I breathe into the plastic bag, and they stay fresh for even longer. However, be sure to wash them before using, especially when feeding other people!
- · Reply
Joedi

@Mariana you really made me laugh today. Poor old basil could not be resuscitated. I’m going to try it and see though
- · Reply
Mariana

Well… Sorry to say,but Harold McGee is WRONG.

I left my basil like that one hour out of the fridge and when I came back, it was all black and dead. It started being green and fresh… so one hour out of the fridge and it died a terrible death, it was all disfigured and it took a while to recognize it….

Parsley was the same, I did hurry to cover them loosely with a plastic bag and put them in the fridge, this morning, parsley had resuscitated, but poor basil was really done for.
- · Reply
- Melissa
  
  Basil old Bridge kept at room temperature
  - · Reply
- Joe OConnell
  
  The article should have explained that humidity is a major factor. If the area is dry and arid, then place a damp paper towel over the herbs before covering with a plastic bag, and change the paper towels every day.
  - · Reply
James

The best way to store herbs is to wrap them in a wet paper towel and put them in a plastic bag in your fridge. My rosemary, thyme, and parsley lasted for a month and was still fresh. I recommend this method.
- · Reply
Elle

I think it is ridiculous to try to keep a $.50 bunch of parsley and or cilantro fresh for weeks or months (price at my local Hispanic grocery, and super fresh because they go through them so fast). I just wrap them loosely in a paper towel, put in an open plastic bag, and buy a new batch every week. They lose their aroma and start to smell like grass pretty quickly, no matter how you try to store them, once cut from the plant. For 50 cents a bunch, it’s just too much trouble to try to keep them.
- · Reply
- Andriy Migunov
  
  Elle, not everywhere it’s that cheap. In Canada I pay 2$ a bunch and use 3 herbs a week. If I can use it longer, it would help me lots.
  - · Reply
  - Linda Fairchild
    
    Store in a jar of water in the fridge. Cover with a loose plastic bag, seal tightly. Parsley emits a gas, so it stays fresh for weeks. Basil needs to be in a jar of water, but sitting out on the counter, no fridge. Turns black. Canadian living in California!
    · Reply
- Margaret
  
  If I only paid $.50 for cilantro I would also throw it out when it wilted but in Australia I pay $3.50 a bunch
  - · Reply
  - Victoria
    
    Ditto. I live in Hawaii. Same prices. Shoot, one apple is $3.00:)
    · Reply
    - Deb J
      
      oh dear! Wow
      
      October 3, 2018
      
      · Reply
- Blake
  
  Elle, I don’t mean to be rude…but c’mon. We obviously don’t all believe in the same values and two we don’t all live in a place where Parsley is at the tip of our fingers or that inexpensive.
  - · Reply
- Nicole
  
  I grow mine and harvest the herbs at regular intervals. I’m not always ready to use them immediately, so proper storage is necessary.
  - · Reply
- Eevie
  
  Dear Elle,
  Some people actually grow and harvest their own, in which case we prefer to store it for multiple meals throughout the week or month.
  - · Reply
- Sean
  
  $.50 is still money worth saving. If you pay $.50 a week x52 =$26 a year. If you can keep it fresh an extra week, you save $13 a year. If you have to pay more for your herbs, then you save more. Think about all the other things in life that we let go to waste, especially food. I hate wasting food. #LiveWell
  - · Reply
jenna

Can we store parsley in the foil and freeze?
- · Reply
- judi edwards
  
  I chop and mix parsley with BUTTER, then roll into a “log” wrapped in plastic, pop in a freezer bag to freeze. pare off the amount you wish to use in stir fry, soup, pasta dishes and…and…and!
  - · Reply
sue anderson

Peserve your celery by wrapping it in aluminum kitchen foil. It will last for weeks in your refrigerator. Basil definitely should be in water on your counter and not in ther refrigerator. I will try the mint to see if it will root and plant it in a pot. thanks
- · Reply
- judi edwards
  
  have fun… yes you can “root” mint, basil, to pot up! Cut your green onions a half inch from roots…. stick the roots in moist soil— for fresh green onions. It is uplifting to see something fresh growing on a table, counter or window ledge…. during our CANADIAN winters!!
  - · Reply
MamaSheilio

Have you tried tabouleh? Healthy & Delicious, & not hard to make!
- · Reply
Masha

I did this with my fresh-from-the-farmers-market basil today. I set it on the counter at room temperature without a bag covering it (since your post seemed to suggest that the bag is only necessary for the fridge). I came home two hours later and it had all wilted.

Sounds like you do not have much humidity in the air where you are. If you live in a dry climate, or at altitude where it is dry, I would put a plastic bag over it to help keep the herbs from drying out. ~Elise
- · 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.