Can You Freeze Parsley? 3 Freezing Methods

Parsley is an herb that’s has a vibrant color with a mild grassy smell. This makes it a popular herb to use in a variety of sauces and helps bring out the flavor of pasta dishes. Most of the time, when cooking a meal or making sauces with parsley, you’ll end up with extra parsley. If you need to store them, can the freezer be an option to freeze parsley?

can you freeze parsley? Yes, you can freeze parsley. These herbs will need to be prepped first before being stored in the freezer. Using the flash freezing method and storing them in an airtight container will keep them fresh for up to one year.

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Does Parsley Freeze Well?

Due to their thin texture and small size, parsley freeze very well. They will almost instantly freeze and stay frozen for quite a long time. This is only possible if you prepared them first and properly store them.

Preparing them is usually done by flash freezing, freezing them in ice cubes, or freezing parsley as pesto. Once it’s prepared, you can store them in the freezer and they will freeze for a long time.

Additionally, to help keep them fresh for as long as possible, always store parsley in an airtight container or freezer bag.

How To Freeze Parsley

Freezing parsley is quite simple and there are 3 different methods in which you can freeze them. Freezing the herbs will depend on what you’ll be using them for.

Below are the 3 different methods for freezing parsley:

Free Parsley In Bags

Start by washing the parsley first. Run them under cool water for a minute to remove any dirt and other debris.
Place the parsley in a colander and let it drip dry for about 5 minutes.
Using a dry paper towel, gently pat the parsley to remove any excess moisture.
On a clean tray, lay a sheet of baking or wax paper on it.
Lay each parsley onto the tray. You can either freeze the parsley with the sprigs or just the leaves. Freezing just the leaves will allow you to freeze more parsley.
Make sure to keep them from touching each other while it’s on the tray.
Place the tray of parsley into the freezer.
Flash freeze the parsley for 2-3 hours.
Once it’s completely frozen, remove them from the freezer.
Immediately transfer the frozen parsley to an airtight container or freezer bag.
If using a freezer bag, make sure to squeeze out as much air from it before sealing it.
Seal the bag or container tightly and label it with the freezing date.
Place them into the freezer.

Freezing Parsley In Cubes

Start by rinsing the parsley under running water to remove dirt and other debris.
Place the herb into a colander and let it drip dry for about 5 minutes.
Using a clean dry paper towel, gently pat the parsley to remove any excess moisture that may be on it.
Remove the leaves of each sprig and place them into a bowl.
In an ice cube tray, place the parsley leaves into each slot. Pack the leaves to the top of each slot.
Add olive oil to each slot and fill it to the top. The olive oil will help keep the leaves from getting freezer burn.
Wrap the entire tray with a cling wrapper.
Place the tray into the freezer for 2-3 hours.
Once it’s completely frozen, remove the tray of parsley from the freezer.
Immediately transfer parsley cubes to an airtight container or freezer bag.
If using a freezer bag, press on the bag to remove any excess air in the bag.
Seal the bag or airtight container tightly and place them into the freezer.

Freezing Parsley Pesto

Once the pesto is made, place them into an airtight container or freezer bag. It’s best to portion them so it’ll be easier to remove them from the freezer and prevent having to throw leftovers away.
If using a freezer bag, press on the bag to remove any excess air from it. For an airtight container, make sure the lids have no leaks in them.
Seal the bag or container tightly and label it with the freezing date.
Place them in the freezer.

How Long Can You Freeze Parsley?

Similar to cilantro, parsley will last in the freezer for one year. It can last much longer than that if it’s stored properly and kept at a constant 0 degree Fahrenheit.

For most people, that would be almost impossible to keep the freezer temperature constant. Due to the opening and closing of the freezer, the temperature will fluctuate. This will cause the herb to melt a bit and freeze again.

For that reason, it’s best to use the parsley within a year for the best result.

After a year, you can still be able to use it, but the quality of it will deteriorate. Again, try to use parsley within that time for the best taste.

How Do You Defrost Parley?

Due to their small size, parsley doesn’t need to be thawed before it’s ready to be used. You can simply add them to the meal while it’s cooking.

Frozen parsley is great to use in recipes that require mixing or blending. This includes soup, stew, stir-fry, and sauces. Take the amount of parsley you need from the freezer and add them directly into the meal while it’s cooking. The frozen parsley will melt instantly.

If you’re going to use parsley to garnish your dish or add it to salads, I advised against doing so. When frozen parsley thaw completely, it will become soggy and loses its original texture.

Can You Refreeze Parsley?

You can refreeze parsley, but it’s highly not recommended. After it thaws, the frozen parsley will become watery and mushy. It will lose some of its texture and flavor.

By freezing it the second time, the texture and flavor will even be degraded more. As you thaw it, the parsley will become bland and the texture will be mushy.