Hold onto your garnishes! We’re sharing the very best way to get the longest, freshest life out of all of your herbs!

How to Keep Herbs Fresher for Longer
I have a confession: 99% of the time that I buy fresh herbs (usually cilantro), they wilt and soften in the produce drawer of my refrigerator before I ever get the chance to use them. It’s sad, I know, but unfortunately, it’s true. If you’re like me and your beautiful, crisp, fresh herbs sit in the fridge and slowly wilt away before you use them, this kitchen hack is for you! Best of all, you don’t need any special equipment, so go grab your herbs, and let’s get to it!
Types of Fresh Herbs
Before we get to the hack, let’s chat about fresh herbs. Herbs are defined as “a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food…” While using a sprig or two of cilantro or parsley as a garnish certainly adds a wow factor to your plate, that’s not all these pretty green herbs are good for. Fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, basil, and dill also bring such robust flavor to a dish. This phenomenal kitchen hack works best with “soft” herbs:
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Mint
- Parsley
- Tarragon
Kitchen Hack: Store fresh herbs in a jar of water for optimal freshness.
Hack time! Instead of storing your fresh herbs in the plastic produce bag from the grocery store (or even a reusable produce bag that you shop with), store them in water instead! This will *greatly* prolong the life of your herbs. To do this:
- Rinse and dry. Rinse and gently pat dry the herbs.
- Prep a glass. Add an inch or two of water to a jar or drinking glass, and remove any leaves that would be submerged in the water from the stems of the herbs.
- Place in the fridge. Place the herbs in water and refrigerate (*with the exception of fresh basil – keep that on the counter at room temperature).
- Swap water. Swap out the water every 2-3 days.
Fresh Herb Recipes
Now that your herbs stay nice and crisp for longer, there’s no excuse not to use them! Here are a few really wonderful herb-heavy recipes:
- Garlic Herb Compound Butter
- Herbed Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Loin
- Herb Crusted Salmon and Potato Bake
- Roasted Garlic Pesto
Video
More Kitchen Hacks
- The Easiest Way to Shred Chicken
- How to Keep Salad Greens Fresh
- How to Save and Reuse Bacon Grease
- How to Reuse Leftover Veggies
- The Easiest Way to Cook and Crumble Ground Beef
- How to Prep Veggies Ahead of Time
- Make Ahead Meal Bins for Fast Dinner Prep
- Prepare Equipment in Advance
- Use Cook Once Dinner Fix to Make Mealtime Easy