Drying Herbs
on Oct 27, 2021, Updated Jun 23, 2024
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Drying Herbs just like my grandma taught me, the old-school way. If you know me, by now you know I love to follow tradition and make most things at home. I don’t ever want to lose touch of my home and upbringing, no matter how many fancy tools and equipment are available. I wanted to share this method with you because you can do this with every single 🌿 herb imaginable. Basil, thyme, oregano, mint, you name it! By using this simple method you can enjoy aromatic dry herbs for months. There is nothing that tastes better than homemade, no store-bought herb will ever be this aromatic. Keep in mind that dried herbs are four times stronger than fresh, so less is more in your recipes.
Why You’ll Love Drying Herbs
This is the basic way of Drying Herbs that you can use for whatever fresh herb you have. I love to do this with parsley, oregano, basil, mint, thyme and rosemary. It’s the best way to avoid food waste when the summer garden is bursting with fresh herbs! There’s literally no fancy equipment 🧵 necessary for this one and very little hands-on time. You can preserve the goodness of ☀️ summer and enjoy those beautiful flavors all year long.
How to Prepare Drying Herbs
💧 Cut down your herbs to approximately the same length. Rinse them if needed and then air dry them completely.
🧵 Make thin bundles and tie the bottom tightly with twine leaving a long piece of twine so you can hang them.
🗓️ Hang them upside down on a curtain rod (or you can even tape the twine to your wall) and let them dry out for 10-14 days.
✂️ Once they are fully dry, you can cut them down and cut the twine off of each one.
🤲 Place a piece of parchment paper on your counter, and take each strand and run your hand down to remove the leaves.
🌿 Discard any tough stems. Once you have done that you can run your clean hands through the herbs and break them down finely if you wish.
🫙Store them in a small mason jar as they will last for 6 + months. Enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip 🌿
You can hang them upside down in any room that’s away from direct sunlight or that’s well-ventilated on cooler days, preferably by a window.
Variations and Substitutions for Drying Herbs
- You are more than welcome to cut a hole and place a 🛍️ paper bag on top of them as well if you don’t have an area in your house away from direct sunlight.
- Use whatever herbs you love and have an abundance of: basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary or dill.
Similar Recipes
Best Served With
- Add your favorite dried herbs to this viral Cottage Cheese Flatbread (Viral).
- Use dried parsley in my delicious 🥗 Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe.
- Dry oregano shines in my fresh 🍅 Greek Feta Salad.
Common Questions
You can use this method to dry thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil, mint, parsley, sage, dill, or cilantro.
Yes, if the herbs are dirty or have been treated with pesticides, rinse them gently and allow them to air dry completely before bundling.
The herbs are fully dried when they feel crisp to the touch and crumble easily.
You can tape the twine to the wall or use a hanger or a clothes drying rack to hang the herb bundles.
Store the dried herbs in an airtight container, such as a small mason jar, in a cool, dark place to preserve their flavor. They’ll last up to 6 months.
Drying Herbs
Equipment
Ingredients
- Any herbs you like
- kitchen twine
Instructions
- Cut your herbs into pieces of approximately the same length. If necessary, rinse them and let them air dry completely.
- Make thin bundles and securely tie the bottom with twine, leaving a long piece to hang them.
- Hang them upside down on a curtain rod (or you can even tape the twine to your wall) and let them dry out for 10-14 days.
- After the herbs are completely dry, you can cut them and remove the twine. Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter, then run your hand down each strand to remove the leaves.
- Discard any tough stems. Once you have done that you can run your clean hands through the herbs and break them down finely if you wish. Store them into a small mason jar as they will last for 6 + months. Enjoy!
