The Absolute Best Ways To Keep Parsley Fresh

Dried herbs can be nice to have on hand because they keep for such a long time. However, some herbs, like parsley, do not pack nearly as much flavor after they have been dried, according to Urban Leaf. That's why keeping fresh stems of parsley around the kitchen can be so useful if you love this herb's distinct bitter flavor in your dishes. But if you do not properly care for or store your parsley, the delicate leaves of the herbs can wilt or dry out very quickly.

Parsley that is placed in the fridge can get too cold and cause the leaves to shrivel and wilt. Keeping the leaves out on the countertop can also result in the herb drying out too quickly too. That's why it is very important to know how long you'll need your parsley to stay fresh so you can determine the best possible way to store it.

If you plan to use all of your fresh parsley relatively soon — within a week or two of buying or cutting it, then you can leave it on the countertop. But that doesn't mean you can simply lay stems of the herb on the counter and walk away. 

According to Tree Hugger, the best way to keep parsley fresh on your kitchen counter is to rinse them, cut off the ends of the stems, remove any leaves from the bottom 5 inches, and place them in a vase, jar, or glass of water like you would a bouquet of flowers. Once the parsley has been prepared and stashed out of the way on your counter, be sure to keep an eye on the water. It will need to be changed every two to three days if you have not used up all of the parsley yet.

According to Taste of Home, the very best way you can store your parsley to help extend is to utilize your fridge. When prepped and cared for well, parsley can actually keep fresh in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks if not an entire month. That's why this is the perfect solution for those who want to use fresh parsley in smaller amounts over a longer period of time.

To store parsley this way, you need to use the same method of care as you would when storing the herb on your kitchen counter. Just slice off the ends to allow the stems to take up water more effectively and place them in a glass of water. You can prewash the herb's leaves, but you will need to dry them very well (via Tree Hugger). To keep the parsley from drying out in the fridge, you can cover the leaves with an open resealable bag or loose cling wrap.

If you have far more parsley than you can use before it spoils, then you might need to consider turning to your freezer. The freezer is perfect for storing prepared parsley for months at a time so you can easily add what you need to dishes throughout the year. Whether you want to add parsley to a dip or into a sauté pan full of vegetables, portioning out and freezing parsley can work wonders when you no longer have the fresh herb available.

According to She Loves Biscotti, you should always wash and thoroughly dry parsley leaves before preparing them to be frozen. Once the parsley is clean, you can chop it into large and small pieces to be frozen in an ice cube tray or small resealable container to be used later. Just know that the parsley will not be great for garnishing because it will have a change of appearance and texture after water expands and contracts inside the chopped leaves during the process of freezing and thawing.