What herbs can be frozen for the winter. Freezing greens for the winter - the best folk methods with step-by-step instructions and photos. How long can you store and at what temperature?

Any greens can be frozen. Some varieties, of course, lose their taste. For example, if you throw parsley or dill into the first or second, the taste will not change, but the basil and lettuce will slightly “lose” themselves. For example, I only froze sorrel in portions once. I washed it, cut it, put it in a portioned bag and tried to cook green borscht in winter, but it didn’t work. It tastes like grass, although some people might like it.

The same goes for green onions. We continue to grow it on the windowsill all year round, because when frozen it does not retain the same taste, spice and piquancy. A herb is like a herb, but garlic is completely preserved in the refrigerator; you can freeze it as much as you like. Do not freeze the salad. The less watery the structure of the plant, the more its consistency, taste and aroma will be preserved after defrosting.

Is it possible to freeze greens for tea and what kind?

Those who like to drink tea will simply be overwhelmed by the wide range of options in stores. Or you can prepare products in advance by freezing the flowers and leaves of lemon verbena, amaranth, artichoke, bergenia and elecampane, oregano and St. John's wort, mullein, meadowsweet, lavender, lofan, lovage, lemon balm, mint, orthosiphon, chamomile, rue, thyme, fireweed etc.

How to properly prepare and freeze greens

There are several ways to prepare greens for the winter. Once upon a time, housewives poured boiling water over it and sealed it, sprinkled it with salt or used other methods. Today there is a freezer, so why not use it:

How to use frozen greens

Using frozen greens is the same as using fresh ones. If it is a bunch, then you need to put it on a cutting board, let it sit for a couple of minutes so that it thaws, then cut off the required amount and throw it into the dishes being prepared.

If these are cubes, then you need to count out the required amount and throw in the soup or porridge in the same way. If the greens are frozen in pieces and stored in containers, then you need to take the volume with a spoon or ladle and pour it into the soup. That's all the secrets.

The shelf life of frozen greens is 10-12 months. But it should be noted that after six months, your favorite “weed” begins to develop a not entirely pleasant aroma and taste. So try to use it early. Enjoy your preparations.

In similar ways you can

People have long learned to store for the winter herbal products, the deficit of which cannot be compensated for in winter. Fresh herbs are one of them. The spice contains vitamins A, B, C, magnesium, zinc, selenium, bioflavonoids, which activate the immune system and promote cell rejuvenation. Freezing is the most The best way conservation, minimizing loss useful substances. In order to have a vitamin-rich product on the table throughout the cold season, you need to know how to freeze fresh greens for the winter correctly, without mistakes.

What greens can be frozen for the winter?

Not all greens can withstand freezing. Dill, parsley, cilantro, sage, tarragon, thyme, mint, lemon balm, arugula, sorrel, and leek retain their presentation and taste. Lettuce and green onions, on the other hand, become watery and unsightly after defrosting.

Rules for preparing for freezing

Only fresh herbs collected within the current day are suitable for freezing for long-term storage. It needs to be sorted out, withered leaves, thick stems and roots removed. Then rinse thoroughly with cold running water and dry on a thick paper towel. There is no need to keep the plant in the air for more than 2 hours, otherwise it will wither.

How to freeze greens for the winter

Exist different ways freezing fresh herbs for the winter: whole and chopped, with the addition of oil and in the form of ice cubes.

Bunches

The simplest and in a fast way cold preservation is freezing a whole bunch. You need to take several branches of fresh herbs, untie them, wash them and dry them. Then place in a plastic bag, lightly seal, remove air, seal and freeze. Greens prepared in this way can be thawed for the winter either whole or in separate branches.

Often, when processing fresh greens, tough, coarse stems are left behind. Thrifty housewives do not throw them away, but freeze them in bags, tying them into bundles of 10–20 pieces. While cooking the soup, throw the bunch into the boiling broth for 15 minutes, then take it out and throw it away.

Shredded

It is very convenient to prepare fresh chopped herbs for later use for the winter. Before freezing for the winter, it needs to be slightly dried by spreading it in an even layer on a cutting board. Then place in this form in the freezer for 1 hour. When fresh greens freeze, pour them into a prepared container or bag. Packed compactly, it takes up less space - you can easily take the right amount and put the rest back. It is permissible to add crushed spices to dishes without first thawing them.

Fresh herbs can be frozen individually or as mixtures. There are many options, here are some of them:

500 g dill, 300 g parsley, 200 g celery;
200 g of parsley and celery, 100 g of thyme and marjoram, 50 g of savory;
take dill, parsley, thyme and tarragon in equal parts;
sage, savory and basil in equal quantities.

Prepare fresh herbs classical method, chop, mix thoroughly and freeze as described above.

Important! When cutting fresh herbs, an oxidation process begins, which leads to a partial loss of vitamins. To better preserve the nutrients, the plant can be torn by hand.

Green ice cubes

This method of freezing fresh herbs is suitable for making soups during the long winter. The most commonly used raw materials are dill, parsley and sorrel. The prepared edible parts of the plants are crushed, placed tightly in ice trays and filled with water. When the liquid freezes, the ice is removed from the mold and placed in a separate bag. It is recommended to make a note on it about the contents and date of preservation. When preparing a soup, sauce or stew, you just need to take out a cube with the required contents and throw it into the boiling broth.

Attention! To pour fresh herbs into molds, you can use rich broth from meat, poultry or fish instead of water.

With butter

Freezing fresh herbs in oil cubes is suitable for tough herbs: basil, thyme, thyme, oregano, sage. This is necessary in order to subsequently season hot dishes with them. Only the most tender parts of plants - leaves and young twigs - should be planted. They need to be torn or cut into portions such as they will be added to food, tightly filled with ice trays and filled with any vegetable oil. The pieces will freeze for at least a day, after which they are put in a bag and left in the freezer until needed.

An extremely healthy, tasty and aromatic oil is obtained by mixing with chopped fresh herbs. You will need:

200 g butter;
1 bunch of dill with parsley;
salt.

Place the butter in a warm place until softened. Finely chop the spicy fresh herbs or grind them in a blender. Mix the ingredients, add salt to taste and freeze. If desired, you can add 1-2 cloves of garlic, passed through a press. The freezing container must correspond to the purpose of the workpiece. If you plan to flavor porridge with this oil or boiled potatoes, then it is better to package it in ice molds. If you need to freeze green butter for sandwiches, it will be more convenient to place it in small containers or make briquettes using cling film.

From aromatic fresh herbs and vegetable oil prepare the paste by mixing them in a 2:1 ratio, respectively.

Unusual recipes

Can be used original recipes freezing greens for the winter. To prepare drinks, it will be interesting to freeze aromatic ice cubes. Ingredients:

2–3 branches of fresh mint or lemon balm;
1 lemon;
water.

Place 2–4 leaves of aromatic fresh herbs in ice cells, add a few drops lemon juice, pour chilled boiled water and place in the freezer.

To prepare hot sauces, soups, stews, and gravies, fresh herbs can be frozen in tomato juice for the winter. The recipe contains the following products:

dill;
parsley;
basil;
arrows of young garlic;
tomato juice.

Fresh herbs should be chopped, mixed, and placed in ice trays. Pour in tomato juice and freeze.

Tarragon is included in recipes for various hot dishes and drinks. Wine-based cubes have a bright spicy aroma. You need to prepare:

2–3 branches of tarragon;
300 ml dry white wine.

Grind fresh tarragon, pour in wine, boil until half the volume evaporates. Once cool, pour into an ice tray, freeze and leave until winter.

Alternatively, you can freeze prepared pesto sauce for the winter. The following products will be required:

bunch of basil;
half a bunch of parsley;
half a bunch of arugula;
3 cloves of garlic;
100 g pine nuts
100 g parmesan or any other hard cheese;
150 ml olive oil;
50 ml lemon juice.

Wash fresh greens, remove rough parts, and dry. Peel the garlic and pass through a press. Grate the cheese and combine with garlic. In a blender, first grind the nuts, then add herbs, cheese, butter, lemon juice one by one, grinding into a paste of homogeneous consistency. Add salt to taste, place in small containers and freeze.

Many people love dishes using garlic arrows. They can be frozen for the winter in small containers for one-time use. The arrows are cut into pieces 4–5 cm long, after removing the peduncles. Place in boiling water, cook for 3 minutes, cool and place in the freezer. In winter, defrost and add to hot dishes and side dishes.

How long can you store and at what temperature?

Frozen is stored at a temperature of -18 ˚С and below for up to 12 months. It is better to place the blanks in plastic food containers or plastic bags. When filling containers, it is necessary to remove air - vacuum packaging can be used for this purpose. The process must take place quickly, so the products must be placed in small portions 2-4 cm thick. You can defrost the workpieces only once - a repeated procedure is unacceptable.

Conclusion

The method of freezing fresh greens for the winter is determined by goals and personal preferences. It is good to add crushed spice or bunches to salads, ice and butter cubes to hot dishes. If you follow all the recommendations and follow the freezing rules, it will retain its freshness and healthy vitamins for a long time.

There are no similar entries.

Content

To get the necessary vitamins and season your dishes with aromatic herbs even in winter, you can freeze them. If the rules of the process are followed, the herbs retain their vitamin benefits, aroma and taste. At home, it is possible to freeze parsley, dill, celery, basil, and mint.

Preparation

In order for frozen greens to be stored in the freezer longer, not to wilt and not lose their taste, they must be properly prepared for processing. Useful tips:

When purchasing, you need to choose fresh, elastic bunches, without yellow withered inflorescences or signs of wilting or rotting.
The grass is thoroughly washed, sand and other contaminants are removed from it.
The greens are laid out to air dry in a thin layer for about half an hour, so that no drops of moisture remain.
Cut off the coarsest stems.
If necessary, chop the grass with a thin sharp knife and mix the mixes.
Place in containers or plastic bags and place on the freezer shelf.
The bags need to be shaken every half hour to prevent the leaves from sticking together.

How to freeze greens for the winter

Harvesting greens for the winter is a process that has its own characteristics. Professional recommendations:

Do not freeze greens using metal or glass containers. Herbs contain many biologically active substances that can oxidize metal. Glass can crack due to temperature changes. For freezing, it is optimal to choose plastic bags, plastic containers or silicone molds.
You need to freeze greens in small portions. This way the process will go faster and more vitamins will be preserved.
Dill and parsley can be frozen immediately with salt or oil, basil, oregano - in bunches, celery and mint - in leaves.

Frozen greens do not need to be thawed before using. You need to take a portion or pinch off the required amount from a large piece and immediately add it to the soup or meat. This way the herbs will not lose their beneficial substances and aroma.

Bunches

The method of freezing greens in bunches is good if you have a lot of space in the freezer. Using this method, dill, basil, parsley, mint, and sorrel are prepared for the winter. They are stored in containers, laid loosely, or wrapped in foil so that the bundles do not crush each other. Cooking method:

Wash the raw materials, dry them thoroughly, collect in bunches, cut off the stems.
Place on a tray so that the bunches do not touch each other, and place in the freezer at maximum setting.
Remove from the chamber, transfer to containers or wrap in foil, fold for storage.

Green cubes

The cube method of freezing is faster than others because the spices do not need to be dried. To prepare, you will need plastic or silicone molds (in which ice or baked goods are prepared). In the same way, you can freeze herbs for cosmetic treatments. Cooking method:

Wash the greens, remove the stems, finely chop the leaves or grind them in a blender.
Divide the mixture into molds, compact, and pour in a little water.
Place in the freezer to freeze.
Remove the cubes, put them into bags, and reuse the empty molds.

Sliced

Finely chopped frozen parsley, basil, dill or sorrel can be conveniently stored in the freezer. It doesn't take up much space, especially if you put it in a large container and scoop it up with a spoon if necessary. Cooking method:

Wash and dry the herbs, cut off the stems.
Finely chop the green parts and place in bags or containers.
Place in the freezer to freeze and store.

With salt

An almost ready-made soup dressing mixture can be obtained by mixing the greens with salt and freezing. More often, for this purpose, they take dill sprigs no higher than 15 cm in height, which will preserve the aroma, softness and tenderness of taste for the winter. To prepare, you will need coarse white (rock) salt, but not iodized salt - according to reviews, it imparts bitterness. Cooking process:

Proportions: for 300 g of fresh dill, 100 g of coarse salt.
Cut off the roots, rinse the greens with running water, tie in a bunch, and dry on a napkin.
Tear off the leaves, place in a deep bowl, cover with salt.
Shake the bowl to mix the ingredients. Do not crush the branches; the workpiece remains dry.
Transfer the workpiece into bags and place in the freezer.

Let's talk about how to freeze parsley for the winter in the refrigerator. Garden abundance is a balm for the soul of the owners and at the same time a lot of worries. It’s not enough to grow a crop; it also needs to be preserved.

Freezing parsley is an ideal preservation method for fresh herbs, which allows you to preserve color and aroma, makes easy to use in the kitchen. Parsley is the most common seasoning: people like to add it to salads and soups, and use it in folk medicine and cosmetology. No matter how much parsley you store for the winter, it will still not be enough.

But an experienced gardener does not need to be taught how to care for a garden in order to freeze enough vegetables, parsley and other greens for the winter in the refrigerator.
How to properly prepare spices
Harvesting parsley for the winter does not have to happen at the end of the season. The more often the branches are cut, the more tender and juicy the fragrant grass grows back. If you do not touch the bushes until the end of summer, the branches will become stiff. The bed with parsley should be of such a size that part has time to recover while the owners are working on the other. If you use parsley roots in the kitchen, you need to decide in advance which bushes you need to dig up in the fall.

Harvesting parsley for the winter can be done not only with the help of cold: the grass can be sprinkled with salt, pickled, greens and parsley roots can be dried. The latter option is not as rich in vitamins, but it is good for preparing dry spicy mixtures. Only industrial shock freezing can completely preserve the vitamins and microelements of a product. But if you do everything correctly and quickly at home, you can get the maximum benefit from your preparations.
Fresh, healthy leaves are suitable for winter storage. You should not freeze store-bought parsley for the winter. There, the greens are treated with preservatives that will turn the seasoning into real poison.
Planning and preparation
Every kitchen has its own recipes for how to properly freeze parsley. To make it convenient to use the herb in cooking later, you need to take into account several important points:
If possible, it is better to allocate a separate drawer in the freezer for vegetables and spices so that the smells of the products do not mix.
Parsley should be well washed and thoroughly dried. If you do not remove excess moisture, the mass will eventually freeze into one lump.
Material for packaging must be prepared in advance: zip bags, food foil, ice trays, plastic containers.
Freezing must be packaged wisely. It’s good if the greens are immediately divided into portions. Why can't you store the seasoning in one large bag? Every time you take out another portion, the entire contents of the bag will come into contact with air and lose their properties.
The spice should last all winter.

The method for freezing parsley should be tailored to the dishes to which the seasoning will be added. Provide several different options for adding to entrees, salad dressings, and garnishing. There should be a suitable preparation for all your favorite recipes.
Harvesting methods
The first thing to do is prepare the greens for freezing. It must be washed, sorted, freed from dry and limp twigs. Then form the parsley into a bunch and cut off the rough lower stems. The remaining tender leaves must be filled with plenty of water for an hour so that small grains of sand sink to the bottom, and snails and insects crawl to the surface. Afterwards, the greens are sorted out again and washed under running water. Now you can dry it on a kitchen towel or parchment paper. When the excess moisture has evaporated, you can prepare to freeze. We offer several interesting recipes How to properly freeze parsley, for all occasions.
The easiest way to freeze
Chop the parsley, place it on a baking sheet and put it in the freezer. Do not chop the greens too finely: the less the knife touches the leaves, the more nutrients are retained in them. Some housewives simply tear up the grass with their hands. Frozen parsley is very fragile, and during the transfer process it will break, chopping even more.
An hour later, the frozen parsley is taken out of the refrigerator and transferred into portioned bags. Such a crumbly preparation will take up less space, be easy to divide into pieces and look beautiful in the soup.
Some people like to freeze a whole bunch of parsley for the winter, simply stuffing it into a bag, but then using such a preparation is very inconvenient. If space in the freezer allows, you can pour the seasoning into a plastic container and close tightly.

You can place the greens on food foil and roll them up and put them in the freezer. Some housewives love this packaging option. In winter, you can unroll the roll and take out as much frozen greens as you need.
Beautiful twigs for decorating holiday dishes
We pack the washed and dried leaves in food foil envelopes and place them so that they are disturbed as little as possible before use. Freezing parsley this way requires great care. When it comes time to use the sprigs, it is important to let the envelope defrost before opening it, otherwise the decoration will break. Curly parsley is especially decorative.
Blanks in the form of ice cubes
Place finely chopped parsley in an ice container and add a small amount of water. This method is suitable for those whose freezer is not too busy for the winter. Once completely frozen, transfer the cubes to a bag.
These cubes can be added directly to a bowl of hot soup - they will add a fresh summer aroma and help the dish cool down faster. Using greens frozen in this way is well suited for facial cryomassage. The cubes whiten and rejuvenate the skin.

Instead of water, greens can be poured olive oil- this will be a frozen salad option. As an alternative, tomato juice will do. Personally, I freeze it with a little lemon juice and honey for savory vegetable salads.
The ideologists of real Cossack borscht prepare cubes of greenery with finely chopped salted lard, then grind them in a mortar with garlic - this is called “pounding” the borscht. Little tricks like these make time-tested recipes easier.
Freezing secrets
A good housewife will never waste anything. The lower stems of parsley can also be used. They are rough, but they are superior in aroma and astringent taste to the leaves; they contain more juice and vitamins. If you grind them in a blender and freeze them in the form of cubes, you can use them as an ingredient for meat broths. The green mass is added to beef or pork after boiling and gives the broth a noble taste and aroma. In winter, such greens can also be used in marinades for fish or chicken.
Before freezing, parsley root must be washed, peeled, cut into small pieces and blanched. It gives any dish a special spicy taste.
Is it possible to freeze parsley mixed with other spices? Certainly! You can and should mix it to your taste - with onions, dill or wild garlic, to diversify the taste of your favorite dishes with herbs. All that remains is to choose how to freeze parsley for the winter in order to use it beneficially and in a variety of ways.
Greens should not be defrosted repeatedly - this will harm them. The grass will lose its properties and darken. If for some reason you have to empty the freezer, the frozen food can be transferred to sterilized glass jars and filled with a simple marinade.

Properly prepared frozen parsley can be safely stored until the next gardening season. In order for it to come sooner, you need to take care of the bed with greenery - cover it for the winter, and stretch the film in the spring. In March-April it will be possible to add the first fresh leaves to food.

Mila: | November 17th, 2014 | 1:55 pm

I also freeze greens in cubes, but... I use it most often with boiled potatoes, then fill it not with water, but with melted butter.
Answer: Mila, thank you for sharing your cooking method!

Alena: | September 3rd, 2012 | 12:00 pm

Valery, honestly, I’m “allergic” to celery)))))) I’ve also heard this method of freezing greens: Bell pepper they clean it, stuff it with dill and parsley or some herbs, if you like, and freeze it that way. But personally, it seems to me that this way takes up more space in the chamber.. I don’t know... This year I decided to experiment and froze the tomatoes, just the cream. I tried it and it’s okay))) I think it’ll work for pizza)

Answer: I also heard about this method. But I didn't experiment. Because it takes up a lot of space. In addition, the pepper itself is very fragrant, and the greens will be saturated with its smell even in the freezer.

Ksenb: | September 2nd, 2012 | 5:20 pm

I want to say thank you :) I made a test batch in July, recently I threw one cube into the soup, I appreciated the dramatically improved taste, color and smell :) I went to make the next batch :)

Valery: | August 18th, 2012 | 3:37 pm

as well as in borscht, etc.

Valery: | August 18th, 2012 | 3:23 pm

Alena: I cut the pepper in half and cut it thinly.
And if you also cut it crosswise, and then add celery greens (1:1), freeze it all in a plastic glass, then
Alena: in winter, hot green peppers in broth look stunning
it will also be AWESOMELY delicious in broth

Yana: | August 2nd, 2012 | 7:57 am

When my daughter was a baby, she didn’t like greens. Perhaps because it is difficult for babies to chew.
Then I started grinding dill and parsley in a blender. I had to add a little water, because due to the small portion of greens, the equipment simply “slipped.” Ready green liquid - in silicone mold. Then, if necessary, I added one piece of ice to my daughter’s portion of hot soup - and the soup cooled slightly and added vitamins. And for adults, just chopped greens...

Dasha, thank you for all the advice.

Answer: Thank you, Yana, for the idea. My daughter doesn’t like greens either. I'll use your tip!

Natasha: | August 2nd, 2012 | 2:37 dp

Hm... what about vitamins? It’s clear that the scalded one has more impact, but in addition to the aroma, I would also like some benefits. Otherwise, why bother? I don’t know about cheaper: if you have your own garden, then yes, you’re lucky. I buy greens at the market. A small bunch is 10 rubles, a little larger is 20 rubles. If you want the aroma and volume of greens in the soup, you can buy dried ones in bags (seasoning without salt). I personally feel sorry for buying 200 rubles worth of greens and putting them in the freezer, thereby destroying their beneficial properties.

Answer: if you prefer to use dried herbs, then you can do it that way - I don’t argue. I can even tell you...

Love: | August 1st, 2012 | 9:58 am

Class! Cubes with greens. And I loaded the packages, and of course the smell. THANK YOU,

Alena: | May 8th, 2012 | 9:25 am

Parsley, dill, green onions I advise you to cut it before freezing: it’s more convenient and there’s more space) Dasha, thank you for such a wonderful and useful site! Many housewives will definitely find this advice useful)

Alena: | May 8th, 2012 | 9:20 am

This is how I freeze basil and hot peppers. Only I don’t cut the basil by hand, but throw it into the chopper /not to the point of porridge!!)))/. It turns out finely chopped greens) But I tear the hot pepper while it is still green and not red, put on gloves, cut the pepper in half and cut it thinly. Then the process follows the principle of freezing greens. The pepper does not lose its spiciness, and in winter, hot green peppers look stunning in the broth! I recommend))

Answer: thank you, Alena, for the additions!

Tanechka: | March 21st, 2012 | 6:40 am

I store it in a plastic container, compacting it not very tightly, sometimes the mixture at once - for soup, for salads.
The smell now – in spring – is much more aromatic than the store-bought greenhouse smell.

I simply cut off the required portion thinly with a knife - frozen greens are fragile, and you get a ready-made addition to the soup,
and if I need pieces, for example, curly parsley, I separate it with my hands.

This takes a long time to write, but in reality it’s quick, the rest doesn’t have time to thaw, I put it back in the freezer

Answer: It’s generally beneficial to freeze greens. And more aromatic and cheaper than what you can now buy under the code name “fresh”.

Dasha: | August 13th, 2011 | 7:07 am

The idea is not mine, I picked it up from someone else. But very convenient :)

Dasha: | August 13th, 2011 | 7:06 am

Yes, such a problem long-term storage may arise. To avoid this, frozen food should be stored in special sealed plastic containers. And what is in regular bags should be used first. Well, store greens in a separate box from meat and fish.

Valerytzc: | August 13th, 2011 | 6:32 dp

I read you via LiveJournal. Everything is delicious, and this is simply brilliant!!

Anonymous: | August 13th, 2011 | 6:27 am

Doesn't this green stuff smell like a freezer afterwards? I tried freezing chopped greens, by the beginning of winter they began to smell, a vague but noticeable smell