Parsley is a Mediterranean herb belonging to the carrot family. Like most fresh herbs, parsley lasts longer when stored at low temperatures. If you plan to keep it for a short time, the refrigerator is the ideal spot. However, the refrigerator’s dry air is not suitable if you need to store it for a more extended period. To extend the shelf life of your parsley, store it in the freezer.
How long does parsley last in the freezer?
How long parsley lasts when frozen depends on the methods you use to freeze it. When stored properly, parsley can last for at least six months. To maximize shelf-life, store your parsley using the ice tray method.
Start by drying the parsley and then chopping it before placing the chopped herb in an ice tray. Fill the compartments with water and olive oil and then stick the tray in the freezer. Remove the parsley cubes from the ice tray and store them in a freezer bag. The ice cubes make it easier to add parsley directly to a dish as it cooks.
Alternatively, you can freeze parsley without using an ice cube tray. Divide the large bundle from the grocery store into smaller bundles, place each into small freezer bags, and freeze. Some experts suggest double-bagging the parsley to prevent freezer burn. When you need to add parsley to something, chop up one of your small bundles (or snip with kitchen scissors) while frozen.
Both varieties of parsley are robust. They can handle being frozen and thawed equally well. However, flat-leaf parsley is generally considered to be better for flavor, which means that it should be your first choice for freezing. It is worth noting that no matter how careful you are with freezing your parsley, it still won’t look precisely the way fresh parsley looks. It will not be as green or as crisp, which means that it probably won’t work as a garnish.
Will frozen parsley taste the same as fresh parsley when thawed?
When parsley is frozen using the methods above, it will taste almost exactly as it did when it was fresh. If stored incorrectly, the flavor may be muted, and it may have an extremely wilted or limp texture.
What are the best ways to use parsley that has been stored in the freezer?
Frozen parsley is an excellent ingredient for cooked dishes since the changes to texture from freezing/thawing won’t make a big difference. Use it in chimichurri sauce in pasta dishes and soups. While it won’t be an excellent ingredient for salads, frozen parsley works well in a vinaigrette or other type of salad dressing.
Does frozen and thawed parsley have a shorter shelf life than fresh parsley?
Bacteria and oxidation cause the spoilage of parsley and other fresh herbs. The point of freezing is to prevent spoilage by putting the bacteria into a state of hibernation and delaying oxidation. Freezing causes the parsley’s cell walls in the herb to break down. This is because of the expansion of water as it turns to ice.
Once the herb is thawed, the bacteria will wake up and begin to break down the parsley, but much of their job has already been done by the ice crystals. Oxidation will resume as well. As a result, frozen and thawed parsley does have a shorter shelf life than fresh parsley.