How to Cut Fresh Basil for Storage

Add fresh basil to your favorite dish.

Basil adds a distinct flavor to dishes and it has a noticeable, fresh aroma. When growing basil in the garden, cut properly for storage. Fresh basil loses its color and texture quickly once harvested. Storing the basil keeps it fresh and extends its shelf life. Cut fresh basil only when you plan to use it so that it remains high in quality.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Jar
• Plastic bag

Instructions

1. Harvest basil leaves before flowers develop. Removing the leaves before the flowers form encourages the plant to grow more leaves.

2. Inspect the basil plant daily until it contains six to eight healthy leaves.

3. Remove the leaves from the plant with sharp scissors. Cut the basil leaf stems from the plant, but leave two to four leaves on each stem so that the plant continues growing.

4. Cut the stems at a 45-degree angle after harvesting. Place the cut stems in a jar of water and set the jar away from direct sunlight. The basil leaves last longer if the jar is covered with a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator.

Tips & Warnings

• Basil leaves lose their texture and flavor when frozen, but freezing the leaves in ice cube trays with water helps retain the quality. Frozen basil leaves last three to six months.

• Avoid pinching the flowers off when they develop because it encourages more flowers to grow. Once flowers form on the basil plant, the leaves develop a bitter flavor.

References

• NC State University; Basil; Jeanine M. Davis; May 1997
• Utah State University; Basil in the Garden; Lindsay Pearson, et al.; June 2010
• West Virginia University; Growing Herbs in the Home Garden