Is there anything better than the smell of fresh basil? Those spicy, vibrant green leaves are the secret weapon for leveling up your salads, soups, and pasta sauces. If you want to keep your basil tasting like summer all year long, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about harvesting and storing this kitchen staple.
The Right Way to Harvest Your Basil
Basil grows into a beautiful, bushy plant, but the real magic is in those aromatic leaves.
When it’s time to harvest, you don’t really need any fancy tools—though a small pair of garden snips or a knife works great, your fingers are usually all you need. Here’s the golden rule: Don’t just pluck off individual leaves. If you do, the plant will just grow tall and leggy instead of filling out. Instead, harvest an entire stem by cutting it just above a leaf node (where a pair of leaves is growing). This actually encourages the plant to branch out and grow even more basil for you! Once you’ve got your stems, gently pull the leaves off. If the stems are still super tender, feel free to chop those up and use them, too.
Keeping Your Basil Fresh
Sometimes you buy a big bunch of basil at the farmers’ market and can’t use it all at once. To keep it from wilting, wrap the stems in a damp paper towel, put the whole bundle in a reusable bag, and pop it in the fridge.
Another great trick is to treat your basil like a bouquet of flowers. Stick the stems in a glass of water on your counter. It’ll stay fresh for days this way. In fact, if you leave it in the water long enough, you might notice little white roots starting to grow—that’s your cue that you can actually [ link u=basilikum-vermehren] propagate [/link] the plant and start a new one!
How to Preserve Basil for Later
If you’ve got a massive harvest and want to save that flavor for the winter months, you’ve got a few great options. You can dry it , [ link u=basilikum-einfrieren] freeze it [/link], or infuse it in oil or vinegar.
A heads-up on drying: Basil tends to lose quite a bit of its punchy flavor when dried, so if you go this route, try to dry it as quickly as possible.
Freezing is actually my favorite way to preserve it. You can freeze the leaves whole or chop them up first. Pro tip: You can even freeze homemade pesto in ice cube trays!
If you love flavored oils, try submerging chopped basil in olive oil or vinegar. Let it steep for a few weeks, and you’ll have a delicious infusion that tastes amazing on pasta or drizzled over a Caprese salad.
Quick Tip: If you find yourself buying basil constantly, why not try growing a pot on your windowsill or balcony? It’ll thrive all summer long, giving you a never-ending supply of fresh greens right at your fingertips.
