Why You Should Always Wash Fresh Herbs As Soon As You Get Home

There are so many different kinds of herbs and so many ways to use them. From basil and mint to rosemary and dill, these fragrant beauties keep our meals vibrant and aromatic. But to really tap into their full, delicious potential, it's important to know how to store them so they stay as fresh as possible for as long as possible. And the secret to doing this may surprise you: Wash those herbs as soon as you get them home. Many of us may grab our lush little green bundles from the farmer's market or grocery store and stash them away until it's time to use them, washing them whenever that is. But those herbs are quickly losing the moisture they need to keep from wilting and drying out. Washing them immediately rehydrates them so they're nice and fresh when you pop them into the fridge, where they'll remain in peak condition longer. 

To wash them properly, trim their stems just as you would with a bouquet of flowers — this boosts the amount of water they can absorb, further improving hydration. Pick off any thick stems or browned leaves you'd ultimately discard. Toss the herbs into a salad spinner with cold water. Rinse the herbs with your hands and drain the salad spinner; repeat until you're not seeing any dirt in the water coming out. Once it's all clear, run the spinner to dry the herbs.

Once they're clean and dry, knowing how to properly store the herbs in the refrigerator will help you get the most of them. They will hang onto some level of moisture from washing in their leaves, and that's a good thing — it will keep them hydrated. Roll them in paper towels, which wraps that moisture in, as the residual moisture slightly dampens the towels and this helps keep the herbs fresh. Put the rolls into a sealed plastic bag and then into the fridge. Don't place them anywhere that might get extra cold, as that important moisture may just freeze with some herbs. Somewhere like your crisper drawer is safe because your herbs won't be subject to rising and falling temperatures. Pro tip: Label the bag with what the herb is, since all you'll see is paper towel, and the date especially if you're buying lots of herbs often.

Some herbs wilt more quickly than others, like parsley and cilantro. For those, place the cut, washed bundle into a jar with one to two inches of water — touching the stems, not the leaves. Pop a plastic bag over the top and refrigerate them this way; they can then last for a few weeks, but keep an eye out for any browning or drooping. You can get even more time from some herbs. For example, when looking to store lemongrass so it lasts, let washed, trimmed stalks flash-freeze on a baking sheet before transferring them to an airtight sealed container — you'll have peak-condition lemongrass for months.