Today I will show you how to dry fresh basil leaves for long-term storage. The four methods I’ll show you today will enable you to have higher-quality, better-tasting, and more affordable dried basil on hand!
For more handy kitchen tutorials like this, keep an eye on the weekly posts I release on my blog!
Some that still come in handy in my kitchen include How To Tell If A Lemon Is Bad and 5 Substitutes For Cornmeal.
Why Would You Want Dried Basil Leaves?
This may seem like a very strange tutorial to cover today. But you would be shocked to learn the many benefits of drying basil at home instead of buying pre-dried basil from the store.
However, the biggest reason people want to know how to dry fresh basil leaves isn’t necessarily for the benefits. More often than not, it’s actually because they just harvested a ton from the garden.
Another situation I find myself in quite often is not being able to find dried basil. In that case, I frequently have to make my own. Luckily, if you make a big enough batch, it will easily last you a couple of months.
If you are also struggling to find fresh basil, buying it in bulk (when you do find some) and drying it is a fantastic way to ensure you at least have something basil-flavored in your home.
Benefits Of Drying Basil
So, I briefly mentioned that there are actually benefits of making dried basil at home.
First, you have complete control over the drying technique. You will see that I’ve listed four methods today. All of them work, but some are far better than others. A great example of this is when you compare air drying with microwaving.
Air-drying basil leaves will help trap the fresh flavors and keep many of the nutrients. If you microwave the leaves, most of the nutrients will be destroyed, and the flavor will also be slightly less fresh and aromatic.
The second reason I love drying herbs myself at home is that I know exactly what goes into the final product. Believe it or not, but MANY spices and herbs you buy on the market are bulked up with other ingredients.
When you make your own dried basil leaves, you can rest assured knowing they didn’t undergo any chemical drying processes or have artificial additives.
With that, I can also say that the product you make is much fresh and of higher quality than what you buy in a store.
And finally, making your own dry basil leaves will save you money. Buying a bottle from the store is usually quite expensive and a massive waste of packaging.
If you make your own, especially if you harvested it from a plant or your garden, you will get a lot more bang for your buck!
So, let’s take a look at how to make dried basil leaves from fresh leaves.
Preparing Fresh Basil Leaves For Drying
Before the drying process can start, you have to clean the leaves. This includes washing, wiping, and drying the leaves first.
Step 1: Clean the leaves
To start, once you’ve picked the leaves, make sure they don’t have any bruised or rotting pieces on them. This will affect the final flavor of your batch.
You can leave the stems. They also have the basil flavor and will only add to your batch.
Step 2: Wash
Rinse the leaves and stems in cool water. The water shouldn’t be icy and running water may tear the leaves. Just fill a basin and gently rinse them off.
Step 3: Wipe them down
If there are any stubborn stains, you can wipe them off with a damp piece of kitchen towel or cloth.
Step 4: Dry the leaves slightly
Once the leaves have been cleaned, place them on pieces of paper towel to drain excess water. They don’t have to be dry as a bone, but the more you remove here, the better (and quicker) they will dry later.
How to Dry Fresh Basil Leaves
As I’ve mentioned, there are a couple of methods I will show you today. While they all work effectively, some are much better than others. Let’s take a look!
Method 1: Using An Oven
This method is great as a quick drying method that preserves the flavor and nutrients of the fresh leaves well. And almost everyone has an oven!
To start, preheat the oven to its lowest setting. This is usually around 160ºF (70ºC).
Place the dry basil leaves in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray. Try to pack as many leaves as you can inside the oven. And use multiple trays too, if you can. This is a lengthy process. So to save yourself some time, effort, and money, add as many packed trays as you can.
Put them in the preheated oven. This process will take at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours, but most likely a lot longer.
Once the leaves are completely dried (they will crumble between your fingers), you can leave them to cool at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Tips
Don’t put the heat too high to “dry the leaves quicker”. The lower the heat, the longer it will take, but the better the flavor and quality will be. A high heat may also burn the leaves. Just be patient. It’s a pretty hands-off process.
If it is at all possible, leave the basil leaves to air-dry for a couple of days before drying them in the oven.
Method 2: Use A Dehydrator
This appliance is designed to remove moisture from all kinds of food. And it can work at low temperatures, ensuring the quality will be much better.
Heat the dehydrator on the “herb setting.” It’s usually around 95ºF (35ºC). Stack the leaves in a single layer and leave them for 12-24 hours. They should be crumbly and crisp when they are done.
Personally, I think this method makes better dried basil leaves than an oven. The downside is that you need the appliance and that it takes a long time.
Method 3: Natural / Air-Drying
This works for basil leaves that still have stems.
Gather the stems and wrap them together tightly using a string. Leave them to hang upside down in front of a window. You need direct sunlight to quickly dry the leaves, and the airflow will help deter bacterial growth and pests.
This technique takes a couple of days. But it helps retain the best flavor and most nutrients. Not to mention, it adds a beautiful countryside feel to your home!
Method 4: Use A Microwave
This is by far the quickest method you can use. However, it removes the most flavor and destroys any nutrients left. Nevertheless, it works and will still give your food a basil flavor.
Place a piece of kitchen towel on the microwave plate. Then, stack the leaves in a single layer. Cover them with another piece of towel.
Microwave the leaves in 30-second intervals. You will need to repeat this about three to four times.
The leaves will become more shriveled and can be used in food immediately. However, this technique doesn’t make dried basil suitable for long-term storage.
You will need to use another method to complete the process.
But again, I don’t recommend this technique because it destroys the flavor.
How To Store Homemade Dried Basil Leaves
Once you’ve successfully dried your basil leaves, you can store them inside an airtight container. Many people like storing the leaves whole, whilst others crumble them into smaller pieces. It’s up to you.
The airtight container can be stored inside a pantry or cupboard. Make sure it’s not in direct light or near a heat source. These elements ruin the flavor quickly.
Leave a Reply