How to use up herbs instead of throwing away

[wondering7777]

I bought a packet of basil, thyme and parsley for some recipes I was making and only used about half of each one. Does anyone have any ideas for how I can use these up without wasting them? (I’m assuming freezing won’t work!) Either in another dish or for other uses around the house - I use up lemons to freshen up the dishwasher for example. Thanks!

You can freeze them.
I add them to soups or use the basil in pesto.

I freeze them all the time, and then throw them in soups or stock whenever I'm next making them, they lose some of their structure after freezing, but I dont find that a problem if they're being cooked.

Freeze as ice cubes.

You could dry them.

Or with those herbs you have, add them to cooked pasta with a little olive oil for a really quick meal, or to fried mushrooms and add that to pasta

Freeze the basil and parsley, microwave dry the thyme.

Whizz them together with butter and a little garlic, roll into a sausage , slice and freeze. Herb butter. Can do all herbs together or separate ones.

Lovely stirred into risotto at the end, or on fish or steak whatever you fancy. Can use from from frozen or give it ten min to defrost first.

Yes freeze. Either chopped and packed into ice cube trays or just in a bag as it is. Parsley works particularly well, you'll never have to chop it. Just scrunch the bag it's frozen in and you have chopped herbs.

I've always frozen them, but then lost the small bags in the depths of my chest freezer. I find them a year later and throw them away. Sorry, no help.

This is great, thank everyone! I find the basil in particular seems to go off incredibly quickly - the leaves are starting to turn black.

I don’t actually have a food processor to whizz them together... but would like one!

Parsley works particularly well, you'll never have to chop it. Just scrunch the bag it's frozen in and you have chopped herbs.

That’s fantastic!

Thyme is nice on roast potatoes ( also rosemary ) chicken , sausages and fish
I like using thyme mixed into sausage meat for tasty sausage rolls

basil is great with pasta and tomatoes ,

I often do a pasta with pesto , cherry tomatoes , basil leaves , and pine nuts , chicken too if you are not veggie , grate it here hot or cold and makes a main or a snack

Parsley sauce to accompany a fish dish or over mashed potato

Garnish to any dish - all three , separately would be fine for this

They should keep for a week or so in the fridge or as others suggest freezing into ice cubes to store

Not tried it but would they last longer with the stalk ends in a little water?
The frozen parsley in a bag idea is a good one.

Do you have a pestle and mortar or a blender or chopper. ?

freeze them - take the leaves off, put them in ice cube trays and pour vegetable oil over and then freeze.

Turn basil into pesto, & then freeze if you can resis
t using it immediately.

I always forget about them if I freeze them, so I would make a pilaf and fold all the fresh herbs in at the end just before serving so they wilt in the hot rice.

Do you have a pestle and mortar

Yes I do! (Somewhere in the depths of my cupboard...)

I chopped up some of the basil and used it in a pasta sauce for dinner - and have frozen the rest of the parsley!

I make fridge pesto every couple of weeks...any soft herbs or rocket/baby spinach leaves that need using, cheese (preferably parmesan, but not always), nuts/sunflower seeds/pine nuts/whatever I have, olive oil and seasoning.

It's always different, completely inauthentic, but really nice stirred through hot pasta. Under a layer of oil, it will keep for a week in a jar in the fridge.

Sounds good @NeckPainChairSearch.

I don’t have a food processor - will a pestle and mortar do?

Put a piece of kitchen towel in the bag (I assume you're buying the bags) keeps them from going slimy before you would need to freeze them. This works for all leaves in a bag.

Whiz it up with garlic and butter then use as a herb butter on steaks, baked potatoes, etc.