How to Harvest and Freeze Parsley For Best Flavour

Do you harvest and freeze parsley? Parsley is one of my Top Five Garden Herbs to grow and l love having some available all year long.

curly parsley growing — Curly parsley growing in the flower bed. Tasty and pretty!

Also Read: How to Dry Parsley, Tabbouleh – Parsley Salad, How to Make Herb Butter

I usually grow five to ten plants per year. That’s a lot of parsley for a family of four, but I like to use parsley as a filler in my flower pots and as a border on my flower beds. Not only is it tasty, but it’s pretty! It also means, I have plenty of parsley to freeze for use all winter long.

close up of flat leaf parsley — Flat leaf parsley has a more intense flavour than curly parsley. They can be used interchangeably.

I prefer to freeze parsley for use throughout the year. I simply chop and freeze it – read on if you need more details.

harvest and freeze parsley — Wash, pat dry, chop and freeze parsley. Freezing holds the flavour of parsley much longer than drying it.

Quick Video: How to Harvest & Store Parsley

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I dehydrate some of my parsley so I can use it in my backcountry dried camping food, homemade seasoning blends and soup mixes, but I find frozen parsley retains its flavor much longer. For that reason I like to freeze most of my parsley.

How to Harvest Parsley

Parsley is harvested from the outside to the inside of the plant. Parsley grows new shoots from the center of the plant, so until your final harvest, leave the center part in tact. You will have new stalks regrow all summer long – until the snow flies.

When harvesting only take the stems from around the outside of the plant. Cut each stem about an inch or so from the ground so you have stems to hold onto. Unlike basil, oregano, mint and lemon balm, parsley will NOT regrow new stems where you cut it. The new stems will come from the center.

Check out this quick video of an early season parsley harvest showing you just how it’s done.

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How to Freeze Parsley

You can dry parsley but it loses its flavour quite quickly, within a couple of months. For that reason, I like to freeze parsley. It holds its flavour much longer and is quick and easy to do.

1. Wash freshly harvested or store bought parsley by swishing in a bowl of water. Remove any blemished or yellow leaves at this point.

2. Remove tough stems and spread the parsley leaves on a clean towel to dry for a couple of hours. By drying it really well before you chop it, your parsley won’t stick together in one big lump when you freeze it. This may not seem like a big deal now – but later you’ll appreciate having free flowing parsley rather than having to smash a big frozen lump of parsley with a hammer!

dry parsley well to avoid big frozen blocks harvest and freeze parsley — Parsley stems are tough and can be slightly bitter. Strip the leaves off the stems for best flavour and texture.

3. After all the surface moisture has dried, chop your parsley into your preferred size. I would not recommend using a food processor as that will make it too fine and potentially turn it into parsley puree.

4. Place chopped parsley into small freezer bags or freezer containers. If your parsley has a lot of moisture in it, you could sprinkle it on cookie sheets and freeze it before you place it in freezer bags so it doesn’t clump together.

chopped parsley harvest and freeze parsley

5. Label your baggies and store in your freezer until next year’s parsley is ready to use.

parsley in freezer bags harvest and freeze parsley — parsley in freezer bags

How to Use Parsley

Parsley is probably one of my most frequently used herbs. It’s mild enough that it doesn’t overpower, but strong enough that it adds a touch of “mmm, fresh from the garden” flavor. A sprinkle of parsley is also a visually appealing garnish that transforms an ordinary dish of potatoes, salad, soup, vegetables or pasta into something fancy! Company’s coming for dinner? Better get out the parsley!

But it’s not just for company, I use parsley pretty much every mealtime. For example, tonight we’re having homemade chicken noodle soup – I’ll add parsley to the soup as it’s simmering then sprinkle some on each bowl just before serving. Last night we had spaghetti sauce – the parsley went in and on top. The night before we had roast chicken with potatoes, carrots and salad – parsley garnish on the potatoes, parsley and melted butter on carrots and chopped parsley in the salad. Are you getting the point – put parsley on or in everything!

It’s also a key ingredient in tabbouleh, our favorite veggie dip and herb butter.

What’s your favorite way to use parsley?

Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this. Getty is a Professional Home Economist, speaker and writer putting good food on tables and agendas. She is the author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener.