My Favorite Ways to Use Up Leftover Fresh Herbs

Thyme is of the essence. [Today On The Spruce]( [The Spruce Daily]( [Thyme Is of the Essence]( [Thyme Is of the Essence]( [Victoria Heydt](, Editorial Project Manager We’ve all been there before: found [a delicious recipe]( that calls for fresh herbs, bought a bunch, then proceeded to use only a fraction of it, leaving the rest to wither away to an unseemly death in the cold depths of the [crisper drawer](. Well, not this year, my friends. Not this year. In 2022, a tiny habit I’m making an effort to develop and keep is to no longer let those beautiful greens go to waste. No more wilted [cilantro](, [parsley](, or [mint](. No more browned [rosemary](. No. More. What can you do instead? Here are a few ideas to help use up those fresh herbs: • [Freeze Them](: You can freeze fresh herbs, like cilantro, either whole or in ice cubes. • [Dry Them](: There are plenty of ways to dry your fresh herbs: air drying, microwave drying, oven drying, or dehydrating. • [Infuse Them in Spirits](: Try your hand at infusing them into spirits. I have my eye on our Lavender-Rosemary Infused Vodka recipe. • [Use Them in Cocktails](: Add a bright, earthy flavor profile to your cocktails or use them as fun garnishes. (Guess who’s going to try their hand at smoking rosemary?! Hint: It’s me!) • [Infuse in Oil](: Infuse them in oil for a lovely flavor boost when cooking day-to-day foods. • [Make Butter](: Chop up those herbs and create your own compound butter. (I did just this for our [filet mignon recipe](, and I still have dreams about it.) • [Make Salt](: Make a flavored salt to give an extra boost to your recipes. • [Make Bread](: If you, like me, found yourself making a lot of bread in 2021, then you already have all of the ingredients to make this delicious [rosemary focaccia bread](. • [Make Pesto](: Put your leftover basil to use in our [classic pesto]( recipe. Delish! • [Make a Salad Dressing](: Take 5 minutes to whip up our bright and flavorful [lemon vinaigrette]( with leftover parsley. The best tip I can provide is to be proactive. When planning your meals for the upcoming week/s, be mindful to select a few recipes that use the same herbs. That way, you cross-utilize ingredients and reduce food waste. What are your go-to tips and tricks for using up leftover fresh herbs? Let us know on Facebook and Instagram @thespruceeats. Victoria Heydt Editorial Project Manager, The Spruce Eats [READ MORE]( [Today On The Spruce](#) What I'm Making With My Leftover Herbs [Feta With Olive Oil and Herbs]( [Feta With Olive Oil and Herbs]( [Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing]( [Grilled Filet Mignon ]( [Grilled Filet Mignon]( [Rosemary Focaccia]( [Today On The Spruce](#) The Spruce Eats on YouTube [Teeny Tiny Food Habits for 2022]( [The Spruce Eats’ Teeny Tiny Food Habits for 2022]( [Watch & Learn]( [Today On The Spruce]( [Spruce Eats Banner]( [Today On The Spruce](#) More from The Spruce Eats [The Perfect Snack to Power Your New Year’s Resolutions]( [The Best Pantry Organization Bins and Shelves]( [10 Food Storage Containers We Love]( [Today On The Spruce](#) Did somebody forward you this email? [Sign Up for The Spruce Eats Newsletter!]( Have feedback? Send us an email at contact@thespruceeats.com, subject line: Newsletter Feedback. [The Spruce]( [The Spruce]( Follow us: You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to The Spruce Eats newsletter. [Unsubscribe](page=spruceeatsprefnew) © 2022 Dotdash.com — All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy.]( A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005