Drying basil

Basil is a very traditional herb full of flavor. The leaves of the basil plant are strong and green, which means they are ready to be harvested. After picking the leaves from the stems, you are left with a simple problem: what to do with all this basil? Drying of course! Drying fresh basil will help you preserve your carefully grown herbs to be used whenever you need them!

How to dry basil: 4 easy methods

Drying basil is easier than you might think. In this article, you will learn how to dry basil leaves at home. As you might have guessed, drying basil leaves is done by subtracting water from the leaves. By doing this, the basil leaves will not rot, and you will be able to use them when you want. The four easiest ways of how to dry basil leaves, are:

• Drying basil by air;
• Drying basil by sun;
• Drying basil in microwave;
• Drying basil in oven.

How to dry basil leaves

Air or sun drying has been done for centuries. Here is how to dry fresh basil traditionally: pick fresh basil sprigs and tie them together using string or a rubber band. Hang the basil upside down in a warm and dry place and let it hang for about two to four weeks. In case you live in a tropical climate, you can also decide to sun dry your basil. Lay out your basil leaves on a sheet or mat in the sun. Make sure neither the sheet nor the leaves can be blown away by the wind. Move the sheet if necessary, so that it will lay on a sunny patch throughout the day. This process may take a few days, but is definitely worth it at the end.

How to dry basil in the oven or microwave

To dry basil much faster, you can use the oven. Place freshly picked and washed basil in a roasting pan or baking tray and put it in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees. After 20 minutes, let the oven cool down for a few hours with the basil leaves in it, and you are done. Now, how to dry basil in the microwave? This is by far the quickest way to dry basil, but is best uses for small amounts of basil. Put the basil in the microwave and turn it on for 30 seconds. Repeat this process until the leaves are totally dried to your liking, but be careful: once the leaves have gone too far, there is no going back. Happy drying!