How to Preserve Basil in Olive Oil

Winter in the northeast can be cold and hard. Every summer I preserve what I can so I can take pieces of it with me into the long dark days ahead. One staple for my freezer stock pile is frozen basil olive oil cubes. This method preserves the aroma and flavor of fresh basil so well its like having fresh leaves picked straight from the garden.

Equipment

• Food Processor or Blender
• Ice Cube Trays or Souper Cubes
• Small Ladle
• Mason Jar or other freezer safe container

Ingredients

• 3-4 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup Organic Olive Oil, divided

Instructions

1. Rinse basil and dry thoroughly. Its important that the basil is dry
   
2. Remove all the leaves from the stems and add to food processor.
3. Chop basil for a few seconds in food processor. You may want to add the basil in increments, processing for a few seconds before adding more
   
4. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and blend.
   
5. Carefully scrape sides with a spatula then add remaining oil and process again.
6. If the mixture looks too dry add more olive oil.
7. Remove blade of food process and ladle into ice cube tray.
   
8. Freeze for 24 hours then remove frozen cubes from tray.
   
9. Store in a container or mason jar or large freezer bag in the freezer.
   

What Can These Basil Cubes Be Used For?

I love adding them to sauces like marinara and penne alla vodka. I also use them in casseroles or add them to the pan when I’m sautéing. They are wonderful in soups and stews. Adding them to marinara sauce is my favorite way to use basil cubes. I’ll usually add it in right after I add the canned tomato sauce.

How Long Do They Keep In The Freezer?

Basil cubes will keep for 3-6 months but if you’re like me you will use them up way faster than that!

What Other Herbs Does This Work For?

You can use the same method to preserve cilantro and mint too.

What’s the Difference Between Using a Food Processor and a Blender?

I personally find the food processor to be better suited for this recipe but a blender will work if that is all you have. When making these basil cubes, I like to chop up the basil before adding any oil and that always work better in a food processor than a blender.

Can I Give These Away as Gifts?

Absolutely! As long as the person you are giving them too will be able to get them into a freezer right away. I often put a few in smaller mason jars and give them as a hostess gift when I attend holiday parties. The funny part is that nobody is ever too impressed with them right away. But weeks later I will get a text from the person I gave them to saying they were desperate to use some basil in a dish but couldn’t find any at the store. Then they remembered the basil cubes and tried them and were blown away by how great they worked in their recipe! It’s always a good feeling.

I Love Learning About Food Preservation, What Other Techniques are There?

Fermenting foods is another great skill to have and way to preserve. You might enjoy two of my other posts about making sauerkraut and milk kefir.