How to Save Fresh Herbs: Herb Bombs

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Herb Bombs are the best and easiest way to preserve fresh herbs. It’s a simple and easy trick to have in your pocket, especially when your herbs are in season. 

Fresh herbs, olive oil and some frozen herb bombs on a wooden cutting board.

If your garden has gone wild, it’s the perfect time to preserve all those wonderful herbs as herb bombs. They pack so much more flavor than their dried counterparts, and are much easier to store than fresh herbs. Plus, you don’t have to worry about them going bad!

Herb bombs are wonderful additions in Meat Sauce, on Homemade Pizza and to almost any soup, stew, or chowder recipe

Frozen herb bombs on a wooden cutting board with a bottle of olive oil in the background and some fresh herbs next to them.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Easy way to preserve fresh herbs. 
  • Reduce food waste.
  • Provide more flavor than dried herbs.
  • Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Fresh parsley: Or any fresh herb. 
  • Garlic
  • Extra virgin olive oil: Can also use water or coconut milk depending on the herb you’re using. 

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

What I love most about making herb bombs are all the combinations. The fresh herbs need a “carrier,” which can be olive oil, but it could be any number of liquids. 

  • Olive oil and rosemary.
  • Lime juice and cilantro.
  • Coconut milk and Thai basil, cilantro, and chives.
  • Water and mint. 

How to Make Herb Bombs

  • Step #1. Put all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk or stir until combined. 
  • Step #2. Add the herb mixture to ice cube trays (should make about 16 herb bombs). 
  • Step #3. Put the ice cube trays in the freezer until solid the herb bombs are solid. 
  • Step #4. Remove the herb bombs from the ice cube trays and store in a freezer zipper bag for up to six months.

Recipe FAQs

What are the best herbs to save as in herb bombs?

Any fresh herb will work with this method. Be mindful of whether garlic will go well with the herb you’re preserving. For example, I would probably omit garlic from a mint herb bomb and a cilantro one. 

Can I use these herb bombs as a garnish?

They are not recommended for garnishing though because the extra liquid won’t be welcome and freezing the herbs changes their texture so they don’t work well as a garnish. 

What do I use the herb bombs in?

You can use these in place of fresh herbs in just about any recipe. You can add them to salad dressing, soups or just about any dish you would put fresh herbs in. 

Close up of some herb bombs on a wooden cutting board with a bottle of olive oil in the background.

Expert Tips

  • Add one or two herb bombs into a soup for an extra dose of flavor. 
  • Make a quick salad dressing by melting a couple of oil-based herb bombs and then whisk in some vinegar or lemon juice, salt and pepper and you’re good to go. 
  • You can use water instead of oil. Water would be particularly good with mint because then you could use it as an ice cube in club soda, lemonade, or water to add some refreshing flavor. 

More Preserving Recipes to Consider

How to Use Fresh Herbs
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Parsley and Garlic Oil Herb Bombs

Learn how to preserve your fresh herbs from the garden or store by making delicious herb bombs.
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 2 hours
Servings: 16

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups fresh parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
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Instructions 

  • Add everything to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add the mixture to ice cube trays (should make about 16 herb bombs). Freeze until solid. Remove from the ice cube trays and store in a freezer zipper bag.
  • Use in place of fresh herbs in just about any recipe. Not recommended for garnishing though because the extra liquid won’t be welcome.

Notes

  • You can use pretty much any herb in these herb bombs, including basil, rosemary, chives, cilantro, mint, etc.
  • You may want to omit the garlic if it doesn’t typically accompany the herb (such as mint). 
  • Store the frozen herb bombs in a freezer bag for up to three to six months in the freezer. 
  • This recipe/tip/trick comes from the cookbook, Not Your Mama’s Canning Book, by my friend, Rebecca, at Foodie with Family

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 16 servings, Calories: 182kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 0.2g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15g, Sodium: 5mg, Potassium: 43mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 632IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 1mg
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4 Comments

  1. deb c says:

    You were right…..this book is amazing. I am having so much fun reading it and drooling and plotting and planning….I am having to force myself to put it down and go to bed! PS….I definitely am a Fearful Canner and a SCS Canner…..I have seen spaghetti squash dangling from the ceiling before! Freaked me out….I didn’t eat spaghetti squash for 25 years after that episode.

  2. Rebecca says:

    Thank you so much, sweet Melissa! I am so glad you like the book and the herb bombs! ❤️

  3. Becky H says:

    Ooo, these look so good Melissa. It looks like a great book!

  4. katie w says:

    I can’t wait to look through this book, it looks awesome! Hope you are doing well friend!