Enjoy fresh coriander all year round? You can if you freeze it. This way you can store it for up to 6 months.
As with many fresh herbs, it also happens with coriander that you have bought too much or harvested too much in the garden and then you are faced with the problem: What do I do with it? It is not always possible to process or consume a large quantity of fresh coriander immediately. So it makes sense to preserve the herb.
Freezing is a very simple and problem-free option. If you do it right, you'll always have some fresh coriander leaves on hand.
Freeze coriander - 2 ways presented
You can freeze cilantro in large bundles in a freezer bag or in portions in ice cube form. Which variant you use depends entirely on whether you want to use more or fewer leaves.
➔ Coriander in a freezer bag
- Step 1:
Wash the fresh branches and then dry them. Kitchen paper is best for this. To do this, simply place the coriander between two layers of paper and dab gently. - Step 2:
Then cut the leaves into manageable pieces with either a knife or kitchen scissors. Lay these cut leaves out on a baking tray lined with parchment paper so that they are not on top of each other. Otherwise the leaves will freeze into a lump. - Step 3:
Now put the baking sheet in the freezer for about 20 - 30 minutes. This way the leaves freeze and are easier to transfer to the freezer bag. - Step 4:
After freezing, put the leaves in a freezer bag with 50 ml of water and label it with the date, quantity and contents.
Coriander can easily stay in the freezer for up to 6 months if done correctly.
➔ Coriander in scoops
If you want to freeze coriander in manageable portions, you can use an ice cube tray:
- With this method, the coriander has to be washed first. Then draining in a sieve is sufficient.
- Now simply cut the leaves into fine onesstripes. Then put them in an ice cube tray, approx. 15 - 20g per compartment.
- Fill the individual compartments to the brim with water, preferably with a small ladle or a sauce ladle, and then place this mixture in the freezer.
So you have practical portion sizes for fresh coriander and if necessary you can simply add the cubes to a sauce or soup. That way the coriander doesn't even have to be thawed beforehand.