How to Dry Parsley: 5 Easy Ways

How to Dry Parsley from the Garden

Drying fresh parsley is an easy way to save its flavor for later. Here’s a guide on how to dry parsley using five different ways.

Sometimes, I get parsley in my box of organic veggies from a farm I order from. I don’t use it a lot, so the best way to keep it good for a long time is by drying it.

It’s extremely easy.

If you want to learn more, read my guide on how to dry herbs, so you can preserve all of your fresh herbs.

In a nutshell, you take the parsley, tie it with a string, hang it in a dry, cold room for a week, and voila you have dried parsley.

Below I break down all of the methods you can use to dry your fresh parsley.

How to Dry Fresh Parsley

Step 1: Harvesting Parsley for Preservation

The best time to pick parsley for drying is in the morning when it’s the strongest.

Find healthy parsley plants and use scissors or a knife to cut the parsley just above the bottom of the stem, but keep some stem with the leaves.

Don’t take more than one-third of the plant so it can keep growing.

Step 2: Cleaning

Give the picked herbs a little shake or tap to get rid of dirt, bugs, and stuff.

Then, rinse the parsley gently with cool water to wash away any dirt or bugs.

Afterward, shake it to get rid of extra water, or use a clean kitchen towel to pat it dry.

Make sure the parsley is really dry before you dry it out.

Step 3: Choose the Drying Method

There are different ways to dry parsley, and some are simple while others need special tools.

Four of these ways don’t need a dehydrator.

Drying Parsley by Hanging

This is the old-school, simple, and cheap way. Take 4-6 parsley stems, tie them up with string or a rubber band to make a little bunch, and hang them upside down in a place that’s dry and dark with good air.

Keep them away from the sun because it can make the parsley lose its taste and color.

It might take 1 to 2 weeks for the parsley to dry, depending on how wet it is and how much air there is. Just wait and let it dry all the way.

How to Dry Parsley in Paper Bag or Towel Method

Another way is to put the parsley bundles in a paper bag with holes or on a clean, dry towel.

Keep them in the dark, breezy place. Look at the parsley often to make sure it’s drying the same all over.

How to Dry Parsley in the Oven

If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven, which is faster and won’t cost much. First, heat your oven to its lowest temperature, which is usually about 170°F or 75°C.

Then, spread out your clean, dry parsley on a baking sheet in a single layer.

Keep the oven door slightly open to let the moisture out. Check the parsley now and then because they can dry up in 1-4 hours.

How to Dry Parsley in a Dehydrator

If you’ve got a food dehydrator, just follow what the instructions from the company say to dry herbs.

Usually, you’ll need to set the temperature to about 95°F (35°C) and let the parsley dry for a few hours.

How to Dry Parsley in a Freeze Dryer

This is the priciest way, but it keeps the parsley’s color and taste really well.

Just follow what your freeze-dryer’s instructions say. Put the parsley on the trays and start the process, which can take from a few hours to a few days.

Make sure the parsley is totally freeze-dried. When they’re all dried up, they’ll be brittle, crumble easily, and not have any moisture left.

Freeze-drying is a good way to keep herbs tasty and colorful, but it requires you to buy expensive equipment.

Step 4: Check for Dryness

To see if the parsley is dry enough, just crush a leaf between your fingers.

It should break apart easily into little pieces. If it still feels wet or bendy, it needs more time to dry.

Step 5: How to Store Dried Parsley

After the parsley is completely dry, take the leaves off the stems and put them in airtight containers, glass jars, or bags that you can vacuum-seal.

Don’t forget to write down the date on the container so you know how fresh it is.

Step 6: Store in a Cool, Dark Place

To keep your dried parsley tasting good and strong, put it in a cool, dark spot away from sunlight and heat.

If you dry and store herbs right, they can stay good for a few months to a year or even longer, depending on what kind of herbs they are.

How to use Dried Parsley

You can use dried parsley in various recipes like soups, stews, roasted vegetables, and as a seasoning for fish or poultry.

Dried or fresh parsley works great in my coconut flour biscuit recipe.

Fresh Parsley to Dried

If you want to use dried parsley instead of fresh parsley, here’s how: 1 teaspoon of dried parsley is like having 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley.

But keep in mind, that dried herbs have a stronger flavor than fresh ones, so use them carefully and taste as you go.

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