To keep cut fresh thyme fresh for days to weeks, store it in the fridge by wrapping it in a slightly damp paper towel and placing it in a sealed bag or container, or stand stems in a glass of water with a plastic bag tented over the top, treating it like flowers; for long-term, freeze leaves in ice cube trays with water or oil for soups and stews.
Home › Preserving Herbs › How to Store Thyme
Thyme is a wonderful herb to use fresh, but it can wilt quickly if not stored correctly. Take the time to store it the right way, and it will keep fresh for weeks. Or you can freeze it or dry it to keep it for even longer.
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>>Related post: How to Harvest Thyme
Then wash the cut thyme under fresh cold water to remove any surface dust or dirt, and gently pat dry on paper towels.
There are two basic approaches:
Loosely cover the jar with a food-safe plastic bag or cling wrap to keep the leaves clean.
You can keep the jar on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator. If storing it on the kitchen counter, the flavor will gradually be lost as the natural oils in the leaves are lost to the air. Storing it in the fridge will preserve the flavor for longer (so choose this option if you have the space).
Place the thyme sprigs in a jar, and cover with a lid or plastic bag.
Store the jar in the fridge, replacing the water every few days and checking the thyme of freshness.
Alternatively, you can store the fresh thyme in large mason jars and cover with the lid, or get yourself a herb saver*, which is a purpose-made jar for keeping fresh herbs fresh. These are designed to fit in the fridge door of most standard-sized refrigerators.
You want the paper towels to be damp rather than fully saturated. I like to spray the paper towels with water rather than placing them right under the tap, as it is easier to control the amount of water you apply.
Store the container in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Check the thyme every couple of days and re-dampen or replace the paper towels as needed.
Wrap the thyme sprigs in damp paper towels and place in an air-tight container or bag.
Store the container in the refrigerator, re-dampen or replace the paper towels every couple of days.
You will know it is time to throw it out when the thyme starts to turn dark, or if the stems or leaves start showing signs of sliminess or mold.
Remove any sprigs that start to show these signs, rinse the rest of the bunch and replace the water or paper towels. This should help the remaining thyme to last longer.
This is a super-convenient way to store leftover fresh thyme, as it can keep for a year or longer if stored correctly. Check out my article about drying thyme for all the details.
Home › Preserving Herbs › How to Store Thyme
How to Store Thyme
ByElleSeptember 24, 2021Thyme is a wonderful herb to use fresh, but it can wilt quickly if not stored correctly. Take the time to store it the right way, and it will keep fresh for weeks. Or you can freeze it or dry it to keep it for even longer.
This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my affiliate policy here.
Tips for storing fresh thyme
Use the freshest thyme possible
Use the freshest thyme you can get your hands on. Either pick it right before you are ready to store it, or choose the freshest bunch of thyme you can from the grocery store or farmers market.>>Related post: How to Harvest Thyme
Prepare it for storage
To prepare the thyme for storage, remove any dead or discolored leaves from your bunch of thyme.Then wash the cut thyme under fresh cold water to remove any surface dust or dirt, and gently pat dry on paper towels.
How to store fresh thyme in the fridge (2 ways)
Storing thyme in the fridge is the best way to keep it freshest for the longest. The aim is to create a damp environment to slow the loss of water from the leaves, but without the leaves being wet and becoming slimy.There are two basic approaches:
1. Stand in water
Trim the ends, then stand the cut thyme stems in a glass or jar of fresh water just like you would with fresh cut flowers. Change the water every couple of days to keep it fresh.Loosely cover the jar with a food-safe plastic bag or cling wrap to keep the leaves clean.
You can keep the jar on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator. If storing it on the kitchen counter, the flavor will gradually be lost as the natural oils in the leaves are lost to the air. Storing it in the fridge will preserve the flavor for longer (so choose this option if you have the space).
Alternatively, you can store the fresh thyme in large mason jars and cover with the lid, or get yourself a herb saver*, which is a purpose-made jar for keeping fresh herbs fresh. These are designed to fit in the fridge door of most standard-sized refrigerators.
2. Store between damp paper towels
You can also store thyme sprigs in the refrigerator wrapped in damp paper towels, either in an air tight container or a ziplock bag.You want the paper towels to be damp rather than fully saturated. I like to spray the paper towels with water rather than placing them right under the tap, as it is easier to control the amount of water you apply.
Store the container in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Check the thyme every couple of days and re-dampen or replace the paper towels as needed.
How long to store thyme in the refrigerator
Fresh thyme should keep for around 3 weeks if stored correctly in the refrigerator.You will know it is time to throw it out when the thyme starts to turn dark, or if the stems or leaves start showing signs of sliminess or mold.
Remove any sprigs that start to show these signs, rinse the rest of the bunch and replace the water or paper towels. This should help the remaining thyme to last longer.
How to store thyme long term
If you want to store fresh thyme for longer than a couple of weeks you have a few options. The best option to choose will depend on how you want to use the thyme.Freeze it
You can store thyme in the freezer for up to 6 months. There are two approaches you can take:- Freeze sprigs of thyme in a freezer-safe bag or container. Then remove a sprig or two as required for your recipe. Or,
- Make frozen herb cubes. Strip the leaves from the stems and place them in an ice-cube tray. Cover with water or olive oil and freeze. Then you can pop out a thyme cube as needed and add it to your recipe.
Dry it
Thyme is one of those rare herbs that retains its flavor very well when dried, as long as it is dried correctly.This is a super-convenient way to store leftover fresh thyme, as it can keep for a year or longer if stored correctly. Check out my article about drying thyme for all the details.
