How to store fresh herbs so they last longer

The key to storing fresh herbs is treating them like cut flowers. For soft-stem herbs like cilantro, parsley, dill, and mint: trim the bottom inch of the stems, place them in a jar or glass with an inch of water, and loosely cover the leaves with a plastic bag before refrigerating. Change the water every two to three days. With this method, Serious Eats reports that cilantro and parsley can stay fresh for up to two weeks.

Basil is the exception. Refrigeration causes basil leaves to turn black and wilt within hours. Instead, trim the stems, place basil in a jar of water, and keep it on the counter at room temperature out of direct sunlight. Change the water daily and it will last a week or more.

Hardy herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano prefer the fridge but don’t need water. Wrap them loosely in a slightly damp paper towel and store in a sealed container or zipper bag. They’ll stay good for two to three weeks this way. The key is the paper towel being just damp — wet enough to prevent drying out, not wet enough to cause rot.

Chives are the one oddball: store them standing upright in a glass with a little water (like scallions), but wrap a rubber band around the tops to keep them from flopping over, then cover loosely with a bag in the fridge.