Content

• Ingredients
• Freeze in bag
• Freezing in vegetable oil
• Freezing in butter
• Steps
• Method 1 of 5: Preparing the cilantro for freezing
• Method 2 of 5: Freeze in a bag
• Method 3 of 5: Freeze in vegetable oil
• Method 4 of 5: Freeze in Butter
• Method 5 of 5: Using frozen cilantro
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need
• Freeze cilantro in a bag
• Freezing cilantro in vegetable oil
• Freezing cilantro in butter

Cilantro (fresh coriander) is widely used in Asian, Indian, Mexican and Middle Eastern cuisines. She has a bright and unusual taste that can decorate almost any dish. Unfortunately, cilantro withers quickly and is not as good to dry as some other herbs. However, you can keep cilantro for longer by freezing it properly. In this article, you will find a description of several methods for freezing cilantro. In addition, you will find some tips on how to use frozen cilantro afterwards.

Ingredients

Freeze in bag

• Fresh cilantro

Freezing in vegetable oil

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil per
• 1 - 2 cups (50 - 100g) chopped cilantro

Freezing in butter

• About 100 g softened butter
• 1 - 3 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
• ½ tablespoon lime juice (optional)
• Lime zest (optional)

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Preparing the cilantro for freezing

1. 1 Choose fresh cilantro. Cilantro withers when frozen, which is why it is important to get as fresh as possible from top to bottom. Pay attention to the cilantro leaves - they should be bright green and juicy. Avoid using cilantro that looks droopy, wrinkled, or yellowed.
2. 2 Wash the cilantro in a bowl of water. Hold the cilantro by the stems and dip it in a bowl of cold water. Rinse the cilantro to keep it clean. If the water becomes dirty, then change it and rinse the cilantro again - change the water until the cilantro is completely clean. This may require changing the water two or three times.
3. 3 Shake the water off the cilantro. Holding the greens by the stems, shake off excess water several times. It is best to do this over the sink to avoid splattering the kitchen.
4. 4 Blot the cilantro with dry paper towels. Place a few dry paper towels on a flat surface and place the washed cilantro on top. Cover the greens with another paper towel and press lightly. The paper towels will absorb excess moisture. Blot the cilantro several more times so that no water remains on it.
5. 5 You can blanch the cilantro if desired. To do this, dip the cilantro in a pot of boiling water for 15-30 seconds, and then dip it in ice water for a few more seconds. Do not leave the cilantro in boiling water for more than 30 seconds, and be sure to dry it thoroughly. Blanching maintains the vibrant color of the cilantro.

Method 2 of 5: Freeze in a bag

1. 1 Decide if you want to freeze the bottom completely or just the leaves. If you only want to freeze the leaves, you will need to tear them off and discard the stems. You can also freeze whole cilantro and tear off the leaves when you need them.
2. 2 Combine cilantro with olive oil if desired. This will protect the delicate greens from the cold and prevent them from turning into porridge. Just put the herb in a bowl and stir it with a teaspoon of olive oil. The amount of oil depends on the amount of cilantro you want to freeze.
3. 3 Place the cilantro in a ziplock freezer bag. Try to spread the cilantro evenly throughout the bag. If you are using whole bunches of cilantro, try to keep the stems and leaves as flat as possible. You can use multiple packages.
   • If you do not have special freezer bags, then you can use regular bags with a lock, just put them in each other.
4. 4 Try to remove excess air and then close the lock. Close the bag only partially and press down on it to remove all excess air - the bag should be flat. Close the bag completely. Be careful not to damage the cilantro.
5. 5 Use permanent marker to write the date the cilantro was harvested. If you freeze other herbs and store them in the freezer, it might be a good idea to sign that the bag contains cilantro.
6. 6 Place the bag of cilantro in the freezer. Try to position the cilantro bag so that all the branches are straight and on a flat surface.

Method 3 of 5: Freeze in vegetable oil

1. 1 Chop the cilantro. Place the cilantro sprigs on a cutting board and cut into 2–3 cm pieces. The stems can be left on or removed, depending on your preference. It is not necessary to chop the cilantro neatly, since then it will still need to be chopped in a blender.
2. 2 Place the cilantro in a blender. If you don't have a blender, you can use a food processor.
3. 3 Pour 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil into a blender per cup (50 g) chopped cilantro. If you want to enhance the flavor of the cilantro, then increase the amount of herbs to 2 cups (100 g). In addition, if you do not like the specific smell of olive oil, then use any other oil, for example, corn or sunflower oil.
4. 4 Turn on the blender and grind the cilantro for a few seconds. Make sure the blender lid is securely closed. Continue chopping until the oil turns green and the cilantro is chopped. Do not stir for too long if you want to get large chunks of greens.
5. 5 Spoon the puree into the ice cube trays. Complete each form approximately ¾. Do not fill completely as freezing will increase the volume of the puree.
6. 6 Place the molds in the freezer. Place the molds on a flat, level surface. Leave it on for a few hours or overnight.
7. 7 Transfer the frozen butter cubes to a freezer bag. This will allow you to use the ice cube trays again. If you do not have special freezer bags, you can use regular ziplock bags by placing one inside the other.
8. 8 Write the date on the package in permanent marker. If you freeze and store other herbs in the freezer, it's a good idea to sign that the bag contains cilantro.

Method 4 of 5: Freeze in Butter

1. 1 Chop the cilantro and place in a bowl. For about 100 g of oil, you will need 1 to 3 tablespoons of cilantro.
2. 2 Add a lump of softened butter at room temperature. It may be helpful to pre-cut the butter into small pieces so that it softens faster.
3. 3 Add other ingredients as desired. You can simply mix the cilantro with the oil, or add other ingredients to make the oil even tastier. Here are some ideas:
   • 1 garlic clove (minced)
   • Salt and pepper to taste
   • ½ tablespoon lime juice
   • Lime zest
4. 4 Mix everything thoroughly to get a homogeneous mass. You can use a spoon or spatula for this. Act quickly to keep the butter from melting. Add more oil or cilantro as needed.
5. 5 Spread the oil out on parchment paper or foil. Spoon the oil onto a piece of parchment paper or foil - make sure the mixture is close to the edge. Shape the butter by wrapping it.
6. 6 Place the butter in the refrigerator. Place the butter wrapped in paper or foil on a plate or dish, seam side down, and refrigerate until it hardens.
7. 7 Once the oil has solidified, transfer it to the freezer. To keep the freezer compartment clean, store the oil in parchment paper inside a freezer bag or in a plastic container.
8. 8 Be sure to include the date on the container or package. This will help you know exactly when you frozen the cilantro and use it before it goes bad.

Method 5 of 5: Using frozen cilantro

1. 1 Use frozen cilantro for cilantro chutney sauces or guacamole appetizers. If you freeze cilantro just like that, without vegetable or butter, you can tear off a few leaves and add them to guacamole or chutney. You do not need to defrost cilantro beforehand.
2. 2 Use butter frozen cilantro for sauces, soups, and more. You can use it as a salad dressing. Do not forget to reduce the amount of oil you use in your salad. One cube of frozen cilantro contains about a tablespoon of oil.
3. 3 First remove the cilantro frozen in butter to bring the butter to room temperature. This will take you 15-20 minutes. Once the butter has softened, you can spread it on bread or crackers.
4. 4 Try not to use frozen cilantro for salads and salsa. After freezing, cilantro loses its hardness, and when thawed it becomes stale and soft. This can ruin the overall look (as well as texture) of the sauce or salad.
5. 5 Try to use fresh cilantro instead of frozen to decorate your meals. When frozen cilantro thaws, it becomes dry and soft. If you want to decorate a dish, try buying fresh cilantro.
6. 6 Remember that even frozen cilantro does not last long. Frozen cilantro cannot last forever, although it can last much longer than fresh cilantro. Here are some guidelines to help you determine how long you can use frozen cilantro:
   • Frozen cilantro should be used within two months.
   • Cilantro frozen in vegetable oil must be used within three months.
   • It is advisable to use cilantro frozen in butter within one month, and if you defrosted the butter and put it in the refrigerator, then within 5 days.
7. 7finished>

Tips

• If you have time, make a cilantro salsa (Mexican sauce). Salsa freezes better than cilantro on its own.
• If you need to dry the cilantro after rinsing it, use a plate dryer. Make sure drying is clean. Spread out the cilantro and leave to dry completely. The quickest and best way to dry the cilantro is to get the sun out.
• If you need to freeze a small amount of cilantro, simply place the chopped cilantro on an ice cube and top with olive oil.

Warnings

• Frozen cilantro quickly loses its flavor. Try to use it as soon as possible, or rather do not freeze it at all, but use it fresh. The specific aromatic oils found in cilantro evaporate very quickly.
• Try not to use water when freezing, as the water takes away all the flavor and aroma of the cilantro.

What do you need

Freeze cilantro in a bag

• Freezer bags

Freezing cilantro in vegetable oil

• Blender
• Ice molds
• Freezer bags

Freezing cilantro in butter

• A bowl
• Spoon or spatula
• Parchment paper or foil
• Freezer bags or plastic container (recommended)