How to Dry Herbs in the Microwave
Looking for a simple way to preserve your beautiful fresh summer herbs? Or only have a little left from store bought? Here's an easy way, step-by-step How to Dry Herbs in the Microwave.
Long, long ago, in a galaxy... well, actually: Back in November at the end of our crazy mild fall (remember that? sigh...), I ran across this post from Serious Eats on using the microwave to dry herbs -- and have been meaning to tell you about my experiments with this ever since! Sometimes life (and Black Friday) just intervenes, but now we're back on track. So: Here's How to Dry Herbs in the Microwave.
Look at the vibrant color you get when you dry herbs in the microwave! On the left in the photo above, rosemary from my garden that I dried in the microwave. On the right, organic dried rosemary I bought at the store. That's an amazing color difference, and so pretty in recipes -- I used my own microwave dried herbs on this garlic rosemary pork roast recipe earlier this month, and it really made the herb-garlic mixture pop.
You know how sometimes you buy fresh herbs for a recipe, but inevitably have some left over? Preserve those leftover herbs quickly and easily, with microwave drying. Here I dried rosemary and sage, but this method should work well with most heartier herbs. Be careful with more delicate ones, which will need less time and more tender handling.
How to dry herbs in the microwave
Step 1
Wash the herbs, then spread the leaves on a microwave safe plate on two layers of paper towels. Note: Do NOT use recycled paper towels for this, since they may contain small fragments of metal and are not safe for microwave use.
Step 2
Cover the herbs with another paper towel, the microwave on high for one minute. Follow up with 20 second bursts until herbs are completely dry and crumble easily between your fingers. (My microwave took 6-7 rounds; yours may take more or less.)
Step 3
Crumble up your herbs. I found that just twisting and crushing them right inside the paper towels worked for my purposes, but if you want to reduce yours to powder you'll want either to use a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder.
- Frugal note: I was able to use each set of paper towels to dry a second batch of the same herb before I had to toss them.
The herbs get nicely brittle in the microwave since the water evaporates out before the herb really starts to cook, which also helps them retain their vibrant color.
Step 4
Store dried herbs in a tightly covered container in a cool dry space away from light -- with the rest of your spices would be lovely. 🙂 Here, I just thoroughly washed out and repurposed old spice containers to hold my new microwave dried herbs.
That's all you need to do to use the microwave to dry herbs
Microwaving is such a quick and easy way to preserve small batches of fresh herbs! Don't be afraid to buy fresh herbs, now that you know you can preserve the leftovers quickly and frugally. Let me know if you give it a try, and how it works for you!
How to dry herbs in the microwave, printable version
How to Dry Herbs in the Microwave
Ingredients
- fresh herbs (heartier herbs work better)
Instructions
- Wash the herbs, then spread the leaves on a microwave safe plate on two layers of paper towels. (See Note)
- Cover the herbs with another paper towel, the microwave on high for one minute. Follow up with 20 second bursts until herbs are completely dry and crumble easily between your fingers. (My microwave took 6-7 rounds; yours may take more or less.)
- Crumble up your herbs. I found that just twisting and crushing them right inside the paper towels worked for my purposes, but if you want to reduce yours to powder you’ll want either to use a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder.
- Store dried herbs in a tightly covered container in a cool dry space away from light — with the rest of your spices would be lovely. Here, I just thoroughly washed out and repurposed old spice containers to hold my new microwave dried herbs.
Notes
More Frugal Homemade Ideas?
If you’re looking for more “frugal homemade” ideas, read more here:
Anything else you’d like to see covered in these categories? Comment here!
Are you kidding drying them in a microwave??
Microwaves have radiation and they take everything out..nutrients, anything good for you.
Wrong way to dry them.
Agreed. I was surprised when I saw this circulating around. Microwaves are a terrible way to keep healthy nutrients in your food.
That's actually not true. See for instance:
https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/17/health/17real.html
Well, the question with a big Q is, who paid for the studies?
Thank you so much for this post. The hot Florida sun and a few days of inoperable sprinkler system has done damage to my outside herb garden this year. I have been able to salvage some herbs but I know they won’t last too long in the fridge. I tried this last night as a test on a little bit of herbs and it worked like a charm. The color is so much more vibrant than the store bought herbs I have. Although I still prefer to use fresh when possible, this is a wonderful alternative.
Has anyone tried to do diced peppers? If you can’t do it in the microwave how can it be done in the oven? I thought most paper towels were recycled...what brand is not recycled?
Thanks fo any info
Thank you! The instructions are clear and the pictures are beautiful.
Thanks for the article, and thanks to all the commenters. I don't buy paper towel and was wondering if cheesecloth or a tea towel would work. So, nice to see some folks say, "yes." Thanks!
Thank you. Leftover cilantro will never rot in my refrigerator drawer any more. So easy. One minute and 5/30 second bursts here.
I started using this way to dry curley leaf parsley about 25 years ago. It dries really fast and it smells so fresh when done. I have some that is 8 years old and is still bright green and tastes fresh. Keep in an air tight container away from light.
Well, apparently basil and select-a-size Bounty causes fires.....
Yikes. Make sure any paper towel you use doesn't have any recycled paper content, because that can contain metal.
I have been using this technique for years. It's fast and because of that I tend to harvest more often so I get a bigger yield. I usually get enough dried herbs from one plant to carry me through to the next year, except for parsley. I use a lot of that, so one flat & one curly mixed together in one container does the trick. The herbs keep more of their flavour and colour by dehydrating in the microwave. Thanks for posting.