How to Store Fresh Basil (Thai & Italian)
If you’re anything like me, winter is the season when you suddenly realize how much you miss the smell of fragrant basil. I used to let my summer basil plants die off and just accept my fate until next year until I learned a few tricks that changed everything. Today, I’m sharing exactly how I store fresh basil from Thai basil, Holy basil, and Italian basil so I can use them for quick stir-fries, soups, and sauces all winter long.
Thai Basil, Holy Basil, and Italian Basil
Before we store them, it helps to understand why each type of basil has such a distinct aroma and purpose in cooking.
- Thai Basil
- Holy Basil (Krapao)
- Commonly used in Thai stir-fries such as Pad Kra Pao and Pad Kee Mao.
- The two most popular types are red holy basil and green holy basil, both intensely aromatic.
- Has a peppery, clove-like scent that becomes even more fragrant when stir-fried.
- Italian Basil (Sweet Basil / Genovese)
- Softer, sweeter, and milder compared to Thai varieties.
- Best known for pesto, summer pasta , and sauces where the basil flavor is meant to be fresh and floral.
- More delicate, so it bruises easily and wilts faster.
How to Store Basil Up to 1 Year (Freezing Method)
This is my go-to technique when I want to preserve basil for long-term cooking—especially holy basil for winter stir-fries. Freezing keeps the aroma incredibly vibrant when done correctly.
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- Pick the basil leaves from the stems.
- Wash and clean the basil thoroughly.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Boil the basil leaves for 5 seconds only—just a flash blanch.
- Transfer the leaves immediately into ice-cold water to prevent further cooking and protect the fragrance.
- Gently squeeze out excess water without crushing the leaves.
- Portion the basil into ice cube molds or silicone trays and freeze.
- Once frozen, pop the cubes out and transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag.
- When you want to make a basil stir fry or a soup, simply thaw the basil cube in room-temperature water and use it like fresh.
How to Store Basil for 1-2 Weeks (Bouquet Method)
When I want fresh basil on hand without freezing, this method never fails—and honestly, it makes my kitchen look and smell amazing.
- Fill a jar or container with room-temperature water.
- Place the basil stems into the jar just like a bouquet of flowers.
- I often mix my garden basil into real bouquets as greenery—it smells incredible.
- After a week, you might notice the basil starts rooting in the water.
- This is exactly why basil stays fresh for so long in this setup.
- Bonus: it’s a fantastic way to propagate more basil plants, and much faster than starting from seed.
Keep the jar on your countertop (not in the fridge), and replace the water every few days.
Make a Ready to Use Basil Stir Fry Sauce (Store up to 2 weeks or 6 months.)
If you cook basil stir-fries often—like Pad Kra Pao—this method will save you so much time on busy days.
- Follow my Thai basil sauce in the recipe card.
- You can blanch the basil first using the same quick-boil method above if you want the color to stay vibrantly green.
- Because this sauce contains fresh garlic and oil, it stays fresh in the fridge for 1–2 weeks in a sealed jar. Use 3 table spoons of the basil sauce per serving.
- If you’d like it to last up to 6 months, switch fresh garlic to garlic powder, then freeze the sauce in small cubes.
- Simply thaw a cube whenever you’re making a stir fry or soup.
Thai Basil Sauce for Stir Fry
Equipment
- 1 jar (32 oz jar)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ cup minced garlic
- 10 Thai chili (fresh or dry but fresh will be less spicy.) (Dried guajillos do add more volume.)
- 250 ml water (1 cup)
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
- 4 tbsp sugar
- ½ cup oyster sauce
- 5 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (optional)
- 4- 10 cups basil (or as much as you can find. Holy basil, Thai basil, and Italian basil work for this recipe.)
Instructions
- Wash and clean the basil, then set them aside.
- On low heat, heat vegetable oil. Do not wait until oil becomes hot. Add minced garlic and chilies. Stir fry garlic and chili until fragrant. (1-2 minutes)
- Add water, sugar, and chicken bouillon. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and dark soy sauce. Stir and simmer the mixture 5 minutes.
- Place the basil leaves in a jar, ready to go.
- Pour the hot stir-fry sauce over the basil in the jar and stir to combine. The basil will wilt quickly in the hot sauce. Close the lid and transfer to the fridge right away.
- Store the basil sauce in the fridge for up to one week. If you haven't used the sauce by the 5th day, transfer it into ice cube trays, freeze, then move the frozen cubes to a ziplock bag for longer storage. Use as needed and enjoy!
Video
@stickyricethaikitchen Another hurricane just passed but who knows what’s coming next. Hard frost? Ingredients list below ⬇️ 2 tbsp vegetable oil ½ cup minced garlic 10 Thai chili (fresh or dry but fresh will be less spicy.) 250 ml water (1 cup) 1 tbsp chicken bouillon 4 tbsp sugar ½ cup oyster sauce 5 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (optional) 4 cups basil (or as much as you can find. Holy basil, Thai basil, and Italian basil work for this recipe.) #basil#thaibasil#italianbasil#holybasil#stirfry#sauce#homemadesauce#basilsauce#thaifood#thaicookinthairecipe#hurricane#mealprep#preserve#gardentotable#easyrecipe#tiktokfood#harvesttime#autumnrecipe#fallrecipe
♬ Autumn Leaves – Timothy Cole
