Learn how to dry herbs at home with air-drying, dehydrating, and other methods. Tips for cleaning, harvesting, storage, and the best herbs to preserve.
Every summer I dehydrate herbs in multiple batches throughout the weeks when the garden is at its peak and have dried herbs to use all year long.
Drying herbs is one of the easiest ways to preserve fresh herbs from your garden.
Dried herbs have a longer shelf life, more concentrated flavor, and are always ready to use for cooking, teas, and DIY projects all year long.
In this post, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned about drying herbs for long-term storage including when to harvest them, the best drying methods, and how to store dried herbs.
Table of Contents
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When to Harvest Herbs for Drying
The best time to harvest herbs for drying is in the morning after the dew has evaporated, but before the heat of the day. This is when their oils are the strongest.
Have you ever brushed up against a plant like rosemary and smelled that piney scent wafting off the plant?
Herbs get their flavor from essential oils stored within their cell walls. When a plant like rosemary is disturbed or touched, the oils (and the scent) is released into the air.
By dehydrating herbs, we try to capture those essential oils so we can use the flavor of the herb in cooking or other uses.
Herbs retain more of their essential oils (and flavor) in the morning.
Resist harvesting herbs for dehydrating when it’s rainy or misty.
Herb-Growing Tip: Basil is best harvested before it begins to flower. Always snip the tips off basil to keep it producing leaves, not flowers!
How to Harvest Herbs
Herb leaves, flowers, and seeds can all be dried for later use.
Here’s how to harvest herb leaves:
- Snip stems just above a set of leaves. The plant will send up new stems from that cut!
- Choose young, tender leaves over older ones.
- Leave at least half of the plant behind so it keeps producing.
To harvest herb flowers, cut flower heads off the stems when the flower has fully opened but before it has begun to fade.
One exception is lavender—harvest this flower at bud-stage just before the flowers completely open.
To harvest herb seeds, wait until seeds form on the plant and turn from green to brown (as with dill or coriander). Cut the seed heads off and store in a paper bag to dry completely. Separate seeds from stems.
Preparing Herbs for Drying
Go through your basket of herbs and remove any imperfect leaves and stems. Look for insects on the herbs, especially in the flowers and seeds. Shake them off or manually remove each one.
GARDENING TIP: If you find lots of bugs on your herbs, skip dehydrating for now and treat the herbs with diatomaceous earth, BT (for caterpillars), or neem oil to kill the insects. Cover herbs with a fine mesh cloth to prevent bugs from returning. Collect herbs a few days later once you’re sure the bugs are gone.
Rinse herbs in cool water and allow to drain in a colander. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel to dry or use a salad spinner. Get as much moisture off the herbs as possible.
In my own kitchen, I usually use a large salad spinner to dry off clean herbs, then put them on a clean towel or in a clean colander and set them aside to air dry while I do other tasks.
How to Dry Any Herb
I’ll cover two main ways to dry herbs: air-drying and dehydrator drying. Each one has its pros and cons and some herbs are better suited to each method.
At home, I prefer to use a dehydrator to dry my herbs and I’ll tell you why at the end!
Air-Drying Method
Air-drying is exactly as it sounds: you leave herbs out in a safe spot and allow the air to naturally dry them out.
This is a great method to use if you’re not willing to invest in a dehydrator just yet.
Air-drying herbs can take anywhere from 7-10 days depending on how thick the leaves are and humidity levels.
For best results with air-drying, place your fresh herbs in a low-humidity environment with good air circulation.
Here are 3 ways to do this.
- Hang to dry. Tie stems of herbs tightly together in a small cluster and hang them upside down somewhere they can stay clean, dry, and undisturbed like a corner of the pantry or an out of the way closet.
Best for: low moisture herbs like oregano, savory, thyme, lavender, rosemary - Use a paper bag. Place clean, dry, fresh herbs into a paper bag with small holes cut out.
Best for: mint, lemon balm, basil - Dry on a tray. Lay herbs flat on a fine mesh stainless steel or food-safe plastic screen to air dry. Dry paper towels would also work, but change them out if they become damp. Keep herb types separated so that they can all dry at the same speed.
A mesh drying rack like this one is a convenient way to keep herbs protected while providing plenty of airflow at the same time.
Tips for Air-Drying Herbs
- Keep herb types separated so that they can all dry at the same speed.
- Herbs with small leaves can be dried on the stem and removed when dry. Separate larger-leafed herbs from their stems and dry just the leaves.
- You may want to use a fan to promote air flow to your herbs, but don’t blow air directly on them. Aim the fan away from the herbs to keep dust from blowing onto them.
- Air-dry herbs in a dark, dry spot where they won’t be disturbed, like a corner of a walk-in pantry or an out of the way closet. A cabinet could work too if it’s large enough. Basements are fine as long as they are not damp.
Pros: Free, simple to do
Cons: Takes a long time, higher risk of mold, not suitable for high-humidity climates
Best herbs to air-dry: sage, oregano, savory, thyme, lavender, dill seed, cilantro/coriander seed
Dehydrator Method
When drying herbs with a dehydrator, you will want to dry them low and slow. Low temperatures will help herbs retain their nutrients, color, and flavor.
Ideally, herbs should be dried around 95°F or 35°C, but no more than 110°F or 45°C.
Set the temperature on your dehydrator according to manufacturer instructions. Place your herbs on the drying trays in a single layer.
Small-leafed herbs can be left on the stem and separated after dehydrating. Larger leaves can be dried separately.
Try to dry similar sizes of herbs together if you’re doing multiple types at once.
Drying time depends on how thick and juicy an herb is, but typically it’ll take anywhere from 3-18 hours.
Using a dehydrator is my favorite way of drying herbs because I know the herbs won’t be disturbed, forgotten, or turn moldy from too much humidity in my house.
You can find a number of dehydrators at different price points online depending on how many bells and whistles you’re willing to pay for. A small and simple one like this is a good dehydrator to start preserving fresh herbs.
Pros: Fast, reliable, can be done in any climate
Cons: Requires equipment
Best herbs to dehydrate: large-leafed herbs like basil, mint, holy basil
Alternate Methods for Drying Herbs
While air-drying and dehydrating are the most popular and reliable options, you can also use an oven, microwave, or freeze dryer to dry herbs.
Let’s take a brief look at each.
Oven-Drying Method
Oven-drying works if you don’t have a dehydrator, but you’ll want to keep a close eye on your herbs so they don’t burn.
- Lay herbs flat on a wire rack fitted inside a baking sheet.
- Pop them in the oven on the dehydrate setting (or the oven’s lowest temperature, ideally under 200°F / 95°C).
- Bake for an hour or two. Check on the herbs periodically for dryness.
- Turn the oven off once the herbs are nearly dry and leave them there to finish drying in the residual heat.
Note: Ovens can run hot, and herbs can go from dry to burnt quickly. Pay close attention to them in the oven!
Microwave Method
This is the quickest drying method, but is better for small batches.
- Sandwich herbs between paper towels and lay flat on a microwave-safe plate.
- Microwave for 1 minute.
- Flip the herbs over and microwave for 30 seconds. Continue flipping and microwaving until the herbs are fully dry.
Freeze-Drying Method
If you’ve already got a freeze dryer, then this method is best for preserving an herb’s color, nutrients, and flavor.
- Arrange herbs in a single layer on freeze-dryer trays.
- Run the machine according to your model’s instructions.
- Store the freeze-dried herbs in airtight containers with oxygen absorbers.
Knowing When Herbs are Dry
Whether you’re air-drying or dehydrating, test herbs before storing to make sure they are completely dry.
Even a small amount of moisture can cause mold growth and ruin an entire batch.
Signs that herbs are completely dry:
- leaves are crispy and crumble easily
- stems snap when bent
- no moisture when pinched
You’ll be able to tell once you feel them!
If you’re not sure, there’s no harm in allowing herbs to air dry for another day or two or dehydrate them for an hour longer.
Storing Your Dried Herbs
Store dried herbs in an airtight container like glass jars, food storage containers, or vacuum-sealed bags and keep out of direct sunlight.
I usually keep my dried herbs in a large glass jar in the pantry and decant into smaller containers for everyday use.
Herbs will keep indefinitely as long as they are kept dry, but will lose flavor and potency over time. Aim to use up herbs within a year of harvesting.
Ways to Use Dried Herbs
There are a number of different uses for dried herbs, but here are a few that I use them for.
- Make herb-infused salts
- Include in DIY spice blends
- Make herbal tea blends
- Put fragrant herbs in sachets for your closet or pillow
- Steep with oil or vinegar to make herbal oils or vinegars
- Use to make a wreath
Favorite Herbs for Drying
These are a few of my favorite herbs to dry for use in the kitchen.
- sage
- dill
- basil
- lavender flowers
- oregano
- thyme
- rosemary
- mint
- chamomile flowers
- holy basil (tulsi)
- summer savory
FAQS
- How to substitute dried herbs for fresh? 1 Tbsp fresh herbs = 1 tsp dried herbs
- How to treat dried herbs to destroy insects or insect eggs? Freeze dry herbs at 0°F (-17°C) for 2 full days.
- How long do dried herbs last? With proper storage, herbs can last several years, but should be used within a year of harvest for best flavor.
- Do dried herbs lose nutrients? Yes, herbs do lose some nutrients when dried, but minerals and fat-soluble vitamins remain even after drying. Choose a low-temperature drying method for best nutrient retention.
- Are fresh herbs or dried herbs better for cooking? It depends on what you’re using them for! Fresh herbs are best for salads, garnishes, and pestos so their flavor can really stand out. Dried herbs are best for long-cooking like braises or Instant-Pot cooking, or for teas.