4 Ways of Drying Herbs at Home

Summer is here, which means the garden is going crazy! Now is the perfect time to start drying those herbs & preserve that flavor all winter long. We’ll walk you through the four different methods you can use to dry your own herbs at home.

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Nothing beats the flavor of homegrown herbs. Even dried – even years later – they still taste incredible!

But I know not everyone has the garden space or a sunny windowsill to grow their own herbs. Don’t worry! You can still use these methods to preserve store-bought herbs, prolonging your groceries & avoiding waste.

It basically boils down to four main methods, which vary in time, ease, and preservation of nutrients.

Generally speaking, low and slow is always best when drying herbs. But there are some quicker options out there, depending upon your needs.

We’ll start with the fastest drying methods and finish it off with my favorite – and what I consider to be the easiest methods – for drying herbs.

Microwaving Herbs

By far the quickest method for drying herbs is the microwave. At most, this will take you a minute and a half for a dinner plate of herbs. However, microwaving isn’t the best for preserving nutrients – so it’s a bit of a trade-off.

Line your plate with a paper towel, then a single layer of herbs, and another paper towel on top.

Microwave for 45 seconds – then check your herbs.

If they’re not yet crispy, keep microwaving in 15-second increments until they are completely dry.

Oven Drying Herbs

Oven drying takes longer but preserves more nutrients & flavor, so it’s a good middle ground.

Lay your herbs out on a cookie sheet and bake on the lowest oven setting – potentially just on Warm. You’re shooting for 105-120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake them for a few hours, tossing occasionally, until dry and crispy.

Dehydrating Herbs

This is the same concept, for those that have a dehydrator.

Line your sheets and dehydrate on the Herb setting – or at 105 degrees Fahrenheit – for a few hours. Remove when completely dry.

Air Drying Herbs

For me, this is – hands-down – the easiest way to dry herbs.

For plants with small leaves – like rosemary and thyme – you can tie them in bundles and hang to dry. However, for most herbs this won’t give you the neccessary airflow to ensure that they dry before molding.

That’s why my recommended herb drying method is just laying them about.

You can lay herbs out in baskets with an airy weave, on top of chicken wire, or even use an old shoe rack – like me! You can super creative, as long as the herbs get air.

They’ll take a few weeks to dry this way and you can speed that up by putting a fan on them.

Want to Know More??

– Check Out Our Video Below –

Everything You Need to Know About Drying Herbs

So what do you think? Time to fill the pantry& get drying? Homegrown or store-bought, this is a fabulous way to preserve your herbs.

If you liked this article, please share it to spread the preservation love.

What’s your favorite way to save herbs? By drying or some other method? What kind of herbs are you growing this year? Send us an email or leave a comment below! You can also let us know on our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or Pinterest pages.

Be sure to tag us on Instagram (@lonelypinesfarm) – We want to see your herb stash!

And don’t forget, use the hashtag #tastelife to add to our community of amazing canners, dehydrators, and picklers. Beginners to advanced, we all work hard to preserve great flavor.