How to Dry Parsley {Air Dry, Oven, or Dehydrator}
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Parsley is a prolific herb that grows very well in many climates. If you have a lot of parsley in your garden, dehydrate some to season your soups, stews, and casseroles all winter long! Learn how to dry parsley using 3 different drying methods to find the best one for you.
I never liked parsley as a kid. It was just this frilly, intensely flavored garnish I didn’t want on my plate. Then I tried fresh parsley from my friend’s farm, and I was surprised by how much I liked it. It made the best couscous salads, roasts, soups, and more!
Fortunately, parsley is very easy to dry, so you can easily preserve your harvest for any purpose you’d like!
The fastest method (oven) will be ready in a couple of hours, or air drying will take about 2 weeks. Choose a method based on how much time you have; they’re all great!
Is your herb garden loaded this year? Learn how to dry green onions, all about dehydrating chives, or how to dehydrate basil.
Equipment
To dry your own parsley, you’ll need:
Oven Method
- Sheet pan or baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wooden spoon
Air Drying
- Twine or rubber band
- Brown paper bag (optional)
Dehydrator Method
- Food dehydrator
- Dehydrator trays
For storage
- Airtight container (I like to use glass jars)
Ingredients
- Fresh parsley – Like any dehydrating project, only use fresh herbs of the highest quality. They should be perfect crisp and clean with no signs of rot, mold, etc. Use as much as you’d like! Feel free to use curly parsley or flat-leaf parsley (my favorite).
Rinse and dry the parsley well to remove any dirt, bugs, etc. A salad spinner works well for this. Then, let the leaves dry on a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to remove excess water. Remove the leaves from the stems before drying.
How to Dry Parsley
Oven Method
Oven drying is the fastest method, so you can dry your parsley from start to finish today! It’s great for beginners and requires no extra equipment.
- Preheat the oven to the lowest possible heat setting (usually 170 F).
- Arrange the parsley leaves in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
- Place the tray in the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the parsley to dry for approximately 1 hour, then flip the leaves over and continue drying for another 1 hour or until the leaves are completely dry. When ready, the leaves will crumble in your hand.
- Remove the tray from the oven and let the parsley cool to room temperature before transferring the leaves into the jar. For crushed parsley, roll the sides of the parchment paper and press down with the heel of your palm to break the full leaves into small pieces. Funnel into your mason jar and close.
Dehydrator Method
This is the best method because it preserves the color and flavor of your parsley, but it takes quite a bit of time.
- Arrange a single layer of parsley on each dehydrator tray. Feel free to dry as many trays as your dehydrator can handle.
- Dehydrate at 95 – 105 F for 6-8 hours or until fully dried and crumbly.
- Crumble the dried parsley into smaller pieces, then transfer the crushed parsley to your storage containers. (I like to crush my dried herbs in parchment paper, similar to the method described above.)
Air Drying Parsley
Air drying is a traditional way to dry herbs that works great. You can really just hang up the bundles and let them dry! I found that air drying caused my parsley to turn quite pale compared to oven-drying or dehydrating. It helps to keep it out of direct sunlight and in a bag.
- Bind your bunch of parsley together with kitchen twine or a rubber band.
- Hang the bunch from a hook in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Feel free to place the herbs in a paper bag to prevent any dander, pet hair, etc., from getting on the herbs.
- Let the herbs dry for 2-3 weeks or until completely dry.
- Bring the herbs down then crush and transfer to your storage container.
Storing
Like all dried herbs, store your dried parsley in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark place, like your spice cabinet or pantry.
For best freshness, use within one year (although it will certainly last longer if properly dried).
How to Use Dried Parsley
Use your dry parsley leaves just like the dried parsley from the store! It’s great in homemade Italian seasoning and tastes especially great with poultry and carrots. I add it to my homemade chicken noodle soup all the time.
Tips & Variations
- Don’t overpick. To keep your plant producing, only harvest one-third of the plant at a time.
- Don’t air dry large bunches. Small bundles will dry quickly and more evenly, reducing the likelihood of mold.
- Make it worth it. Dehydrating will reduce the quantity drastically, so I like to dry at least one full bunch at a time.
FAQs
Although there are lots of different ways to dry herbs, I recommend drying at the lowest temperature possible. This preserves the flavor oils, which makes your parsley even more flavorful.
I find that oven drying is really effective, especially if you prop the door open. It’s very quick, too. My favorite method, though, is dehydrating since it uses the lowest temperature.
With that said, don’t overthink it. The best method is really whichever one you can do easily!
Yep! Dehydrating extra parsley in the oven is quick and easy. You can usually dry a lot of parsley in just an hour or two.
Related Recipes
- How to Dry Chives
- Dehydrating Jalapenos
- How to Dehydrate Basil
- Drying Green Onions
- Dehydrating Garlic Scapes
- Dehydrating Sage
How to Dry Parsley
Equipment
- Sheet pan or baking sheet for oven-drying
- Parchment paper for oven-drying
- Wooden spoon for oven-drying
- Twine or rubber band for air drying
- Brown paper bag (optional) for air drying
- airtight container glass jar(s)
Ingredients
- 1-2 bunches fresh parsley, any quantity you'd like to dry
Instructions
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to the lowest possible heat setting (usually 170 F).
- Arrange the parsley leaves in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
- Place the tray in the oven and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the parsley to dry for approximately 1 hour, then flip the leaves over and continue drying for another 1 hour or until the leaves are completely dry. When ready, the leaves will crumble in your hand.
- Remove the tray from the oven and let the parsley cool to room temperature before transferring the leaves into the jar. For crushed parsley, roll the sides of the parchment paper and press down with the heel of your palm to break the full leaves into small pieces. Funnel into your mason jar and seal.
Dehydrator Method
- Compared to the oven method, you’ll notice that dehydrating parsley takes longer, but your dried herbs will have a darker color. Oven drying tends to fade the green color (and potentially the flavor), but it’s the fastest method.
- Arrange a single layer of parsley on your dehydrator tray.
- Dehydrate at 95 – 105 F for 6-8 hours or until fully dried and crumbly.
- Crumble into smaller pieces then transfer the crushed dried parsley into your storage containers. (I like to crush my dried herbs in parchment paper similar to the method described above.)
Air Drying Parsley
- This is my preferred method because it looks cool and is so easy. You can really just hang up the bundles and let them dry!
- Bind your bunch of parsley together with kitchen twine or a rubber band.
- Hang the bunch from a hook in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Feel free to place the herbs in a paper bag to prevent any dander, pet hair, etc. from getting on the herbs.
- Let the herbs dry for 2-3 weeks or until completely dry.
- Bring the herbs down then crush and transfer to your storage container.
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