Can you dry herbs in the microwave? Surprisingly, yes!
The first time I heard that you could dry herbs in the microwave, I did not believe it. I thought the herbs would turn to mush or turn into some unrecognizable black mess. It didn’t make sense to me.
But, I was curious. Does this really work? Or is this some weird theoretical thing that will end up in disaster. I had to find out!
So, when I had some leftover basil I thought, what the heck, let’s try this! Guess I was in the mood for a science experiment that day 🙂
Well lo and behold, it worked! And much better than I anticipated. The basil dried amazing well in the microwave. The leaves dried quickly and the basil retained its bright green colour 🙂
So, here’s how I dried the basil leaves:
How to Dry Herbs in the Microwave
Place fresh herb leaves between two sheets of paper towel – single layer, not overcrowded.
Microwave on high for 1 minute.
Check if the herb leaves are dry.
Keep microwaving and checking the herb leaves at 30 second intervals, until they are dry.
Caution: Although it hasn’t happened to me, I have heard that herbs may catch fire being dried in the microwave. As a precaution, always keep an eye on the microwave when drying herbs in it.
How to Test Herbs for Dryness
Always test whether your herbs are fully dried before storing them. They should feel brittle and crumble when rubbed between your fingers. If the herbs do not crumble between your fingers, or there are some soft pieces remaining, then the herbs are not dry enough yet.
When It Makes Sense To Dry Herbs In The Microwave
– you are drying a small batch of herbs
– you don’t have the space to lay herbs out to dry
– you just don’t like to have stuff laying around 🙂
For the most part, this method of drying herbs is not very practical for me as I like to dry larger quantities of herbs at a time. I prefer to lay out my herbs on large sheet pans and let time do its magic.
Even so, I occasionally dry herbs in the microwave in the winter. If I purchase a package of fresh herbs for a recipe and I won’t be using the remainder in the next day or so, I will dry these herbs in the microwave. Those packages of fresh herbs are pricey especially in the winter, and more fragile than fresh herbs from the garden – better to dry them quickly 🙂
Happy Gardening 🙂
Barb
PS Drop me a note below in the comments and let me know how drying herbs in the microwave worked out for you?
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