How to Dry Herbs – 4 Methods for Beginners

The secret ingredient to the best cup of tea ever is drying your own herbs. If you haven’t learned how to dry herbs, you’re missing out! There’s no better way to enhance your cooking, reap health benefits, and enjoy the fruits of your gardening labor. I’m sharing all of my tips on creating a stash of dried herbs to enjoy all year long.

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Why should you dry herbs at home?

I’ve written extensively about how to preserve flowers for decorative crafts or special projects. It was only a matter of time before I turned to the art of drying herbs. There’s just something special about preserving a moment in time, sharing it with the kids, and feeling proud of your one-of-a-kind creation. (My sons are now obsessed with our homemade brew of herbal tea.)

We have a small but mighty raised bed garden in our backyard that gives me plenty of inspiration for food preservation. (If you haven’t tried my family’s fig preserves, you should head there next!)

Dried herbs from the garden tend to have a stronger fragrance and more potency than store-bought herbs. This means a little can go a long way in flavoring your tea or home-cooked sauces.

With some decorative packaging, you can also give away some of these dried leaves as gifts for the holidays. Sure, you can buy herbal teas and spices at your local grocery store, but where’s the sentimentality in that?!

Benefits of drying herbs at home

Which herbs are best for drying?

You can also try drying marjoram, bay leaves, curry leaves, tarragon, and fennel, among others.

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Four Methods for Drying Herbs

The method you choose to dry herbs will depend on your time constraints and the tools available. (Sometimes you have a soccer carpool or need a gift ASAP. I get it.)

Air drying takes the least effort, but you must also take precautions to avoid mold forming on herbs with thicker leaves. The microwave method gives the quickest results, but you run the risk of overheating the herbs if you’re not careful. A little experimentation with various methods is always a good idea (and fun too).

Read on to find out which one is my favorite and see a comparison of the methods.

Preparing Herbs for Drying (All Methods)

Begin by picking herbs in the early morning after the dew has dried. Trim a few stems close to the base to encourage future growth. Try to prune herbs before the plants go to flower and become overgrown. This helps spur additional growth and ensures you can enjoy dried herbs at their peak in flavor.

Trust me, I wish I had harvested more thyme before my plant became leggy in our extreme summer heat!

After harvesting your herb stems, you can wash them gently in a colander and pat them dry with paper towels. You can also place stems in a glass of water until you’re ready to begin drying. (This is also how you propogate certain cuttings in water, but that’s a different blog post.)

1. How to Air Dry Herbs

Air-drying herbs is an easy method accessible to everyone, especially those in low-humidity environments.

For herbs with thin leaves like rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley, you can hang bunches of stems upside-down in a cool, dry place with indirect sunlight. About 5-7 days later, the herbs should be dry and brittle to the touch.

Herbs with thicker leaves or higher moisture content like mint, lemon balm, and basil may have a higher risk of developing mold when air drying. One tip recommended by the National Center for Home Food Preservation is to punch holes in a paper bag and place the leaves to hang inside. This allows for better air flow and prevents mold.

2. How to Dry Herbs in a Microwave

While I love the microwave method for pressing flowers, it’s my third favorite method for drying herbs. However, it’s a great alternative when time is of the essence. It only takes about 1-3 minutes.

Start by placing your fresh herbs on a paper towel. You can separate the leaves first, if desired. Microwave on medium power for 30 seconds. Then continue microwaving in 15 second intervals on medium power until the leaves begin to turn crisp.

I say it’s not my preferred method because I think there is more room for error and “overcooking” the herbs. When drying herbs or flowers, the general idea is to remove moisture gradually rather than actually cooking the plant.

3. How to Dry Herbs in an Air Fryer (Food Deyhydrator)

If you have a food dehydrator, you’re in luck! Herbs can dry very well in a dehydrator, though the drying time is far longer than most other methods except air drying. Just follow the manufacturer’s directions, which typically ranges from 90-100º F (32-37 ºC) and a drying time of 1-3 hours.

4. How to Dry Herbs in an Oven

The oven method is my preferred way to dry herbs because it takes a minimal amount of time and gives reliable results for most herbs.

Use this method with herbs like mint, lemon balm and basil where air drying may carry a higher risk of mold forming, especially in humid environments.

Begin by pre-heating your oven to 180ºF (82º C) or as low as your oven will allow. Separate the leaves in a single layer onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. (The paper makes it easier to pour the dried herbs into a container later.)

Place the leaves in the oven and check them every 5-10 minutes until the leaves turn crisp. For more air flow, you can leave the oven door cracked, but only if you can do so safely. (In other words, don’t do that with little kiddos around! Your herbs will turn out just fine if the door isn’t cracked open.)

Before and After Oven Drying

You’ll know your herbs are fully dried when they crumble to the touch instead of bending. Typically herbs with small leaves (e.g., mint) will take about 15 minutes total, while larger leaves such as basil will take up to 30-35 minutes to fully dry.

It’s perfectly fine to dry different types of herbs together, but keep in mind the drying times may vary. I always like to place mine in clusters to remove each variety as it’s ready. Basil tends to have a more potent smell, so I let that guy dry by himself.

Which Method Works Best?

The two methods that work almost universally are the oven drying method and air fryer method. To be honest, I could hardly tell the difference between the two sets of basil leaves below! Can you see a slight difference?

I’ve even dried herbs in the oven at 200ºF (a little higher than typically recommended), and they turned out just as flavorful.

How to Store Dried Herbs

Keep dried herbs in glass jars with lids away from direct sunlight for best results. I like to reuse spice containers and create labels for easy storage.

Most dried herbs will last 1-2 years until they eventually lose some potency. The less oxygen, light, and moisture they receive, the better your dried herbs will keep.

How to Make Tea with Dried Herbs

To make individual portions of tea, you can buy empty tea bags and stuff about 1 tablespoon of dried herbs in each. My favorite special blend is a mix of sweet mint, banana mint, and lemon balm. I also like to add the occasional pinch of culinary lavender buds. For maximum flavor, crush the leaves together in the tea bag just before you’re prepared to brew a cup.

In the oven drying method above, you’ll notice each batch will make about 1-2 tablespoons of dried tea depending on the size of your leaves.

You can also print a label with details about the herbs you used and how long to steep your special blend. (I recommend a steep time of 5-10 minutes.) These free printable recipe cards may come in handy for that purpose.

I like to include a honey dipper and a few other tea-time treats whenever I give homemade tea as a gift. Consider adding some fruit preserves, tea crackers, or even homemade tea towels to complete a gift.

Best Dried Herbs for Cooking

Rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley, and oregano are my favorite dried spices for cooking. You can create your own bread dipper mix with minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, parsley, and sea salt. Just add olive oil to the spices and dip your focaccia bread in for a little slice of Heaven!

Consider also making herb-infused butters, dressing up your marinara, or creating the perfect caprese salad using dried herbs from the garden.

How to Make Sachets with Dried Herbs

I love using herbs like dried lavender mixed with dried flower petals and rice to create my own sachets. A touch of essential oil never hurts either. If you add enough rice, you’ll easily have a microwavable heating pad infused with the aroma of garden herbs.

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