Try This Frying Trick Before Throwing Out Fresh Herbs
There's nothing quite like re-stocking your kitchen after weeks of empty cupboards and endless DoorDash deliveries — hey, life gets busy, we get it! Seeing your pantry and refrigerator filled to the brim with healthy bites, sinful snacks, and hearty proteins is a privileged and comforting feeling. But oftentimes, we let our fresh produce rot at the back of the fridge, spoiling before we can even open the package they came in. According to Feeding America, 108 billion pounds of food in the United States is wasted annually and almost 40% of all food in the United States goes to waste — yikes. This is a devastating number considering that as of 2021, 33.8 million Americans are battling against food insecurity (per FRAC).
One of the easiest foods to let go to waste is fresh produce. Sometimes it feels like only hours have passed since you purchased the spinach that's become a gooey, rotten mess. And when eating something feels like a race against the clock, we can feel less inclined to consume it altogether. When it comes to herbs, however, flash-frying them just before they spoil puts them to good use.
Flash-frying herbs reduces food waste and adds texture to a dish
If your rosemary or thyme looks wilted and you're headed to the trash can to toss it, think twice! As long as your herbs are still within the safe consumption guideline of two to three weeks, then they're safe to eat (per Masterclass). And while you might not envision yourself adding aromatics to any of your upcoming meals, you might consider changing your perspective. According to The Pioneer Woman, flash-frying herbs lends them a crunchy texture perfect for topping off a meal as a functional, fragrant garnish.
The process is quick, painless, and beginner-friendly. Simply place your herbs in a skillet coated with a flavorless oil, turn the stove on medium heat, fry on each side for five to 15 seconds, et voila! Now you have crunchy, aromatic herbs perfect for topping off soup, potatoes, vegetables, and whatever your herbaceous heart desires.
Next time your herbs are on the precipice of expiration, fry them up to elevate your dinner while simultaneously doing your part to reduce food waste.