How to Dry Herbs: Air Drying, Dehydrator, and Oven Methods

How to dry herbs: air drying, dehydrator, and oven methods

“Drying is the easiest method of preserving herbs,” says the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP). No fancy gear needed. This guide covers air drying, a dehydrator, and the oven, plus how to tell when herbs are dry and how to store them.

Quick reference

Air drying: no equipment, and it takes days.
Dehydrator: takes hours, with set heat and airflow.
Oven: what most kitchens have, with a few caveats.
Also: roots · is it dry? · storage · cheat sheet

What you’ll need

Basic supplies

Kitchen shears ad
Kitchen twine ad
Paper bags (brown lunch bags work great)
Paper towels and rubber bands
Clean dish towel ad
Labels ad and permanent marker ad
Glass jars with tight lids ad for storage

Optional but helpful

Window screens or a stackable cooling rack ad
Clip-on fan ad for air circulation
Oven thermometer ad (if using the oven)
Food dehydrator ad

Before you start: harvesting

NCHFP says the best time to harvest most herbs for drying is just before the flowers first open, at the “bursting bud stage.” Our advice: use that timing for herbs you grow for their leaves, and pick flower herbs like chamomile and calendula once the flowers are open (their plant guides give the timing). Roots have their own section.

Before you pick, read the safety notes in each plant’s guide. Nettle stings; its guide covers gloves and handling.

Then:

Pick early in the day. “Gather the herbs in the early morning after the dew has evaporated to minimize wilting” (NCHFP).
Sort your harvest. “Discard all bruised, soiled or imperfect leaves and stems” (NCHFP).
Rinse them. “Rinse the herbs in cool water and gently shake to remove excess moisture” (Oregon State University Extension).
Pat them dry with a clean towel before you start (our advice).

Air drying herbs: hang, bag, or lay flat

Air drying costs nothing. Sturdy herbs hang in small bundles. Tender, juicy-leaved herbs go in a paper bag or lie flat on a tray. Flowers spread out on a screen.

Our advice for every air-drying setup: hang or set the herbs out of reach of children and pets, and throw out any batch that molds (safety notes).

Dry them indoors if you can. NCHFP says drying indoors usually gives better color and flavor than drying outdoors. Skip the sunny windowsill, too: Clemson Extension and Oregon State both advise against sun drying, because it costs flavor and color.

Several of our plant guides give their own drying steps: holy basil, anise hyssop, bee balm, yarrow, and mullein.

Sturdy herbs: hang them in small bundles

Sturdy herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, summer savory, and parsley (NCHFP), plus cilantro (Oregon State), can simply hang: “Tie them into small bundles and hang them to air dry” (NCHFP).

How to hang them:

Tie 4–6 stems per bundle with kitchen twine, loose enough for air to move (our advice).
Hang them somewhere warm with moving air, like a kitchen (Oregon State), and away from the sink, stove, and dishwasher (Penn State Extension).
Keep dust off with a paper bag punched with holes (Penn State). The bag also catches any leaves that drop (our advice).
Start checking after 5 days with the done test (our advice).

Tender herbs and seeds: use a paper bag or a tray

Some herbs need to dry fast. “Basil, oregano, tarragon, lemon balm and the mints have a high moisture content and will mold if not dried quickly,” NCHFP warns. See our lemon balm and peppermint guides.

Paper bag method (NCHFP):

Tear or punch holes in the sides of a paper bag.
Put a small bunch of herbs inside. Keep it small, because “large amounts will mold.”
Close the top with a rubber band.
Hang it where air moves around the bag. Any leaves that fall land in the bottom. Toss the batch if it molds (our advice; safety notes).

Flat on a tray (Oregon State): spread the leaves on a layer of paper towels on a tray. It suits bay, mint, and sage leaves and keeps their color. “It will usually take 5-10 days to air-dry.”

Drying basil? It’s one of NCHFP’s tender herbs. For a faster indoor option, try the oven-light method.

Seeds: use the same paper bag for herbs with seeds (NCHFP). Or let dill, caraway, mustard, and fennel seeds mature on the plant, then hang the stalks upside down and shake out the seeds when dry (Penn State).

How to dry flowers on a screen

“Simply expose the leaves, flowers or seeds to warm, dry air,” Clemson says of air drying.

Our advice for flowers like chamomile, calendula, and lavender:

Spread the flower heads in a single layer on a clean window screen or a stackable cooling rack. Don’t let them touch.
Set them somewhere airy, out of direct sun.
Turn them gently every couple of days.
Check them with the done test.

How to dry herbs in a dehydrator

A dehydrator dries most herbs in hours, at the settings below. Clemson says why dehydrators suit herbs: “Dehydrator drying is a fast and easy way to dry high quality herbs because temperature and air circulation can be controlled.”

Dehydrator temperature and time for herbs

Guide	Temperature	Time
NCHFP (Oregon State agrees)	95–115°F; up to 125°F in areas with higher humidity	“Drying times may vary from 1 to 4 hours”
Penn State	95–110°F	Not given

Both cover herbs in general. Our advice: for leaves and flowers, start at the low end, 95–105°F. Go higher, within the ranges above, only if they’re drying slowly.

Dehydrator steps

Start with rinsed, patted-dry herbs (see harvesting; NCHFP’s dehydrator steps also start with a rinse).
Lay them in a single layer on the trays (NCHFP). Keep strong-scented herbs like mint on their own trays, so the flavors don’t mix (our advice).
Preheat to your setting from the table.
“Check periodically” (NCHFP), using the done test.

Machines vary, so “Check your dehydrator instruction booklet for specific details” (Clemson). If you’re shopping for one, the food dehydrator ad pictured above is the one we link.

Drying nettle? Our stinging nettle guide covers Oregon State’s nettle tray method. Thick mullein leaves may take longer, as its guide notes. For roots, see how to dry roots.

How to dry herbs in the oven

Start with the catch. Penn State doesn’t generally recommend oven drying, because even the lowest temperature destroys much of the herbs’ flavor, oils, and color. If an oven is what you have, here are two extension methods.

Two cautions first. North Dakota State University Extension’s fruit-drying guide says oven drying isn’t safe if young children and pets are present. CDC lists gas ranges as a source of carbon monoxide (oven safety).

Oven-light method: leaves between paper towels

Clemson calls this method “especially nice for mint, sage or bay leaf.” In high humidity, it adds, “it will work better than air drying whole stems.”

The heat comes from a light, not a temperature setting: “The oven light of an electric range or the pilot light of a gas range furnishes enough heat for overnight drying” (NCHFP). So you need an electric range with an oven light, or a gas range with a pilot light. Even then, it isn’t a sure thing: Penn State says the oven light “in some ovens may provide enough heat.”

Pick the best leaves off the stems.
Lay them on a paper towel without letting them touch.
Cover with another towel and another layer of leaves. You can dry five layers at once (NCHFP).
“Dry in a very cool oven” (NCHFP) overnight. Our advice: on a gas range, use this method only if it has a pilot light, and don’t prop the door open (oven safety).

The leaves “dry flat and retain a good color” (NCHFP). Our advice: tender basil does well this way.

Low-heat method with the door open

Penn State’s method: set the oven to its lowest temperature, “not above 180°F,” for 3 to 4 hours with the door open.

Our advice: with a gas oven, skip this method and use the oven-light method (only if your range has a pilot light) or a dehydrator (see oven safety). With an electric oven, go lower, to 95–110°F, to save flavor, as Penn State warns above. Then:

Check the heat with an oven thermometer ad (the one linked here reads from 100°F up).
Spread the herbs in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Prop the door open with a wooden spoon. Our advice: electric ovens only, and never leave the open oven unattended (oven safety).
Check every 30 minutes with the done test. At this lower heat, expect it to take longer than 3 to 4 hours.

If the oven won’t stay that low with the door propped, use the oven-light method or a dehydrator instead.

Oven safety

“Oven drying is not a safe procedure to follow if young children and pets are present,” warns North Dakota State University Extension. That guide is about drying fruit with the oven door open, not herbs.

CDC’s carbon monoxide guidance isn’t about drying food. It lists gas ranges as a source of carbon monoxide and says, “Never heat your house with a gas oven.”

Our advice: with a gas oven, don’t prop the door open. Use the oven-light method only if your gas range has a pilot light. Otherwise, use a dehydrator. Never leave a propped-open oven unattended.

How to dry roots in a dehydrator or oven

Examples: echinacea root, ginger, marshmallow root.

Scrub the roots, pat them dry, and “cut into ¼ to ½- inch pieces,” says the Herbal Academy, an herbal school that sells courses. Our advice: slice the roots while they’re fresh, because they’re very hard to cut once dry.

In a dehydrator, “The roots will harden when dry, usually within 6 – 10 hours” (Herbal Academy). The school’s general dehydrator setting is 95–115°F, and it gives no separate temperature for roots.

In the oven, use our lower 95–110°F oven setting (our advice), with the same door-open cautions (electric ovens only, never unattended; oven safety). Expect roots to take far longer than leaves. A dehydrator is easier. Either way, finish with the done test.

For comparison, Ontario’s agriculture ministry advises commercial growers to dry echinacea roots “for 4 or 5 days at 35 °C” (95°F) in a forced-air dryer.

How to tell when herbs are dry

Leaves: herbs are dry “when leaves are crispy and crumble easily between the fingers” (Penn State).
Stems: “The stems should be brittle and break when bent” (Oregon State).
Flowers: petals feel papery, and centers are completely dry (our advice).
Roots: they “harden when dry” (Herbal Academy). The pieces should snap cleanly instead of bending (our advice).

If you’re not sure, dry them a little longer before you jar them (our advice).

How to store dried herbs

Strip the leaves or keep them whole. Dried leaves “may be left whole and crumpled as used, or coarsely crumpled before storage” (Clemson).
Jar them. “Place herbs in airtight containers and store in a cool, dry, dark area to protect color and fragrance” (NCHFP). Glass jars with tight lids do the job.
Keep them away from stoves and sinks, and avoid exposing them to air, heat, and light (Penn State). Our advice: store them out of reach of children and pets, too (safety notes).

Our advice for the jars: fill each one well, so less air sits on the herbs. Label it with the herb and the date, because dried herbs soon look alike.

Shelf life:

Dried herbs in general: use them “within six months to one year” for best flavor (Oregon State). “Most dried herbs keep well for up to a year” (Penn State).

“Judge their strength by their aroma,” Penn State says. Our advice: if the color has faded or the smell is gone, dry a fresh batch.

Troubleshooting common problems

Our advice for the usual problems:

Herbs turned brown or black: that usually means too much sun or heat. See air drying or the oven section.
Moldy spots appeared: throw out the whole batch. Next time, use smaller bunches, and see tender herbs.
Lost their smell: they dried too hot (see the oven section), were stored badly, or are past their shelf life.
Taking forever to dry: a humid room is the usual cause. Try the dehydrator or the oven-light method. A clip-on fan helps air move.

Drying cheat sheet

Herb type	Examples	Method
Sturdy leaves	Rosemary, thyme	Hang in small bundles
Tender leaves	Basil, lemon balm	Paper bag, tray, or dehydrator
Flowers	Chamomile, calendula	Screen or rack (our advice)
Seeds	Dill, fennel	Hang upside down; a bag catches seeds
Roots	Echinacea, ginger	Dehydrator (see roots)

Using your dried herbs

“Dried herbs are usually 3 to 4 times stronger than the fresh herbs,” NCHFP says. So when a recipe calls for fresh herbs, “use 1/4 to 1/3 of the amount listed in the recipe.”

Before you use a dried herb in tea or any preparation, read the safety notes in its plant guide (safety notes).

For tea, see hot infusions and cold infusions. Those guides give the amounts. Dried herbs also go into tinctures, infused oils, salves, and oxymels.

Chamomile, calendula, lemon balm, peppermint, and thyme all dry by the methods above, and all five grow in pots, so the tea you dry can come from your own porch. Start your medicinal herb garden with those five, or plan a whole herbal tea garden.

Safety notes

Label everything, as in storage.
Moldy batch? See troubleshooting.
Keep dried herbs away from children and pets until you’re ready to use them (our advice).
Before you use a dried herb, read the safety notes in its plant guide.
Nettle stings. Our stinging nettle guide covers handling it.
For oven cautions, see oven safety.

Equipment worth considering

Beyond the supplies above, two more tools can help:

Mesh cotton produce bags ad : a breathable dust cover for a hanging bundle (our advice).
Humidity meter ad : shows how damp your drying room is.

People dried herbs long before dehydrators. Start simple, pay attention, and you’ll learn what works in your kitchen.

Growing your own? Start your medicinal herb garden and plan a harvest worth drying.

All Preparation Method Guides

How to Dry Herbs: Air Drying, Dehydrator, and Oven Methods