35-40leavesBasil (about 6-8 stems)washed and dried if needed
Instructions
Start with clean, dry, fresh basil
35-40 leaves Basil (about 6-8 stems)
Remove the basil leaves from the stems (small leaves connected by thin stems are fine)
Place a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate
Spread out your fresh basil leaves in a single layer on the paper towel lined plate
Add another paper towel to cover the leaves
Microwave on high in 30-second increments, checking for doneness (generally around 1 ½ minutes total)
Basil is completely dehydrated when leaves are dry and crispy to the touch
Crumble dehydrated basil leaves if desired, using your hands or a mortar and pestle
Store dried basil in an airtight container or spice jar
Notes
When dealing with a lot of basil leaves, make sure to dry in batches. Overlapping or stacking will cause uneven dehydration, resulting in wet spots
Depending on the size of your plate and your microwave, the amount in this recipe should likely take 1-2 batches
The flatter the leaves sit on the plate, the better. Very twisted leaves won’t dry as evenly
I always tuck the edges of the paper towels under the plate to keep them from flying around in the microwave
This recipe should net you around 1-2 tsp dried crushed basil, depending on the size of your leaves and how fine you crush them
Should your basil leaves start to turn dark brown or blackened, you have overcooked them (some light brown is normal though)
To crush the leaves, I rub them between my hands. However, you can also use a mortar & pestle or a plastic bag that you squeeze the leaves around in
Dried basil has a shelf life of 2-3 years if kept in an airtight container, after that it tends to lose flavor (though is still safe to consume, assuming properly dried)
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