How to Make Homemade Basil Salt and 10 Ways to Use It
Fresh basil is one of the greatest joys of a summer garden. If you’ve ever grown it, you know that it tends to multiply. One of my new favorite ways to preserve that fresh garden flavor is by making homemade basil salt. It is incredibly easy to make, and there are so many uses for it.
I recently started seeing so many people making basil salt on social media, and it intrigued me! There are many different versions out there, but I came up with one that is simple and worked for me.
Making basil salt is a great way to use up an abundance of basil at the end of the season. It also makes great homemade gifts. Whether you want it to season your meals or to give as a gift, this easy basil salt recipe is one you’ll want to make every year.
Quick Take: Homemade Basil Salt
- Recipe: Homemade Basil Salt
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Bake Time: 35 – 40 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Great way to preserve fresh basil
- Makes a beautiful and delicious homemade gift
- Perfect for seasoning vegetables, pasta, meats, salads, tomatoes, breads, and more
- Makes your entire house smell amazing
- Uses simple ingredients
Where to Buy Fresh Basil
I was surprised at the amount of basil it took to make a decent amount of basil salt. If you grow basil in your own garden, this is one of the best ways to preserve your harvest before frost arrives.
If you don’t grow your own basil, I suggest going to a local farmers’ market instead of purchasing several expensive packages from the grocery store.
Not only is the basil usually much fresher, but in most cases you’ll get significantly larger bunches for a much lower price.
How to Make Homemade Basil Salt
Once I made the basil salt using these amounts, I measured to find that it made about 1 cup when finished.
Ingredients
Ingredients
I used a coarse sea salt, but kosher salt, fine sea salt, Himalayan salt, or even regular table salt will all work. Each variety gives it a slightly different texture, so choose whichever you prefer.
Detailed Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220 degrees.
- Separate the basil leaves from the stems, and wash and dry the leaves well.
- Add ⅔ cups of the basil leaves (packed down in the measuring cup) to a food processor.
- Add 1 cup of salt.
- Blend until the basil is chopped very fine and evenly mixed throughout the salt. You may need to stop once or twice to scrape down the sides of the food processor before blending again.
- Pour the basil mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and smooth it out to a thin even layer.
- Bake for 35–40 minutes, stirring once or twice if desired.
- Allow the basil salt to cool completely, then return it to the food processor. Blend again until it reaches the consistency you like best.
- Store your finished basil salt in an airtight container.
Tip: The drier your basil is before blending, the better your finished basil salt will be.
As it bakes, your house will smell absolutely amazing. It is its own natural air freshener!
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
You don’t need fancy gadgets to pull this off, but a few key tools make the process smoother and faster.
- Food processor
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups
- Airtight storage container
- Small canning jars (optional for gifts)
Ways to Use Basil Salt
One of the best things about homemade basil salt is how versatile it is. This isn’t the kind of salt you use to season a pot of boiling water though. Basil salt is a finishing salt, which means you sprinkle it on food right before you serve it. The dish ends up with a boost of flavor!
Try using it on:
- Fresh Tomatoes – Sprinkle it over sliced garden tomatoes for an incredible burst of flavor.
- Salads – Season green salads, or sprinkle it over cucumber and tomato salads. It is perfect on a Caprese salad!
- Pasta – Add a pinch to freshly cooked pasta or pasta salads.
- Italian Dishes – It is perfect on lasagna, baked ziti, spaghetti, pizza, garlic bread, and other Italian favorites.
- Bruschetta – Sprinkle over fresh bruschetta before serving.
- Grilled Meats – Season grilled chicken, pork chops, steak, burgers, or fish.
- Vegetables – It’s excellent on roasted potatoes, green beans, zucchini, squash, asparagus, and corn.
- Eggs – Add a little to scrambled eggs or omelets.
- Bread – Mix with olive oil for dipping artisan bread.
- Popcorn – For a fun twist, sprinkle lightly over fresh popcorn.
Homemade basil salt is one of those little kitchen luxuries that feels fancy but is so easy to make and use.
If you make this, let me know what all you try it on and any other suggestions you may have.
Homemade Gift Idea
Basil salt makes an inexpensive but thoughtful homemade gift. Just spoon it into a small canning jar, seal it tightly, and add a pretty label.
These make wonderful gifts for:
- Christmas
- Hostesses
- Teachers
- Neighbors
- Garden club events
- Housewarming parties
Add the jar to a basket with a pretty dish towel, a loaf of homemade bread or a bottle of olive oil, and you will have a beautiful gift.
For another gift basket idea, see the cast iron gift basket with cornbread mix.
Don’t Throw Away the Basil Stems
Here’s one of my favorite little tips.
Remember how I said your house would smell so good while you were making the basil salt? You can keep a bit of that smell going.
Instead of tossing the leftover basil stems into the trash, save them for a homemade simmer pot.
Add a few stems to a pot of water along with slices of citrus fruit, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and/or vanilla – basically whatever you find in the house. Bring it to a boil and then reduce it to a low simmer. Check on it occasionally to make sure you don’t need to add more water. Do not leave it unattended.
Join Me
Join me each week as I share faith, food, and family recipes & ideas. Sign up below to receive them directly to your email.
Printable Recipe Card – Homemade Basil Salt
Basil Salt
Homemade basil salt makes great homemade gifts. It is also a great way to use up an abundance of basil at the end of the season. Whether you want it to season your meals or give as a gift, this easy basil salt recipe is one you'll want to make every year.
Ingredients
- 2/3 Cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 Cup of salt (I used coarse sea salt, but any salt will work.)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220 degrees.
- Separate the basil leaves from the stems.
- Wash and dry the basil.
- Add ⅔ cups of the basil leaves (packed down in the measuring cup) to a food processor.
- Add 1 cup of salt.
- Blend until it is chopped fine and mixed well. You may have to stop the food processor and scrape the sides before blending again.
- Pour the basil mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and smooth it out to a single layer.
- Bake for 35 - 40 minutes.
- Let the mixture cool completely.
- Add it back into the food processor and blend again until it is the consistency you want.
- Store in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, basil salt can last for several months.
I wouldn’t. Fresh basil gives the freshest flavor and color, making it the best choice for this recipe.
You can definitely do that! Freezing basil is another excellent way to preserve it at the end of the season, and there are several easy methods. Freezing is what I have done in previous years. Basil salt is just a completely different use.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re preserving a bumper crop of basil from your garden or taking advantage of fresh basil from your local farmers market, homemade basil salt is an easy way to bring fresh flavor (and aroma) to your kitchen all year long.
It’s so easy to make and such a wonderful little gift. It is a delicious reminder that sometimes the most simple ingredients can make the most memorable meals. I hope you’ll give it a try and enjoy every little sprinkle!
Related Posts
How the Christian Life is Like Harvesting Zinnia Seeds
Delicious Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Simple Menu and Meal Planning Tips
Until next time,
disclosure: Amazon Associates affiliate advertising program (and other affiliate links) are used on this page. Thank you for supporting Home with Grace and Joy. When you purchase an item, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure policy and privacy policy on the website.
“How sweet Your Word is to my taste – sweeter than honey in my mouth.”
Psalm 119:103
Bookmarking this post, Susan. This basil salt sounds delicious. We’ve had a ton of basil this year, so I’m excited to try your recipe. Plus, I love that it can be used in so many different ways and gifted as well. I’ve been making simmer pots all summer, and you’re right, it makes your entire house smell amazing. Hugs, CoCo
I cannot tell you how pleasantly surprised I was with this. I had no idea it would be this tasty!