How to Dry Mint Leaves

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Ngày cập nhật gần nhất: 1/3/2026

Content

Steps

Preparing Mint Leaves

Air-Drying Naturally

Drying in the Microwave

Drying in the Oven

Using a Food Dehydrator

Utilize a dehumidifier

Preserve dried mint

All the methods

Air drying naturally

Using a microwave

Using an oven

Using a food dehydrator

Using a dehumidifier

Mint is an herb known for its pleasant aroma and flavor. Dried mint is commonly used for decoration, as a spice, or to make tea in combination with other herbs. The process of drying mint leaves is relatively simple, and you can choose from various methods to achieve the same results.

Steps

Preparing Mint Leaves

Harvest the mint. For all types of mint, it’s best to harvest just before the plant flowers. Use garden shears or a sharp knife to cut the mint in the morning, after the dew has dried.

Trim about one-third of the main stem’s length. This ensures the mint plant has enough energy to regrow.
Mint harvested right before flowering has the most intense aroma and flavor, as the leaves contain the highest concentration of essential oils during this growth stage.
Gently shake each sprig of mint after cutting to remove any insects hiding in the leaves.

Wash and dry the mint. Rinse each sprig of mint under cold running water. Pat them dry using paper towels. Ensure the mint is completely dry before proceeding to the next steps.

Place the mint on a paper towel to absorb moisture, then spread it out in a single layer on another towel to air dry for an additional 1-2 hours. Avoid overlapping the sprigs.
If you have a salad spinner, you can spin a handful of mint to remove excess water. Afterward, still spread the mint on a paper towel and let it dry for another 1-2 hours.

Consider removing the leaves from the stems. Only the natural drying method requires keeping the stems intact. For other methods, separating the leaves from the stems before drying makes the process easier.

You can pluck the leaves by hand or use a sharp knife to cut them off.
Inspect the mint leaves and discard any damaged or diseased ones. Keep only the healthy leaves.

Air-Drying Naturally

Bundle the mint into small bunches. Divide the mint into small bundles and tie each one with string.

Ensure the bundles are tied tightly at the stems, allowing as many leaves as possible to be exposed to air.

Hang the mint bundles to dry in a warm, dark, and well-ventilated area. Tie the other end of the string to a hook or clothesline and place them in a warm, airy room with minimal light. Hang the bundles upside down.

Bedrooms, spare rooms, or darker areas in the kitchen are ideal. If no sufficiently dark room is available, you can loosely cover the bundles with a paper bag, securing it so it doesn’t fully enclose the mint.
The room should maintain a minimum temperature of 20°C.
Hanging the mint upside down allows the essential oils to flow into the leaves rather than concentrating in the stems.

Remove the mint leaves from the stems. The mint leaves will dry in about 1-2 weeks. Take the bundles down and strip the leaves into a bowl.

Hold the bottom end of the mint stem with one hand.
Use your other hand to slide down along the stem. The mint leaves will fall off easily, though you may need to pluck the leaves at the top of the stem.

Drying in the Microwave

Spread the mint leaves on a microwave-safe plate. Arrange the mint in a single layer, ensuring the leaves do not overlap.

By spreading only one layer, the leaves will dry faster and more evenly compared to stacking them in a bowl.

Microwave in 10-second intervals. Place the mint leaves in the microwave and heat in 10-second bursts, checking frequently to see if the leaves have started to curl and become crisp. Mint leaves typically dry within 15-45 seconds.

Ideally, the leaves should retain their green color. You can use the leaves if they turn brown, but green leaves will preserve a stronger flavor.
If you place multiple layers of mint leaves on the plate instead of a single layer, you’ll need to stir them every 30 seconds for a total of 1-3 minutes. However, this method is less ideal and may result in unevenly dried leaves.

Drying in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 60°C. Set the oven to its lowest temperature.

The drying temperature must be very low. Mint will dry faster at higher temperatures, but its flavor will diminish. Avoid drying mint at temperatures above 93°C.

Turn off the oven. After the oven has heated and stabilized at the set temperature for 5 minutes, turn it off.

This allows the mint to dry quickly in a warm environment without losing the essential oils that contribute to its flavor.

Spread the mint leaves on a baking sheet. Arrange the leaves in a single layer on the baking sheet, ensuring they do not overlap or touch each other.

If the leaves overlap or touch, some may dry unevenly, resulting in some leaves burning while others remain moist.
Try to dry leaves of similar size on the same tray. If drying leaves of varying sizes, some may dry faster than others.
No lining is necessary, but you can use parchment paper if desired. Avoid using non-stick spray.

Let the mint dry in the warm oven. Place the baking sheet in the warm oven and let the mint dry for 5-20 minutes. Check every 5 minutes to see if the mint is dry enough.

Dried mint leaves will curl and become crisp but remain green. Check frequently to prevent the leaves from turning brown.

Using a Food Dehydrator

Utilize a dehumidifier

Preserve dried mint

Transfer mint leaves into a clean, airtight jar. Place all dried mint leaves in a tightly sealed container. Ensure the lid is screwed on as tightly as possible.

Use jars with airtight lids, non-porous metal tins, or moisture-resistant containers. Materials like paper, cardboard, or plastic can absorb the volatile oils from mint leaves.
Label each jar with the date, name, and quantity of dried leaves inside.
If possible, store the leaves whole and crush them just before use rather than pre-crushing. Whole leaves retain their flavor longer.

Check for moisture. Monitor the mint leaves during the first few days. If moisture appears, additional drying is necessary.

Simply pour out the mint and re-dry it using one of the methods mentioned earlier.
Mint and other herbs can quickly develop mold if not stored in dry conditions.