How Long Does Fresh Thyme Last?

Fresh thyme, wrapped in a damp paper towel or kept in a sealed bag, lasts about 2-3 weeks in the fridge, close to rosemary's window thanks to its similarly sturdy, small-leafed structure.

Dry, shriveled leaves that fall off the stem easily, a faded color, and a noticeably weaker aroma are signs of quality decline before actual spoilage. Mold, most likely to develop near the stem ends, and a musty smell replacing thyme's normal earthy, slightly minty scent mean it's spoiled — because thyme is frequently used in a bouquet garni bundled with other herbs for a long simmer, checking a whole bundle rather than just the top sprig catches decline that might be hidden in the middle of the bunch.

A sprig of thyme that's dropped its leaves onto the bottom of its storage bag or wrapping, rather than staying attached to the stem, isn't necessarily spoiled — that leaf drop can simply be a sign of gradual drying, and the fallen leaves themselves are often still usable even if the sprig looks a bit worse for wear.

A thyme sprig that's been stripped of some leaves for a recipe, leaving a partially bare stem, tends to dry out faster at the exposed cut points than an untouched sprig, so using a whole sprig at a time rather than partially stripping several extends the remaining bunch's life.

See Fresh Thyme's full storage & shelf-life guide (with spoilage signs) →