How to Use a Herb Stripper for Fresh Herbs in 5 Minutes
By Chef'n | Clever Tools for Happy Kitchens | Published: 2026-10-31
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to use a herb stripper to quickly strip leaves from woody stems like rosemary and thyme. This guide covers the steps, common mistakes, and why the ZipStrip Herb Stripper makes prep faster.
Quick answer
Use a herb stripper to pull leaves off woody stems in one smooth motion. The ZipStrip Herb Stripper makes this easy with different sized holes and a built-in measuring bowl.
Why use a herb stripper instead of your fingers?
Stripping herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano by hand is slow and leaves torn leaves or stem bits in your dish. A herb stripper pulls leaves cleanly through a hole while the stem stays behind. The ZipStrip even catches loose leaves in its bowl, which doubles as a measuring cup for faster prep.
Which herbs work best?
Woody-stemmed herbs with small to medium leaves are ideal: rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, and tarragon. Soft-leaf herbs like basil or mint bruise easily and are better chopped by hand. The ZipStrip has multiple hole sizes so you can match the hole to the stem thickness.
How to strip herbs in 5 minutes
- Pick the right hole: Hold the herb stem near the base and choose a hole slightly larger than the stem's width. For thick rosemary stems, use the largest hole; for thin thyme stems, use the smallest. Using a hole too small will crush the stem; too large and leaves won't strip cleanly.
- Insert the stem and pull: Slide the top end of the stem through the chosen hole from the underside. Hold the stripper steady and pull the stem straight through. Leaves should pop off cleanly into the bowl. Pull in one smooth motion—jerking can tear leaves or snap the stem.
- Repeat for remaining stems: Continue with each stem, shaking the bowl occasionally to settle leaves. The bowl doubles as a measuring cup, so check the fill line if your recipe calls for a specific volume. If leaves are sticking, the stem may be too thick for that hole—try the next size up.
- Rinse and store: Empty the bowl, rinse leaves, and pat dry. Wash the ZipStrip by hand with warm soapy water. Store it in a drawer or hang it on a hook for next use. Don't put it in the dishwasher—the small holes can trap food and the plastic may warp.
Product spotlight
- ZipStrip Herb Stripper: Strip and collect woody, stemmed herbs easily with the handy little ZipStrip™ Herb Stripper. Different sized holes strip stemmed herbs of all kinds. A bowl designed to catch loose herbs also measures them for fresher, faster cooking. You don't need to hunt for a separate measuring cup—the built-in bowl collects and measures leaves in one step.
ZipStrip Herb Stripper
