There are a few reasons you might find yourself with a plethora of peppers. Perhaps a CSA basket sent you a few and threw you for a loop on what to do with them. Perhaps you made the economical choice to purchase peak-season peppers in bulk from your local farmer's market and now need to find a way to preserve them.
No matter the reason, freezing peppers not only prevents food waste, it's easy and doesn't require any real equipment. As a bonus, there's no noticeable difference between fresh and frozen peppers in cooked dishes. Basically, deciding whether or not to freeze your extra peppers is a no-brainer.
The Best Way to Freeze Fresh Peppers
The best varieties to freeze are bell peppers or hot chili peppers. You can choose whether you want to freeze them whole or sliced/chopped. The latter tends to be best, occupying less space in the freezer and making grabbing only what you need for a meal a cinch.
Before you freeze anything, inspect your peppers. Peppers with bad spots or mushy bits can be trimmed and used immediately in a cooked dish, but won't do well in the freezer.
There's no need to blanch peppers before freezing. The purpose of blanching is often to retain color, an issue peppers do not have when subjected to freezing. Blanching cut peppers will also mute their flavor. Keep in mind that very small peppers can simply be frozen whole in an airtight container.
How to Freeze Whole Peppers:
- Wash and dry peppers well.
- Remove the stems and cut off the tops.
- Scoop out seeds and inner membrane.
- Replace tops and wrap each complete pepper in plastic wrap.
- Place wrapped pepper in a zip-top freezer bag, press as much air out of the bag as possible, seal and write the date on it.
How to Freeze Cut Peppers:
- Wash and dry peppers well.
- Remove the stems, seeds, and inner membrane.
- Cut, slice, or chop the peppers into rings, quarters, thick or thin strips, or dice.
- Dab the cut peppers with paper towels to dry them again. Peppers have a good moisture content, and the dryer they are, the less likely they'll develop freezer burn.
- Spread peppers in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze at least 2 hours
- Transfer individually frozen cut peppers to a zip-top bag and seal, pressing as much air out as possible, and label.
How Long Are Frozen Peppers Good For?
So, you've gotten your peppers nestled nicely in the freezer. How long can you grab a handful from your bag for an impromptu omelet? The answer is: a pretty long time. Frozen peppers will last anywhere from 6 months to 1 year. Once they've developed an excess of frost or if they manage to feel mushy even when frozen, toss them out.
How to Thaw and Use Frozen Peppers
Should you need to thaw your frozen peppers, place them in a container in the fridge before using them. You can also place this container in the microwave for a quicker thaw. Drying the peppers on paper towels after thawing is also a good idea.
With that being said, the best practice is not to bother thawing at all. Frozen peppers can be mushy once thawed, and since these peppers should only be used in cooked applications like stir-fries and soups, cooking them directly from frozen is perfectly fine.
Large peppers frozen whole with their seeds removed should only be used in baked dishes. No doubt the best use is for stuffed peppers – being frozen, the peppers might even stand up on their own, happily awaiting stuffing and making the preparation easier.
Frozen cut peppers cook quickly and easily, making them incredibly handy. And, with the cleaning and chopping already done, dinner comes together a bit quicker.
Related:
FAQs
Cut peppers into strips, dice or slice, depending on how you plan to use them. Freeze peppers in a single layer on a clean cookie sheet with sides, about an hour or longer until frozen. This method is referred to as "tray freezing." Transfer to a freezer bag when frozen, excluding as much air as possible from the bag.
What is the best way to freeze peppers? ›
Cut peppers into strips, dice or slice, depending on how you plan to use them. Freeze peppers in a single layer on a clean cookie sheet with sides, about an hour or longer until frozen. This method is referred to as "tray freezing." Transfer to a freezer bag when frozen, excluding as much air as possible from the bag.
Do bell peppers need to be blanched before freezing? ›
Unlike some produce, bell peppers don't need to be blanched first before freezing. They simply need to be washed, cut and then frozen (more on that below). Although they'll retain most of their flavor after being frozen, bell peppers will lose some of their crispy texture when thawed.
How to store peppers long term? ›
Simply cut clean ripe peppers into strips, freeze them on a cookie sheet, and then transfer to freezer bags for long-term storage. By the end of the season, I like to have two gallons of frozen pepper strips stashed away.
Do frozen bell peppers get mushy? ›
Frozen peppers should be added to hot dishes instead of recipes that use them raw. This is because they can get mushy when they thaw. To prevent soggy dishes, only use frozen peppers in hot recipes like soups, stir fries, casseroles, and sautéed vegetables. You should add them directly to the dish from frozen.
Is it better to freeze bell peppers raw or cooked? ›
There's no need to blanch peppers before freezing. The purpose of blanching is often to retain color, an issue peppers do not have when subjected to freezing. Blanching cut peppers will also mute their flavor. Keep in mind that very small peppers can simply be frozen whole in an airtight container.
What is the best way to prepare frozen peppers? ›
Lay your peppers out on a paper towel to remove excess moisture brought about in the freezing process. Throw into cooked dishes: They don't need long to cook, so put them in at the end of a stir-fry for example. Frozen peppers will work in just about any cooked application you'd use a fresh pepper!
What to do with too many peppers? ›
How to Use Up Your Extra Peppers
- Roasted Pepper & Butternut Squash Soup.
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup.
- Bell Pepper Chicken & Dill Soup.
- Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers.
- Long Sweet Pepper Boats.
- Bell Peppers Stuffed with Tomato Couscous.
- Mini Sweet Pepper & Orange Cranberry Muffins.
- Bell Pepper Cornbread.
Before preserving vegetables, blanch the vegetables to improve the safety and quality of the final product. All vegetables should be blanched and quickly cooled before freezing, drying or dehydrating. Exceptions: Diced or cut onions, green onions, leeks and peppers do not need to be blanched before preserving.
Do you have to remove seeds from peppers before freezing? ›
Tips for freezing peppers
You can remove the seeds before freezing to make them ready to use. The peppers will be softer when thawed, so it will be harder to remove seeds afterward. Be sure to package them well to avoid the pepper flavoring impacting your other frozen foods and freezer burn.
If you store bell peppers after cutting them up in quart-size ziplock bags, they last 6 months, and if you store them in vacuum-sealed bags, they last about 18 months. I suggest storing both the ziplock or vacuum-sealed bags flat in the freezer. It's a real space-saver.
Do peppers last longer in the fridge or on the counter? ›
How To Store Bell Peppers. To keep your Bell Peppers tasting great longer, store them in your refrigerator crisper drawer. In the fridge, raw Bell Peppers will last between 1 and 2 weeks. Cooked Bell Peppers will typically last 3-5 days.
What is the best temperature to store peppers? ›
Optimum storage condition for peppers is 45 to 55°F with 90 to 95% RH. Temperatures lower than 45°F may cause chilling injury. Colored peppers are in general less chilling sensitive than green peppers. Storage temperatures higher than 55°F accelerate ripening, it should be avoided for green peppers.
Is it better to freeze peppers whole or cut? ›
Large bell peppers are best if sliced or chopped before freezing because they'll take up less freezer space and are ready to use straight from the freezer. Smaller chili peppers can be frozen whole if desired.
How do you freeze bell peppers without getting mushy? ›
Bell peppers can be frozen in three easy steps: First, wash and slice the peppers in the desired way, either in long strips or diced. Next, par freeze the bell peppers for an hour, spread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Last, transfer to a freezer bag and store until you're ready to use.
Can you freeze peppers without blanching? ›
Bell peppers can be frozen raw and do not require blanching prior to freezing.
Do you have to flashfreeze peppers before freezing? ›
To do this, I always flash-freeze sliced peppers before putting them into storage bags. For smaller pepper varieties like habaneros that are best stored whole, this process is not necessary.
Do you need to blanch peppers before freeze drying? ›
Peppers do not need to be blanched before freeze drying. Blanching is a cooking process where you place you vegetable or fruit into boiling water, then remove it after a short time.
Is it better to freeze or dry hot peppers? ›
Freezing chilies is the best way to preserve the integrity and flavor of your chilies. This works for any type of pepper, from sweet bell peppers to the hottest peppers in the world.
