Can you freeze peppers? Peppers, whether green, yellow, red, or orange, can all be frozen to preserve the delicious sweet and peppery flavor they contain. The best time to freeze peppers is immediately after harvest.
That being said, those of you who enjoy eating fresh, crunchy peppers as an accompaniment to salads or on sandwiches should not freeze your peppers, as freezing causes them to retain water longer, resulting in a softer texture once thawed.
Please keep in mind that peppers change in texture when frozen, but not in taste. So if you love your peppers fresh and crunchy, it’s best to eat them plain and don’t leave any leftovers. Otherwise, freeze as many peppers as you can so you have them on hand all year round to use in all sorts of dishes until the next bounty harvest season.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to freeze peppers:
How do you freeze peppers?
The best way to freeze peppers is whole, without the stems or seeds, sliced, or finely chopped. You can freeze your peppers, whichever method works best for you.
Freeze whole peppers
To freeze your whole peppers, simply cut off the tops of the peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and place the peppers in individual freezer bags. After that, place the whole peppers in the freezer to keep them fresh for up to 2 years.
Read Also: Can you freeze cream cheese frosting?
Freezing sliced peppers
To freeze sliced peppers, cut off the top of the peppers, remove the stems and seeds, and slice the peppers into thin slices, either circularly or vertically. You do whatever pleases you. After that, place the slices in a freezer bag or container and store in the freezer to keep them fresh for up to 1 year.
Freezing chopped peppers
To freeze chopped peppers, cut off the tops, remove the stems and seeds, and cut the peppers into bite-sized pieces. Then spread the chopped peppers on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and freeze them in the freezer for about an hour.
After that, you can put the crushed frozen peppers into containers or freezer bags. Store the pouches in the freezer until ready to use in bowls. Freezing the shredded peppers this way will prevent the pepper pieces from sticking together. This way, the chopped peppers stay fresh for up to 6 months.
How do you thaw frozen peppers?
There are a few ways to thaw peppers. If you were to thaw whole peppers, you would take them out of the freezer, place them in the fridge to thaw them for up to 12 hours, and then slice them or use them in your dishes, whichever you prefer.
You can also take frozen whole peppers and thaw them in a bowl of cold water, which takes about an hour. After that, cook them using whichever method you prefer.
Now all you have to do is take the sliced or diced peppers out of the freezer and cook with them. You don’t have to thaw them at all. You can thaw them in the fridge before using them for cooking, but this will make them a little softer than usual.
summary
Peppers may be available year-round, but it’s nice to know you can avoid wastage by freezing your stash of peppers. Now that you know how to freeze peppers, don’t be afraid to buy in bulk. Just keep your leftovers in the freezer for future cooking!