Bell peppers are delicious in Fajita Vegetables, sautéed to top Grilled Brats and are amazing in Cheesy Chicken and Peppers. But can you freeze bell peppers?
Yes! Freezing bell peppers allows you not only to take advantage of great sales, but also to extend the shelf life of peppers you may not be able to use fast enough. It’s a great way to save time and money.
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Using your freezer to its best advantage sometimes means prepping ingredients and storing them for later use. When you chop and freeze vegetables to use later you save time and money.
Why Do This
It helps you avoid food waste. If you’ll use it eventually but can’t just right now, why not freeze it to use later and buy yourself some time?
It could save you money. Bell peppers go on sale from time to time or even on markdown, but if you don’t need them, it’s not really a deal. When you freeze bell peppers you find on sale, you can get great pricing and save the peppers for when you want them.
It can be more convenient. Frozen chopped or sliced peppers are often more convenient than fresh ones as they are recipe-ready. Save time when you’ve got your vegetables prepped and ready.
Ingredients
The most common of sweet peppers, bell peppers are named after their bell shape. They are available in green, red, orange, yellow, purple, and brown. They are low in calories and high in nutrients.
Choose bell peppers that are shiny and unblemished. Store them in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week.
For longer storage, freeze them. Here’s how to do that:
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Slice or chop the bell peppers.
Chopped bell peppers are great in Egg Scramble, Slow Cooked Sweet and Sour Meatballs, and Stone Soup, while you’ll need sliced peppers for Hot Italian Beef Sandwich, Cheesy Italian Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches, and Chicken Fajitas.
Think about what you use most often and chop or slice accordingly.
2. Freeze the peppers.
If you know exactly how many peppers you’ll need for a recipe, you can bag the chopped or sliced bell peppers right away.
However, if you want to freeze the peppers loose in the bag, you’ll need to open freeze them:
- Spread the peppers out on a lined tray and place the tray in the freezer.
- Once the peppers are frozen solid — they may look a bit frosted — transfer them to ziptop freezer bags and place the bags in the freezer immediately.
To use frozen peppers: Just add them to your recipe; there’s no need to thaw.
FAQs
Bell peppers freeze well for cooking later, however, if you want a very crisp pepper for salads, then you’re better off using fresh peppers.
Frozen peppers should maintain good quality frozen for 10 to 12 months if stored at less than 0 degrees. Since home freezers are often inconsistent, try to use them up within a few months.
There are some instances when blanching is required for freezing vegetables, but not with peppers, jalapeños, onions, celery, or mushrooms. These can be frozen without blanching.
What Else Can You Freeze?
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How to Freeze Bell Peppers
Equipment
- cutting board
- parchment paper
- heavy duty sheet pan
- single-serve airtight containers
- ziptop freezer bags
Instructions
- Wash the bell peppers.
- Chop or slice according to your preferences.
- Package in recipe-size portions in ziptop freezer bags or freezer-friendly containers.
- Alternatively, to freeze them loose, place them on a lined sheet pan and freeze until firm. Once solid, transfer the frozen peppers to packaging and return to the freezer.
- To use: add to the recipe from frozen.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on October 2, 2012. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Karen
Very helpful info on freezing bell peppers and Roma tomatoes. Thanks!
Elisabeth
I like this idea of flash freezing so they don’t stick together.
LisaJD
I have never frozen peppers in this way (going to start tonight though), but I always freeze the tomatoes that are starting to get a bit squishy (the ones that are still fine but not nice enough to eat in salads or sandwiches) and use them to make roast tomato sauce for pasta … it’s amazing how quickly you collect enough for a meal!
Elisabeth
@LisaJD, Great idea!
Lauren
Can you freeze the tomatoes like that too? Or will they be disgusting if defrosted?
Jessica
I have never frozen fresh tomatoes, so I can’t speak directly to that. I either dehydrate them or cook them before freezing, though I’ve heard of others who have frozen them fresh. There is a definite texture change, though.
There are some vegetables that need to be blanched prior to freezing, like corn or beans. There are others, like peppers and onions, that can be quick frozen like I describe here.
Jen
I freeze roma tomatoes whole. I just wash them, take the core out and put them in gallon freezer bags. They work great for soups and sauces.
I bought a bushel of peppers from my local farmer earlier this summer and froze them. It was a lot of chopping, but I love having them available all winter long.
Kelly
I do this ALL the time. They are SO easy to freeze, and I like that I can take out as much as I need for a meal later.
Sandi
Yup yup! I’ve started doing this as well. Fresh peppers always seem to go bad but pulling them out of the freezer and plopping into the pan has really been working well for me. Now to find someone with a garden I can raid…
Julie
I am making str fry tonight and using peppers that I previously froze. 🙂
Nice of your dad to raid his garden for you! 😉
Jessica
@Julie, yes, I can’t wait for the lemons to come in season!