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    Home » Kitchen Tips » Freezer Cooking

    Can You Freeze Chipotle Peppers?

    Published: Jan 25, 2022 · Modified: Jan 25, 2022 by Jessica Fisher

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    Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add great heat and flavor to recipes, but few recipes will use the whole can. Can you freeze chipotle peppers you have leftover?

    Whether you’re going to cook up a pot of Barbacoa Beef for Tacos or stir up a batch of Homemade Chipotle Mayo, rest easy that nothing will go to waste when you freeze chipotle chiles.

    overhead shot of an open can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. this …

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    Jump to:
    • Why Do This
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Uses
    • Tell us what you think!
    • How to Freeze Chipotle Peppers

    Ripe jalapeño chiles that have been smoked and dried are called chipotles. Often sold canned in adobo sauce, they add delicious heat to any number of southwest dishes.

    While canned foods are generally shelf-stable for years to come, once you open a can, you’re on the clock to use up the contents before they spoil. Thankfully, you can freeze chipotle peppers.

    Why Do This

    Flash freezing the rest of the chipotle chiles in the can will not only extend the life of your purchase and help you avoid food waste, but you’ll have the peppers already portioned and recipe-ready when you need them.

    Ingredients

    can of san marcos brand chilpotle peppers on its side on a black countertop.

    Hotter than your standard green chile, chipotle peppers (also spelled chilpotle) are fully ripened jalapeños that have turned red on the vine and then dried and smoked. They are a moderately hot chile, ranging from 2,500 to 10,000 on the Scoville scale, on par with their fresh jalapeño counterpart.

    You can buy chipotle chiles dried, pickled, or canned in adobo sauce. The canned variety is the one that you may want to freeze, as once you open the can, you’ll need to use them up in about a week.

    The standard 7- to 8-ounce can holds 9 to 11 chipotle peppers and accompanying adobo sauce. At $1-2/can, you can really stretch this small purchase for many meals by freezing the leftovers.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Here’s how to freeze chipotle chiles:

    chipotles and sauce spread out on a parchment lined sheet pan.
    frozen chipotles and sauce on parchment-lined tray.
    ziptop bag labeled with the words chipotle peppers, inside is the folded parchment with the frozen chiles inside.
    • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, plastic wrap, or waxed paper. Distribute the individual peppers and a bit of sauce 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 recipe from frozen, chopping first if desired.

    Alternatively, divide the chipotle chiles into ice cube trays with their sauce and freeze until firm. Keep in mind this may stain the ice cube tray.

    If you know you will use the chiles chopped in recipes, you can chop them all prior to freezing to make them even more convenient to use.

    FAQs

    Are chipotle peppers hot?

    Chipotle chiles are fairly spicy. They land between 2500 and 10,000 on the Scoville scale, on par with their fresh jalapeño counterpart. By comparison, a bell pepper is between 0 and 100 while an Anaheim green chile is 1,000 to 2,500.

    How many chipotle peppers are in a 7-ounce can?

    There are 9 to 11 chipotle chiles in the standard can.

    What to do with chipotle peppers leftovers?

    Freeze chipotles leftover in the can so that you can use them up in future recipes.

    Uses

    • rice bowl with black beans and barbacoa beef
      Barbacoa Beef for Tacos, Lettuce Wraps, Bowls, & Burritos
    • chicken burrito bowl
      Chicken Burrito Bowls with Chipotle Crema
    • turkey burger on plate with blue cheese crumbles
      Easy Turkey Burger Recipe
    • overhead shot of a bowl of chipotle mayo with a spoon swirling it.
      Homemade Chipotle Mayo (5 cents/tablespoon!)
    white spoon and fork on a teal plate logo.

    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    bagged and frozen chipotle peppers on a black table.

    How to Freeze Chipotle Peppers

    Learn how to freeze chipotle peppers so that you can use the rest of the can without waste. It's a great way to save time and money and give your recipes a kick when they need it.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 14kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $1

    Equipment

    • parchment paper
    • heavy duty sheet pan
    • ziptop freezer bags

    Ingredients

    • 7.5 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Divide the chipotle peppers into ice cube trays with their sauce and freeze until firm. Keep in mind this may stain the ice cube tray.
      7.5 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
    • Alternatively, to freeze them loose, distribute the individual peppers and a bit of sauce 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 recipe from frozen, chopping first if desired.

    Notes

    Frozen chipotles will be safe indefinitely if kept at below zero degrees, but after ten months, their quality will start to diminish. Since home freezers are not as consistent and reliable as commercial freezers, try to use your frozen chipotles within a couple months.
    Use chipotles in salsas, soups, chiles, and sauces. They are great in Homemade Chipotle Mayo or Barbacoa Beef.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Sodium: 269mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1063IU | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tell us what you think! Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.
    « Turkey Avocado Baguette Sandwich
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Karen

      January 26, 2022 at 10:05 am

      Since I always want my chiles chopped, I blitz the sauce and peppers in the food processor first. Dump whole thing in a quart zip lock bag, press out air, and smooth flat to freeze. When you need some zing, just break off the amount you need. (now that your food processor is dirty, use it to chop the onions for whatever you needed the chipotle for initially!)

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 26, 2022 at 10:09 am

        5 stars
        Fantastic idea, Karen. Thanks!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a 4x cookbook author and 6x mom. I know what it is to be in a hurry and on a budget. I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter what's on their plate. I've been featured on Good Morning America, PBS News Hour, and NBC.

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