Briefly, yes, you can freeze bell peppers to extend their shelf life, but they will lose their crunchy texture. The flavor remains unchanged, making them ideal for use in cooked dishes. Properly store and protect them from moisture and air to prevent freezer burn.
Red, yellow and green peppers add a great punch of flavor and color to uncooked dishes such as salads and salsa as well as to cooked recipes.
Raw, roasted, stuffed, or sauteed, bell peppers can be used in stir-fry, an omelet, quiche, stew, casserole, soup, curry, savory rice, and so much more.
During harvest season, peppers are very affordable. Whether you are growing your own, or buying in bulk to make use of peak season savings, you may want to consider freezing excess peppers before they go bad.
This way, you won’t only save on food waste and money, but you will also have peppers ready to spruce up a dish or sauce without needing to do any further preparation.
Below you will find out exactly how to go about freezing bell peppers for the best preservation of these vibrant veggies.
Can Bell Peppers Be Frozen?
Yes, you can freeze bell peppers to prolong their shelf life. Once cut, peppers don’t last very long and that makes freezing the ideal solution to saving your precious produce.
Peppers will lose their crunchy texture on freezing, however, the flavor remains unchanged making frozen peppers ideal for use in cooked dishes.
When freezing green peppers, it is important to keep them at a consistent frozen temperature to prevent the formation of ice crystals which will ruin the pepper’s integrity.
The peppers also need to be protected from excess moisture and contact with air to preserve their quality and prevent freezer burn.
Only freeze peppers that are fresh and in a good condition. Peppers that have started to shrivel or show signs of spoiling should be used immediately or discarded and will not freeze well.
How To Freeze Peppers
Step 1: Sort and Wash
Check each bell pepper individually and choose only the healthy, firm ones to freeze. Wash the fresh bell peppers well and dry them with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove any excess moisture.
Step 2: Deseed and Chop
Cut away any soft spots and core the peppers, removing the stalk. Cut the peppers in half and remove the interior seeds and membrane. Cut the peppers into strips, rounds, or small cubes depending on how you want to use them.
Step 3: Flash Freezing
Spread the pepper pieces out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Place it in the freezer until just frozen.
This prevents the pieces from sticking together and freezing in one large clump, allowing you to remove only as much as you need from the freezer at any given time.
Alternatively, you can roast the peppers with garlic and seasonings, blend them, and freeze the puree in a silicone ice cube or muffin tray. Again, pop the tray into the freezer just until frozen to form blocks for adding to stews, soups, and sauces.
Step 4: Pack
Remove the frozen pepper slices or blended cubes from the freezer and pack them into resealable freezer bags ensuring they do not have time to thaw or stick together. Press out as much air as possible from the plastic bag and seal. Alternatively, you can use an airtight container.
Step 5: Label and Freeze
Label the freezer bag with the date and freeze.
How To Thaw Frozen Bell Peppers
Green pepper cubes can be added from frozen to soups, casseroles, stews, and sauces as a great flavor enhancer. Frozen sliced green peppers can also be added to stir-fries, curries, and other cooked dishes without thawing since they will defrost quickly once warmed.
Types of Bell Peppers
Although botanically classified as a fruit, bell peppers are generally used as a vegetable.
Bell peppers, also known as capsicum or sweet peppers, are commonly available in green, red, yellow, and orange varieties and are the only members of the Capsicum family that do not have a hot or spicy flavor.
These somewhat sweet fresh peppers have a thin waxy outer skin, crunchy vibrant flesh, and a hollow cavity with small white seeds.
Fresh green, red, yellow, or orange peppers are popularly used sliced or diced in salads. They can also be stuffed and roasted or baked whole. In cooked dishes, peppers are used to add flavor and color across a variety of cuisines.
Green peppers last for 1 to 2 weeks when kept in the refrigerator. Once sliced, their shelf life decreases to only 2 or 3 days after which they will become limp and slimy.
Frozen green peppers are best used within six months for the best quality preservation. Although they may last longer than this in the freezer, the quality may deteriorate, and freezer burn can develop.
Can you freeze red, yellow, or orange peppers?
Yes, follow the same steps to freeze red, yellow, green, or orange peppers. Their flavor will stay intact with a slight softening of the texture once thawed. Frozen peppers are best used in cooked dishes.
Can you freeze stuffed green peppers?
Yes, whole green peppers can be frozen stuffed. To freeze whole green peppers, cut off the tops, scoop out the seeds, and then fill them with the desired stuffing. Ideally, put the top back on.
Wrap the stuffed pepper in foil, ensuring that no gaps are left open where air can enter. Wrap the pepper again fully in a double layer of plastic wrap or alternatively, use heavy duty freezer bags. This extra wrapping is necessary to protect it further from contact with air. Label it with the date and place it upright in the freezer.
Stuffed peppers should be baked from frozen.
Can you refreeze green peppers after they have been thawed?
No, green peppers should not be frozen twice as the quality and texture of the product will deteriorate. It is best to only take what you need out of the freezer and leave the rest frozen until needed.
Do you need to blanch bell peppers?
While many vegetables benefit from blanching, you can freeze green peppers and hot peppers without blanching.
Can you freeze bell peppers and tomatoes?
Yes, both bell peppers and tomatoes can be frozen to prolong their shelf life. For bell peppers, it’s best to remove the seeds and slice them before freezing, while tomatoes can be frozen whole or in puree form.
Conclusion
Chopped, blended, whole, or stuffed, green peppers can be used in so many different ways—from quiches, salads, and salsa to casseroles and curry.
Growing your own peppers can leave you with a bag full when all you really need is one pepper. Freezing peppers is a fantastic way to preserve these bright and flavorful fruits, and to have them ready prepped for a convenient addition to any meal.
As a qualified Holistic Nutritionist, Helga has also combined her passion for good food and healthy living in wellness coaching. After years practicing in the catering and hospitality industries, Helga now focuses on sharing her knowledge and experience with others through writing about food tips, cooking advice, wellness, global food trends, and travel.
