I love peppers. Not raw, but in different dishes. Chillies, spaghetty, stir-fry and other dishes all get a dose of peppers. Bell peppers are my favorite, but bananas and the occassional hot pepper get added as well. Since it’s way to expensive to buy peppers in the winter, I thought I would share how to to freeze peppers today.
Since I literally froze a bunch yesterday, I took photos just for you! (you’re welcome 😉 )
How to Freeze Peppers!
I picked my peppers from our garden. They didn’t do quite as well this year as some years, but we still ended up with quite a few. If you don’t have a garden, don’t worry, I’ve seen large red and yellow peppers selling for under a dollar around here lately. Come wintertime you will pay at least $3 dollars for puny little red and yellow pepper.
You can freeze any type of pepper you want. I usually just freeze bell and banana peppers. The hot ones get dehydrated and crushed to be used as a spice.
Start by washing and cutting your peppers. I generally cut in thirds or fourths depending on the size because that’s how much I tend to use at a time. The larger your pieces are, the less frost you are likely to have.
Next lay the pieces out on a cookie sheet and freeze for at least 6 hours. Once they are frozen, pull the cookie sheet sheet out of the freezer and quickly bag your peppers. I pull one sheet out at a time and put the bags back into the freezer as I fill them.
I use my vacuum sealer to bag my peppers because they stay much nicer that way. However a freezer bag would also work fine.
Your frozen peppers will stay nice for 3-4 months if you put them in freezer bags, but if you vacuum seal them, they will stay nice for at least 9 months. I have one bag left from last fall and the peppers are looking a little bit icy, but they will still be fine.
What can you use your frozen peppers for? Basically any recipe where the peppers will get cooked anyway. I wouldn’t recommend them for something like stuffed peppers, but other than that, I use them for just about everything else.
So, if you’ve ever wondered how to freeze peppers, well now you know!
Shirley says
September 18, 2014 at 3:24 pmKendra, I am just starting to wind down from freezing bell peppers on a regular basis. We had three healthy bell pepper plants this year and they produced way more than I expected! We use them quite a bit in recipes so I’m thrilled that I won’t have to buy any this coming year!!! I usually put my smaller bags into another large bag or container so that I don’t lose them, and I freeze them in smaller bags that are just the right amount for a lot of our recipes. Makes it super quick and easy!
I hope you are well!
Kendra says
September 18, 2014 at 8:51 pmI forgot about that. I used to double bag too. It definitely helped, but they still stay nicer when vacuum sealed. 🙂
Katrina says
September 18, 2014 at 7:35 pmI’m just starting to get into the game of freezing fresh seasonal produce. Thank you for the instructions on this 🙂
Michelle Risk says
August 29, 2016 at 8:05 pmOh goodness, no reason to go to all that work. Wash, dry and freeze then while on cookie sheets. Next day bag then in freezer bags and WA La! I have done this like this for MANY, MANY YEARS.
Also, I do make stiffed peppers and freeze them. A cookie sheet will hold 36 sided peppers. I make a cookie sheet full, freeze them unbaked. Triple covered with heavy duty foil and pull or what I need or vacuume deal accordingly. I then top with sauce just before baking. You literally would never know they were frozen. Soooo very yummy!
Mari says
March 17, 2018 at 9:14 pmI just wash them dry them stick them in baggies pop them in the freezer! works well!