Ok, I will admit it here, when we learned how to grow peppers, we may have planted 6 varieties of peppers this year that took up 3 full boxes in our garden. It was, shall I say, overkill. This is where freezing peppers came into our lives.
Seriously, we brought in so many peppers, I am ashamed to say that the last harvest actually sat on our counter and eventually had to be tossed (if only I had thought about freezing peppers then!) We decided we needed an easy way to preserve our peppers quickly!
So We Started Freezing Peppers
Generally, we try to use everything on our homestead, so letting peppers go to waste was a big no-no. So, we needed to find a way to preserve these peppers! Let me tell you, freezing peppers is the best way to preserve your peppers. Wanna know why? Well, I am going to fill you in.
If you have been growing peppers then you know a few things already:
First, peppers are SUPER easy to grow they are an easy and productive crop that is perfect for new gardeners. . Second, there are all different types of peppers. Third, they are one of the FASTEST growing vegetables. Well, most people consider them to be vegetables, but peppers are a fruit. So, you (like us) may get carried away and end up with tons and tons of peppers coming in from your garden.
And if you haven't planned for any peppers in your garden, grab some pepper seeds (any type of pepper) and get them started. You won't regret it, I promise!
If you are familiar with preserving other veggies out of your garden, you probably know that food preservation can often times be really time consuming.
If you are canning for preservation, you have to make sure your ingredients are just right so that the canned food is safe. And the canning process itself can actually take quite a while.
Of course we do get to work canning peppers as a way to preserve some of them because, well, canned peppers are super yummy! But, quite frankly, there isn't always time for that.
So, what is the easiest way to preserve peppers? Stick them in your freezer.
That's right, you should be freezing peppers!
You might say, well, when you freeze green beans, squash and other veggies it is not as simple as tossing them into the freezer. They have to be prepared and blanched first.
Well, that's why freezing peppers is the magic way to preserve them -- there is no blanching required! We do like freezing in general and also do a lot of freezing blueberries, freezing milk, freezing sweet potatoes, freezing eggs freezing spaghetti squash and freezing mashed potatoes.
Does freezing peppers work for all kinds of peppers? Yes! Whether you love hot peppers (like jalapenos) or sweet peppers (like bell peppers), you can freeze any type of pepper to preserve it.
Need to get all your food preserved easily? Check out the Ultimate Guide To Freezing Food so that you can fill your freezer without in minimal time.
How to Freeze Peppers
As I mentioned, this method of preserving peppers is super, duper easy.
1. Clean your peppers off
We like to dump them all in a strainer, sit it in the sink and run some water over them.
2. Cut off the tops (stems) and very end (bottoms) of your peppers
Most people will also remove the seeds at this point.
(Special note: if you are using super hot peppers, make sure you are using latex gloves. If you don't, you can actually get burns on your fingers and hands - especially if you are processing a lot of peppers. We actually use these nitrile gloves and buy them by the box since we use them in the kitchen and for milking goats.)
3. Cut them up
If you want, you can slice, dice or otherwise prepare the peppers to be in the form you will want to use them in. We don't usually do this, and just freeze them whole or half.
4. Bag them
Dump your peppers into a freezer bag. Make sure the bag is labeled with the date and type of pepper.
5. Freeze them
Just stick the bag in the freezer. That's it!
Yep, that's all there is to freezing peppers! Drop us a line below and let us know what type of peppers you will be preserving this season.
If you need more help getting your foods frozen, check out the Ultimate Freezing Food Guide for a complete quick start reference so that you can have a well-stocked freezer.
Robert Maldonado says
I freeze mine to make salsa. I like to roast them 1st whole. I then just separate them in small bags use them when I’m ready to use. I just cut off the steam and remove some of the skin. I leave some skin (toasted) as it adds a good flavor to the salsa.
Pete says
What is the rrasoning of cutting bottoms? Im preparing to freeze some Fatalii peppers & dont want to mess them up
MrAnimal Farm says
If you don;t, they can continue to mature and end up rotting in the freezer.
Gloria says
I am freezing anehein and habanero peppers.
Morgan says
Hello!
Great article! I am new to all of this....what exactly is the point of cutting the bottoms of the peppers?
Missy says
Did yours get mushy when you froze them???
MrAnimal Farm says
We usually throw them frozen into the instant pot or fry pan, so haven't defrosted and used not cooked. But I would think they would probably not be super crisp after being frozen.
Jennifer says
I am just trying freezing for the first time this year. I diced them for soups and left some in slices for fajitas and stir frying. I froze them on cookie sheets and then threw them in 1 cup measurements in food saver bags and vacuum sealed them. I'm hoping that will keep them from getting freezer burned. I did that for my zucchini bread last summer and we just used the last loaf a few weeks ago and it tasted freshly baked-so I'm hopeful!
Denise Bailey says
I quick freeze them on a cookie sheet for an hour before I bag them. Then the don't stick together in bags.
MrAnimal Farm says
Thanks, Denise! This is a great tip!
Karen Timberlake says
Would freezing various types of peppers for future salsa work? They will be blended in a food processor after thawed...
Thank you,
Karen
MrAnimal Farm says
Yes, we have made salsa with the frozen peppers before and it works like a charm!
Rita says
Im wondering, do the peppers stick together when frozen in a big together like that? I usually flash freeze my fruits and veggies to avoid clumping....and when you defrost them do they come out firm or limp?
MrAnimal Farm says
Hi Rita,
Yes, they sometimes do stick together. You can freeze them in one layer on a cookie sheet before putting them in the ziplock bags and that helps a lot. I have found that unless they get freezer burn or are really wet when you freeze them directly into the bag that there is minimal sticking together though.
We usually use them to cook with, so they usually go straight into a fry pan, instant pot etc so I can't speak to the firmness too much. I know others who freeze and there are mixed reviews - some say they stay firm, others say they can get soggy. Sorry to not be of too much solid help on that point - would love to hear if you have any experience with it!
Best,
Kristin
AprilH says
I am a lazy preserver, freezing as much as possible. Love pre cutting my peppers and measuring them out in little bags for freezing. Grab and cook. But this year going to try dehydrating and then grinding into powders. We have different levels of heat taste in this house so thinking powder form maybe easier to add what you want at your plate theory.
MrAnimal Farm says
Hi April, Yes we love the ease of grabbing them for cooking too! I love the idea of dehydrating and making powder. If you do it, please let us know how it goes!
Best,
Kristin
Annie says
I have never tried this, I didn't realize it worked! We usually dehydrate them, but also pickle them and make jelly too. But we always have extras so I will give freezing a try. Pretty quick!
MrAnimal Farm says
Yes, freezing them is so fast and easy. It is my favorite way to get them preserved
Yum, jelly sounds really good! Do you have a recipe? Would love to give that a try.
Sheila says
Thx.Have done this minimally .To pop in chilli.
I usually make poppers all summer. Added a half to easy canned, refrigerator pickles I made tonite.
Karen says
Do they become soggy with the freezing method?
Thanks
MrAnimal Farm says
We usually cook ours right away after we pull them out of the freezer. But the few times we have defrosted, they aren't soggy persay but definitely aren't as crisp as fresh out of the garden.