Freezing Veggies
You may not be able to use your frozen veggies for salads or roasting, but there are plenty of ways to use them in cooked dishes such as pastas, soups and casseroles.
Veggies that Freeze
The best vegetables to consider are:
- corn
- peas
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- carrots
- green beans
- squash
- winter greens (spinach, kale, chard and collards)
Other vegetables that can be frozen are:
- onions
- peppers
- celery
Veggies with a high-moisture content, such as cucumbers, cabbage, radishes, mushrooms and lettuce, would be waterlogged and mushy once thawed.
How to Freeze
Most vegetables benefit from blanching before freezing.
Sheet pans are your best friend. Blanched leafy greens can be transferred right away to storage containers, but the ideal way to freeze all other vegetables is on a sheet pan. Spread them out in a single layer so that the pieces aren’t touching. Freeze until solid. Once frozen, the vegetables can be transferred to the storage container of your choice. The beauty in this method is that you’ll end up with individually frozen veggies and not a solid mass.
Use clean, freezer-safe containers. The best options to consider are resealable freezer bags, plastic deli containers and glass storage containers with airtight lids. Certain wide-mouth canning jars are acceptable for freezing, just be sure to read the label and to leave an inch of empty space at the top. Liquids expand once frozen, so the danger in using glass containers that aren’t freezer-safe is that they could shatter. For this reason, it’s not safe to reuse glass jars from items like spaghetti sauce, because they likely weren’t made with tempered glass and don’t have a proper seal.
Shelf Life
If properly frozen and stored, produce can last eight to 10 months in the freezer, making it one of the best ways to preserve.
Sources: How to freeze fresh vegetables while preserving their best qualities