How to Freeze Broccoli – Blanched & Unblanched
Ever wondered how to freeze broccoli easily with the best texture and flavor? Let’s test two ways, blanched and unblanched, and uncover the absolute best way to preserve your broccoli’s freshness. Which do you think it will be?
Broccoli isn’t one of the things I freeze a lot of – I usually only have room for 4-6 plants which provides us with just enough fresh broccoli through the season (I always choose a variety with lots of side shoots so I can harvest the whole season from the broccoli I plant in the spring).
So when I wrote Freezing Produce the Easy Way, the technique I included for freezing broccoli is the standard way you’ll see everywhere: blanch first 1-2 minutes, dry, and freeze.
But I recently had a bunch of broccoli I got a good deal on and wanted to freeze. And because of my experience with freezing green beans without blanching (and later snap/snow peas, basil, and even corn) I decided to test the standard recommendation.
Can you freeze fresh broccoli without blanching?
Why Blanch?
Before we talk about not blanching, I should list the reasons why we’re told to blanch broccoli (and many other vegetables) before freezing.
If you google it, you’ll find something similar to this from bloggers to university extension offices:
“Blanching slows or stops the enzyme action which can cause loss of flavor, color and texture.“
What you often don’t find are the drawbacks to blanching:
- The blanching time is very important and varies with the vegetable and size – not blanching long enough stimulates the activity of enzymes and is worse than no blanching.
- Nutrients are released in the cooking water.
- Higher energy costs.
- Higher water consumption.
- And of course the extra time and effort needed to blanch (boil water, time blanching, ice bath, drying…repeat for all your produce).
Considering these drawbacks and the fact that our family found we liked the texture better in non-blanched green beans (which last a year in the freezer just fine) I decided to test it with broccoli to see if we really have to blanch before freezing.
Supplies
Here’s what you’ll need to freeze broccoli either way:
- Fresh broccoli – however much you need (a medium head is 3/4 to 1 pound and will fill 1-2 quart size freezer baggies)
- Freezer baggies or vaccuum sealer and baggies, or airtight freezer container (Note: if you can remove air, your frozen produce will have more freezer burn damage and not last as long)
- Straw – if using baggies
- Large baking sheet
- If blanching: large pot and colander + large bowl with ice water
The Test
I washed and cut the broccoli into florets and divided it into two piles. One half was blanched the traditional way and spread on half a cookie sheet after drying.
The other half I simply laid out on the cookie sheet in one layer without doing anything other than the initial washing.
I froze the broccoli for 2-3 hours and then packaged each half into a freezer baggie labeled with blanched and unblanched.
At two weeks I steamed the broccoli in both packages 3 minutes (from frozen) and Brian and I tasted tested to decided which we liked best and had the firmest texture.
You may – or may not – be surprised at the results!
Read on for the steps for each method, what the broccoli looked like in all the stages, and which way I’ll be freezing broccoli in the future.
Standard Method to Freeze Broccoli Blanched
After washing and cutting the broccoli into similar sized florets, plunge into boiling water for 2 minutes.
TIP: I find it easiest to use a colander to be able to pull all the broccoli out at one time.
Remove the broccoli from the boiling water and immediately add to a bowl of ice water.
Leave for 2 minutes and then drain on a towel until mostly dry.
DRYING TIP for both methods: Making sure the broccoli is as dry as possible after washing or blanching is another key to good freezing. Using a salad spinner and then finishing drying with a kitchen towel is an easy way to remove the most water.
Freeze Broccoli Unblanched
Simply wash the broccoli and cut the head into fairly even florets (they will cook more evenly after freezing when cut in similar sizes).
For either method, lay the florets out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Freeze until solid, usually 2-3 hours.
This “flash freezing” allows you to pack the frozen florets in containers without them sticking to each other. This makes it easier to use later from the baggie, pulling out what you need and easily separating them to cook.
Remove the frozen florets from the baking sheet and then add to baggies labeled with the contents and the date, using the straw vacuum seal trick to remove as much air as possible.
Freeze for 3-6 months for best quality. It will last longer, though the quality will start to suffer (texture, freezer burn, etc) no matter which method you choose.
The Test Results
Okay, now you know how to freeze broccoli both blanched and unblanched – now onto the results after two weeks of freezing!
After Freezing Two Weeks
In the photo above you can see the darker color of the blanched broccoli on the left and the lighter color of the unblanched on the right. That’s basically the only difference between the two straight from the freezer.
After Steaming
Using a basket inside a 3-quart pot, I steamed each type of the broccoli 3 minutes each.
In the photo above, you can see that the color differences diminish between the blanched (“B”) and non-blanched (“NB”) after cooking.
The Taste Test
I honestly didn’t know how this would turn out, I only know that I’ve never really enjoyed the floppy, soft texture of traditional frozen broccoli and hoped not blanching might be the answer.
RESULTS: Both Brian and I liked the firmer texture of the non-blanched broccoli versus the slightly soggy texture of the blanched!
You can see from above, too, how fresh the non-blanched broccoli looks close up – definitely not like what I feared from the descriptions I read about what happens to unblanched frozen broccoli.
Brian thought to use the slightly soggier blanched broccoli, you could put a sauce on it, but that when you want to use it in a stir fry or pasta dish, the non-blanched would work better because it’s firmer and seemed more fresh.
The Verdict
I will definitely be freezing broccoli without blanching – the pros outweigh the cons for me for sure.
3 & 6 Month Updates
3 Months: I checked the bags after 3 months and I couldn’t tell any visual difference between the two. I would feel comfortable using the unblanched at the 3-month mark for sure.
6 Months: While both showed signs of freezer damage, the blanched broccoli on the right is still a brighter color. After steaming, both were almost similar though the unblanched was a bit chewier.
There wasn’t enough difference for me to go to all the trouble of blanching, though, especially because I use broccoli in soups or stir fry and roasted veggie mixes where I don’t think the slight difference in texture would be noticeable.
Definitely do your own test on a bag or two to see what you think!
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How To Freeze Broccoli – Blanched & Unblanched
Equipment
- 1 to 2 quart-size freezer baggies or containers
- straw or vacuum sealer
- large pot and colander if blanching
Ingredients
- 1 pound broccoli, about 1 large head
Instructions
- Wash and dry head of broccoli. Use a sharp knife to cut the head fairly even florets – they will cook more evenly after freezing when cut in similar sizes.
For Blanched Broccoli:
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. TIP: Adding broccoli to a colander first that can fit into your pot while submerging the broccoli will make it easier to remove them all at once.
- Remove the broccoli from the boiling water and immediately add to a bowl of ice water. Leave for 2 minutes and then drain on a towel until mostly dry before laying them in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
For Unblanched Broccoli:
- Simply lay the washed and cut florets in a single layer on a baking sheet.
For Both Methods:
- Freeze the baking sheet 2-3 hours or until the florets are frozen solid.
- Transfer the frozen florets into a quart-sized freezer baggie or container (labeled with contents and date) and remove as much air as possible. TIP: I like to use a straw as a DIY vacuum sealer!
- Freeze for 3-6 months for best quality. They will last longer, though the quality will start to suffer (texture, freezer burn, etc) no matter which method you choose.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Without Blanching! According to the test I conducted, the best way to have a firmer textured broccoli after freezing is to NOT blanch it. You may (or may not) have longer storage with blanching.
While I’m still testing, it seems that 3 months is the best quality for unblanched and maybe up to 6 months for blanched broccoli.
You can leave it on a baking cooling rack, pat with paper towels or let drain on a tea towel. It’s best to wait 10-15 minutes after blanching (or washing) for it to fully dry before freezing.
You can use the frozen broccoli without thawing in soups stews and curries that the extra moisture won’t bother.
You can also roast frozen broccoli with great success: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. with the sheet pan in it (when you add the frozen broccoli -or any frozen veggie- to an already hot sheet pan, it helps them crisp). Add the frozen broccoli to the hot pan and roast 5-10 minutes or until done to your liking.
To thaw for other recipes, place the broccoli in a bowl of hot tap water for a few minutes and then drain. Change the water as needed until it’s thawed.
Thankyou so much on your information on unblanched brolli.
To the lady who asked how you dry your brocolli after washing ready to freeze, if you have a salad spinner it certainly takes most of the water out and then finish on a towel
Yes, that’s a good tip Pam – I do that with green beans and didn’t think to mention it here. Thanks for answering that!
Thank you so much for sharing this. I had almost decided I’d rather throw out the extra broccoli that I had rather than blanching, blah, blah, blah! This saved the broccoli to be used another day.
Yes! I love to know I helped save some food 🙂
Thanks for sharing! You saved me from the hassle of blanching in order to save the too much broccoli I bought right before leaving for a trip.
I’m so glad, Tina – hope you enjoy it!
Thank you so much for the information! This is exactly what I was looking for! I have already froze green beans unblanched and they turned out fine. Iwanted to know if I could do the same for my broccoli.
Wonderful – so glad this was helpful!
I appreciate your efforts to experiment & find good/ best ways to store variety of foods. You also do such a good systematic process to evaluate the results. Thank u for sharing the results of your labor with us.
I can’t get enough of corn on cob! So I have frozen it whole. I also have a lot of freezer space. U can also freeze unshuckeded in freezer.
Put in brown paper grocery store bag to protect ends from piercing freezer bag. Shucking is a lil cold on hands with frozen corn.
And again, a big THANK YOU! 😊
You’re so welcome, Sue! It’s fun to experiment and share. 🙂
After years of trying different methods I too have adopted the no blanch method. My question to you is what are you using to keep the caterpillar/worms at bay. Your photo looks like you have managed to conquer the pests and I need to know your secret. Organic vegetable gardening in eastern North Carolina has its challenges so any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
I’ve grown my broccoli under cover for years, Bob! It’s the only way to keep aphids out (that was my biggest problem – once they are in all those nooks and crannies of the heads you just have to throw them out, sadly).
I wrote about growing them under cover here. What I’ve added since is that I switch to insect netting when it gets warmer and I’ve added PVC hoops to keep it off the plants more – so they grow under cover all season now.