Easily freeze peppers - both hot and sweet - to use in recipes all winter long. This quick method for freezing peppers is a great way to preserve your in season produce. Includes tips and ideas for using in recipes.
I've had quite a few people over the years ask if you can freeze peppers. And the answer is definitely yes! Not only that, but fresh peppers are one of the easiest things to preserve by freezing - and it's a great for the grocery budget, too.
I love having all types of frozen, diced and sliced peppers available in the winter to use in soups, stews, casseroles, fajitas and other recipes.
And whether you buy them on sale in season or grow them in a garden, freezing peppers will save you money instead of buying them out of season when they are more expensive.
Also, say goodbye to those expensive little cans of green chilies!
I've found that frozen, mild hot peppers like anahiem and poblano work great in recipes that call for a can of green chilies.
It's true that they aren't roasted (though you can roast them and then freeze them roasted, then they'd be exactly the same - I just never have time for that when all the peppers and other garden produce are ripening!), but we don't really notice a difference. It's probably because most of the recipes that use these, like enchiladas and stews are further cooked with other ingredients so that the chilies are only for flavor.
And these deliver on the flavor!
How to use frozen peppers for canned green chilies in recipes:
When a recipe calls for a can of mild, green chilis, use 1/3 cup of frozen Anaheim or Poblano chili peppers and add them to your recipe (I usually add them frozen).
Beyond just asking about freezing peppers, the second question I get is:
Do you need to blanch peppers before freezing?
Since you know I'm a fan of not blanching vegetables before freezing (green beans here, peas here, and even a version of corn), I'm happy to say that no, thankfully, you don't need to blanch them first.
However, this is the normal advice - I'm not even bucking tradition like I do with green beans!
Here area some other questions I've gotten about peppers:
Can you freeze hot peppers and sweet peppers the same way?
It doesn't matter if the peppers you have are hot peppers like Jalapeños and Anaheims, or sweet, ripe bell peppers, the process to freeze and preserve them is the same.
Do bell peppers freeze well?
Yes, both bell (sweet) peppers and hot peppers freeze beautifully and are great to use in any recipe, either cooked or raw. The texture is different than raw, so it's best to use the frozen peppers for cooking.
On a side note: did you know that green "sweet" peppers (which are actually bitter, not sweet) are simply unripe colored peppers? Really!
All peppers start out green and then ripen to a color as they mature, mostly red (even hot peppers do this, we just usually eat them green), but some to orange, yellow, or even unusual colors like brown and purple.
Which is why letting green, bitter, and immature sweet peppers ripen fully to a color makes them truly sweet. It's the only way we eat sweet peppers in our house!
Can you freeze pepper slices for fajitas and stir fries?
Yes, you can choose either to dice them as I show here, or to slice them - the method remains the same with either cut.
Here's a great fajita tip I use: slice 3 peppers and then slice 1 onion, freeze as shown below on a tray and them bag up for a recipe sized serving for fajitas. All you add is the meat.
To serve, thaw first (or not - they will take a bit longer to cook, though) and either cook in 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until tender (broil a few minutes for charred spots if desired), OR cook on stovetop in large pan for 15 minutes. You can add your protein, too, at the same time so dinner's done with hardly any hands-on time!
How to Easily Freeze Peppers
Supplies
- cutting board
- sharp chef's knife
- bell peppers and/or hot peppers
- large baking trays
- freezer baggies, containers, or vacuum sealer
- straw (if using baggies)
Directions
1. Wash the peppers well.
2. Stem, core, and chop or slice them (don't forget the gloves when working with hot peppers!).
3. Spread the peppers out on a cookie sheet in an even layer, place it in the freezer and freeze until firm, about 12-24 hours.
4. When the peppers are frozen, use a spoon or spatula to break them up and place the them in freezer containers or baggies (use the straw method to remove as much air as possible from baggies). Label with the contents and the date and put them in the freezer.
Why freeze them flat first?
By freezing the peppers flat on a sheet first before packaging, you will have a sort of home version of 'flash frozen' so you will be able to pull out just the amount you need easily without them clumping together.
This makes them super easy to use without having a bunch of smaller amounts in baggies or containers in your freezer.
I couldn't believe how easy it was to freeze peppers when I first tried it years ago to deal with a huge harvest of peppers - now I make sure to grow enough to preserve some by freezing each year! What about you?
Recipes Ideas for Using Frozen Peppers
- Mexican Chicken Corn Soup – 30 Minute Recipe
- Slow Cooker Italian Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe (+ Instant Pot Option)
- Savory Tomato Seafood Stew
- Seafood Chowder with Green Chilies
How to Freeze Peppers, Both Hot & Sweet
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- sharp chef's knife
- large baking tray
- freezer baggies, containers, or vacuum sealer
- straw (if using baggies)
Ingredients
- 4 to 8 bell peppers or hot peppers
Instructions
- Wash peppers
- Stem, core, chop or slice the peppers. Don't forget the gloves when working with hot peppers - even mild peppers can sting.
- Spread the peppers out on a cookie sheet in an even layer, place it in the freezer and freeze until firm, about 12-24 hours.
- When the peppers are frozen, use a spoon or spatula to break them up and place the them in freezer containers or baggies (use the straw method to remove as much air as possible from baggies). Label with the contents and the date and put them in the freezer.
Notes
When a recipe calls for a can of mild, green chilis, use 1/3 cup of frozen Anaheim or Poblano chili peppers and add them to your recipe (I usually add them frozen). To use frozen slices for fajitas:
To serve, thaw first (or not - they will take a bit longer to cook, though) and either cook in 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until tender (broil a few minutes for charred spots if desired), OR cook on stovetop in large pan for 15 minutes.
Nutrition
More Ways to Preserve Peppers:
Quick Pickled Jalapeños OR Fermented Pickled Jalapenos
Nice and Thick Salsa for Canning
Canned roasted red peppers in wine
This how-to has been updated - it was originally published in October 2009.
