How To Freeze Green Beans The Easy Way Without Blanching
Freeze green beans the easy way – spend less time and have a better texture after freezing by NOT blanching them first, really! We tested blanched vs. unblanched green beans and our whole family agrees – this is a case where easier actually is better.
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Easy recipes are my favorites and this recipe showing how to freeze fresh green beans without blanching is the definition of easy.
You can find lots more simple preserving recipes in the preserving recipe index, including how to freeze snap peas without blanching, how to freeze broccoli blanched or unblanched (yes!), an amazing Addictive Tomato Chutney, and the popular Easy Garlic Refrigerator Pickles.
Can you freeze raw green beans? Yes, absolutely! Green beans are a vegetable that takes well to freezing and are easy to use in recipes from frozen.
But if you want to spend less time freezing fresh green beans and have a better texture after freezing, follow the simple steps outlined here to freeze green beans without blanching them first.
We put it to the test and we all agreed – the beans frozen without blanching were the best.
Wait, don’t you have to blanch green beans before freezing?
Yes, I know almost everything you read says the “proper” way to freeze beans is to blanch first (immerse in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then plunge into an ice bath).
Yes, I know there’s an enzyme that will make the beans break down quicker in the freezer if you store them without blanching.
However, I tested this years ago because our family wasn’t happy with the traditional way to freeze green beans. And I’d like to challenge you to do the same test and see what you think.
A Little Background
Our family used to eat canned green beans. That’s how I grew up and so I never liked the rubbery texture of frozen beans. When I started growing beans, I pickled and canned them and even learned to pressure can, just for green beans (though only a couple of times – pressure canning isn’t simple enough for me!).
But then we had a child – a picky child – who decided she didn’t like canned green beans anymore, but who would eat them if they were frozen or fresh. Since beans were one of only three vegetables she would eat, guess who started freezing beans?
Except I still didn’t like that texture (or the weird squeaking sound they can make as you chew…). So I decided to do some research online and found mostly the recommendation to blanch, of course, but I also found two rebel souls on gardening forums who said they didn’t blanch their beans and they came out “perfect.”
What, really? I had to try it.
The Test: Blanched vs. Unblanched Green Beans
First, I chopped up the beans like I normally did, but then I put them directly into freezer bags. Sheesh, this was easy.
NOTE: Many people have asked about washing the beans first, so here’s my answer: I don’t.
I garden organically and grow pole beans (here’s where I wax poetic about my favorite pole bean, Emerite) so the beans never touch the ground. I trust my cleanliness when picking them. You most definitely can choose to wash them – but you will need to dry them thoroughly before freezing to avoid crystals (you can use a trick I mention in this video to help dry them and/or lay them out for 10-20 minutes on towels).
Next, I used my straw “vacuum sealer” trick to remove as much air as I could from the baggie with a straw before sealing and freezing.
Finally, I froze the bag for two weeks and then served them for dinner – which wasn’t easy when fresh beans were still available, that’s for sure. But a test is a test, so we persevered.
The verdict?
We couldn’t tell a difference from beans that had been blanched. I thought the texture was a little better, too.
BUT – maybe it was because it had only been two weeks. Maybe that enzyme takes longer to start breaking the beans down, as they say.
So, I froze ALL our remaining beans that way. Yep – I didn’t blanch any beans at all that year.
Then I waited to share the results with you until I knew that they could be frozen for longer than two weeks. I needed to be able to tell you if they’d last a whole year in the freezer and hold up like blanched beans.
So, can you freeze green beans without blanching them first?
Yes!
They are just as good – if not better – than green beans we took the time to blanch in the past.
The texture seems better – and my family agrees with me. Really!
The following year with this method I could easily preserve 8 quart bags of beans in about an hour. It certainly goes a lot quicker when there’s no blanching involved!
UPDATE: I’ve since learned there are LOTS of produce that freezes well without blanching – grab this one-page guide to help you decide what you can freeze this way:
How Long To Store Frozen Green Beans
You can keep beans frozen this way up to a year in a non-frost-free freezer (frost-free freezers may produce more freezer burn, so I’d try to use them up sooner).
TIP: I’ve used 2-year old bags of green beans and haven’t noticed much of a difference, quality-wise, when they’re cooked a bit longer like this method. Test and see before throwing anything out – it’s only a quality issue and not a safety issue.
So my challenge? Be a rebel like me – try it and tell me if you think so, too.
Non-Blanched Freeze Green Beans Video
Recipe Ideas
There’s no need to defrost the green beans – add them frozen to:
- Casseroles
- Soups and stews
- Stir fries
- Side dish idea #1: Long-cooked (20 minutes) Green Beans with Bacon and Onions
- Side dish ideas #2: Roasted at 500 degrees – dump green beans frozen on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and seasoning, stir, add chopped onions if you like, and roast for 10-15 minutes.
I’ve preserved them for many years like this now and really will never go back to cumbersome blanching!
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How to Freeze Green Beans Without Blanching
Ingredients
- Fresh green beans
- freezer bags
- straw, optional
Instructions
- Wash green beans if needed and dry completely. (See Notes below)
- Trim green beans ends and cut into 1 to 1-inch lengths (or desired size).
- Place in quart-sized zip-top freezer bags, removing as much air as possible with a straw (or other method) and seal.
- Label with date and what’s in the bag, place in freezer and freeze for up to a year.
- To Use: No need to defrost – use frozen and roast in a 450 degree oven for 5-8 minutes, long cook with bacon, or use in casseroles, soups, and stews all winter long.
Notes
- Wash beans and then use a salad spinner to get as much water off as possible.
- Transfer beans to a towel on the counter and let sit until dry before freezing.
Nutrition
Update #1: Do a Test Bag First
I’ve heard from a couple of readers who tried this method and didn’t care for it – and many more who’ve loved it like we do – and so my suggestion is to try this with a quart, freeze the green beans for about a week or two, cook them and see what your family likes.
I want to be clear that they are still like home-frozen green beans, not firm like fresh, but when cooked in soups and stews for 20 minutes or longer are just as good as blanched frozen beans. So the comparison should be to blanched frozen beans, not to fresh beans.
Update #2: FAQ & Testimonials
I’ve gotten a ton of comments with many people telling me that they don’t blanch either or that they remember their mothers or grandmothers freezing green beans without bothering with the blanching process.
It’s nice to know I’m not alone and that many people are like my family and like the beans better without blanching first.
I’ve also gotten the comments telling me that blanching:
- Stops the enzymes that cause the beans to mature and become tough (I haven’t found that to be true in my experience in eating them, though the science might be right).
- Kills bacteria (I don’t worry about this with my home-grown, organic beans and we eat a lot of raw produce of all kinds, which I don’t plan on stopping any time soon).
- And even that the enzymes, unchecked by blanching, will “break down vitamins so that we are eating empty food.” I found this article on the science of food preparation, however says “The vitamin and mineral content of unblanched frozen foods is relatively stable.”
One thing I know for sure is that I will never freeze green beans any other way (I now freeze snap peas and corn this way now, too) and there are a lot of other people out there who feel the same way as our family does:
From Virginia: “Just ate a bag of ” frozen” Blue Lake. not blanched string beans from july 17, 2012. a little ice on them. washed them under cold water to get rid of most ice. still frozen, put in pot, seasoned my usual way-little salt-cooked a short time not to mush time. they were delicious!!!!!! june 17th——2014!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
From Charlotte: “I have always blanched all my veggies, but when I saw your article I decided to try a test batch, did some blanched and some as you suggested, I was sure the blanched would be much better, they had a prettier color, but I must admit, the un blanched ones were better, much better, easier, faster…. and your method is now my now method too, Thank you, (and this just shows, you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!)”
Recipes to use unblanched frozen green beans:
Long-cooked Green Beans with Bacon & Onion
Slow Cooker Italian Sausage Vegetable Soup
Slow Cooker Sweet Chili Chicken and Vegetables
This article has been updated – it was originally published in August of 2012.
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I stumbled on another blog a few days ago that said broccoli and carrots could be frozen without blanching, so we tried it. Haven’t pulled any out to test yet, so I can’t report on them, but we got a pound of freshly picked green beans today and I’m glad to see I can freeze them also!
I prefer my beans sliced super thin (the French cut-way). Do you think I should do that before freezing and would that impact the flavor later?
Chris
Oh yeah Chris, you’ll want to do that before freezing. While I feel they retain a better texture without blanching, they’re still not like fresh. They’d be hard to cut.
Good to know about the broccoli – I threw a couple of quart bags in when I had an abundance of broccoli a few weeks ago, so I’ll find out in the next few months if we like it or not. 🙂
Hi Jami,
I was in search of some ideas about freezing green beans other than the way I’ve always done them and I ran up on your website. I was so glad to find out that others are not blanching their fresh green beans and are having a success at keeping them for over the winter. My father taught me to garden years ago and all our family in the country had huge gardens so fresh vegetables are really all I’ve ever known. I guess some people would call it just lazy but I have never blanched any of my fresh vegetables and I freeze everything in sealed freezer bags. I call it “cold packing” as my father did. All I do is pick, shell or snap, wash well and let dry a bit on paper towels to eleminate excess water. Then pop them in the bags and seal. I haven’t tried your straw method but I will tomorrow morning !! I’ve always just pressed the air out as best I could. I also do not add water to any of my vegetables when freezing them and have found this to be an excellent procedure since they’re just like fresh when I cook them. Here in S.C. we tend to garden year round so thanks so much for sharing your tips with all of us.
This is good to know, Kathryn – I was just wondering if it would work with broccoli because it’s always so limp and wimpy after blanching and freezing (at least my home-grown side shoot spears are!). Have you tried the no-blanch method with broccoli?
Hi Jami,
No I haven’t tried broccoli. In fact I have had no success what so ever even growing broccoli. I’m not sure if it is just me or the rabbits are doing double time on it but I will, as usual, plant it again this year. If I do have any success I will try to freeze some. I don’t know why it wouldn’t work since the frozen broccoli you buy in the grocery store seems to be just “cold packed” without blanching. I was also wondering about cauliflower & how well it might freeze without blanching. Have you done any of it? I put up 8 more qts. of green beans today, 4 each of Kentucky Wonders and Jades. Tomorrow I will pick the 5th crop of the Roma II”s. and put them up as well. I really want to try the green beans you said were your favorite, the Emerites. Do you order them online or do you buy them locally? I’ve never heard of them but really am interested in trying them. Sorry I could not help with the broccoli quesstion now but maybe with any luck I will be able to over the winter. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us.
Kathryn Thigpen
So sorry you haven’t been able to grow broccoli! For me it’s the plant that keeps giving all season when I plant varieties with lots of side shoots. I’ll give the no-blanch method a try with a quart to see how they fare.
I’ve never actually tried to freeze my own cauliflower – ever, now that I think about it. 🙂 It lasts so long in the fridge that we’re always able to eat fresh what we grow. So I don’t know about cauliflower, either.
Wow, you’re still getting all those beans? The other varieties I planted stopped producing a few weeks ago, but the Emerites are on their 2nd wind and giving us enough to eat, though probably only enough for 1 more quart frozen. I wrote about Emerite beans (I think I linked to the post in a comment above – or you can use the search box in the green bar) and linked to the online sources where I’ve found them.
Someone told me instead of using freezer bags they used pillow cases. do you know which way would be best.
When air can get to the item it will cause ‘freeezer burn’; which is probably much closer a very slow freeze drying that has not penetrated very deep, plus where fats are involved it can go rancid. Fat does not freeze at the temps that water does. So the usual process of getting as much air out of the air tight freezer bag is the best goal for long term storage. The only way I could imagine one would be happy with beans stored that way; would be to have extra water applied to the surface of the frozen beans and bag to help keep the coldness dried dry air at bay.
LOL I too picked and snapped beans at 5 but my Auntie would not allow us in the kitchen to process the garden goodies, I shelled bushels of blackeyed peas, and snapped tons of green beans also on our list were pintos, corn, squash, tomatoes, zucchini, and eggs to freeze. We were given prizes for shelling or snapping the most beans or peas. We also picked up pecans, potatoes, etc on the halves!!
My how things have changed, huh, Gloria. 🙂
Do you remember how Auntie froze her eggs? I was always told you couldn’t freeze them. Would love to know how. The farm fresh eggs are the best, nothing from the store can compare, one of our local farms where I buy them from provides for the town store during the winter…and they get pricey. Would love to have them year round without spending the money .
Not sure about freezing eggs but you can dry them in the oven and then use in recipes.
Hmmm…I have a huge batch of green beans to freeze today. Thanks so much for just saving me a TON of time! And for helping keep my kitchen cool! 🙂
Thanks for the tip- I have always blanched, but I put up four quarts today just like you showed. It’s great because I always put the job off until I have more beans or more time (which doesn’t usually happen :))
That’s how I’ve done it too…. nice to have you tell me it’s ok. hehe
That’s how I freeze my snap peas too. Then I can just pop a bag into my stir fry. Yummy!
Good to know, Rachel – I’ve only tried freezing snap peas once and was not impressed with the limpy results – and of course I followed the advice to blanch first. 🙂 Next time I get enough snaps I’ll have to try it!
Thanks for the tip about the straw. I will be trying that on my next bag of frozen veggies..
I also don’t blanch my beans! Great post.
Nice to know! I generally don’t like that weird squeakiness of frozen green beans either and blanching is certainly a pain in the nether side. Unfortunately, a complete failure of all bean crops here — the heat, the drought, the warm winter thus strange fungi wintering over in the ground. I’ve tried 3 different plantings, both pole and bush, including tough old Rattlesnake beans (usually a completely failsafe regional heirloom to no avail). The garden is so pitiful I’m embarrassed to join the garden party. Even our CSA doesn’t have any beans. sigh.
If this was the 1800’s we’d all have to be picking up from Tennessee and heading west on the Oregon Trail.
Oh, man – that’s tough. I would be SUPER sad without green beans – we WAIT all year for them (along with corn and tomatoes). So sorry.
Try this when you plant: Remove the soil from the area you want to plant to about 6″. Fill in with Miracle Grow Garden soil, then plant your seeds. Whenever we plant here in northern Utah, we do that…no matter what we are planting. The only difference is the depth, depending upon what we’re planting. As you do it each year, the miracle grow amends the soil and when you till, it all gets mixed in and the soil gets better and better. Our plants are enormous always and that’s the secret. We started out with salty clay and now have incredible soil. Our weather is superr hot and dry in the summer, super cold and snow in the winter. This works. Good luck!
Hi Jami,
Last year I did a bunch of my beans frozen too. I also grew up on home canned green beans (huge difference from the store-canned, I won’t eat those), but I wanted to see if frozen were all they were cracked up to be. I didn’t blanch and I “vacuum sealed” using the same method you did.
But these beans are flavorless!! I did some canned as well, and they taste just fine, but the frozen ones have a great texture, but no flavor! I was just wondering if you had any thoughts on why that might be? Especially since the canned ones are just fine.
I think the variety that we used last year were Kentucky Blue bush beans. That was the main difference from previous years, we used bush beans instead of pole beans.
Thanks for your post! I’m willing to give it another try…
Chrissy
Hm, Chrissy – that’s interesting! I don’t know, really. I guess we have to do what we prefer? I can’t get past the texture to tell the flavor, so having a good texture is my priority. 🙂 I always grow tender filet beans, though – I wonder if that would make a difference?
I’m so happy I found this site and I’m so glad to know I can freeze without blanching. Just picked a “mess” (as we call it in the South) and am going to freeze them. Just a hint for Chrissy. Try putting just a little chicken bouillon granules in with the beans when you cook them. Gives them a wonderful flavor.
Thank you for sharing, Jami! I’ve thought of trying this method myself but never did because, as you know, frozen beans “must” be blanched. I’m one to follow the rules, but seeing that you’re giving us permission, I’m planning to break the blanching rule this very afternoon because my bean vines are ready for picking! Blessings, ~Lisa
We’re rebels, that’s for sure. 😉
HI – Totally new to freezing veggies…. I was just given half a target bag of fresh green beans…. I personally love them, but my kids and husband only like the canned ones. (no salt added). My question is… How do I cook them after freezing them to resemble canned beans?
Thanks much! – Liz.
Well, sorry to say, Liz, that there’s really no way to make them taste like canned unless you can them. Most people think that’s a good thing. 🙂 Boiling for 10 minutes will get them realllllly cooked (some would say overcooked?) and they might be similar to canned? It may be worth a try!
I get the most “canned green bean” flavor/texture by simmering my frozen green beans for 45 minutes with two beef bouillon cubes. 🙂 def overcooked but oh so delish.
I’ll have to try that, Kelley – thanks!
Elizabeth, Try Ziplock seal & steam bags, put fresh veggies in and microwave, most are 4-5 minute and no boiling, steaming….They taste great and you don’t lose any of the nutrients the veggies provide……
Actually microwaves take 90 percent of your nutrients out of your food.
Butterflyjni, I did a quick search of this statement and found more sites saying that it doesn’t take the nutrients out than sites that said it did. In most sites it says that, due to the way foods are cooked, it can maintain the integrity of some of the vitamins and so forth in the foods. I suppose there are many varied opinions out there.
I cook them in beef stock or water with beef boulion cubes. I add dill, pepper, a little salt, sliced onion, and some sliced up bacon. Sometimes I add some small new potatoes! I cook for about an hour and sometimes longer! They are nice and soft and possibly over done to some people’s standards but they’re soooo good! I always get tons of compliments on them! I’m glad I found this site. I will be trying to freeze my green beans and corn this way! Thank You!
That was my job in 1968 when I was 5 years old. I never new people blanched them. I scooted on my back side, row after row, and picked the beans. Once home, I stood on a chair and washed and snapped all the beans. Then put them in freezer bags, squished the air out, popped them in the freezer then went outside to play. It was called being a kid then. Today, I think the call it a chore and give an allowance for it – ha! Love your blog – your pesto is AWESOME!
Seriously – 5? Wow – good for you! What a great memory – and good to know non-blanching goes back aways, too!
My Mom never blanched green beans that she was freezing that I remember. I too picked green beans scooting along the rows then helped Mom break them. I think she cooked them with onions and bacon or bacon grease for about an hour. I hope to get some beans planted and have enough to freeze a few and will try them the way she cooked them except I have the bacon pieces that I bought at COSTCO in a huge bag. Amazing how that bacon is so easy to use in everything! I haven’t had a garden in years and am excited to see what comes from mine. Thanks for the info. I thought Mom had some secret or was doing it the wrong way!!
Really? I was just getting ready to blanch a bunch. I use canning jars to freeze my stuff…will that make a difference at all with not blanching?
I’ve never frozen veggies in sealer jars but I do freeze all my herbs in them. The herbs are as fresh as anything and don’t get that “freezer taste” at all. I wonder if I could do veggies. I have a lot of jars and don’t use them as much anymore! I am going to try!
Can’t wait to try this – I always thought it was such a pain to blanch. I love that you do my “straw” method too – didn’t know it was so common! LOL
Great minds and all that, Susan. 🙂
I have a terrible time with ice crystals forming on the food inside the bags, Even things I buy frozen at the store. Does anyone know what causes this and how to prevent it??
I get that to some degree, Carolyn – especially the longer the things are in the freezer. I do know it’s from air inside the bags, that’s why people buy the vacuum sealers. It’s not horrible enough for me to add that expense to our garden produce, though, so I use a straw to try and get out as much as I can. 🙂
my daughter told me, when I froze my tomatoes, to put put them in the refrig over night before putting them into the freezer. This causes the veggies to get cold before freezing and less ice crystals. She was right!
Great tip, Faye – thanks for sharing it!
I can explain the reason for the ice crystals. This happens, yes because of the air in the bag. And why ? Well because air contains moisture and therefor you have air, freezing temps and now, you have ice crystals. How do I know this? Because I have been in the HVAC/R (heating , ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration) industry for 28 years and have even designed ammonia systems for food processing facilities. And, any time you have air present unless, you are doing an IQF (instant quick freeze) process you will always have this bi-product present. Hope this helped.
What variety of green beans do you grow? I’m not happy with the ones I have grown for the past couple of years. Thanks!
My main crop green beans are Emerite. They are not widely grown, but I wrote all about why I love them and have grown them every year for more than 10 years here. They are a pole bean, so I start the season with a small crop of bush beans, which produce quicker – by the time they are done, the Emerite’s are in full production. This year I’m also growing a filet pole bean called “Fortex” which is extremely long.
I find if I stick to beans labeled “filet” then they tend to be more flavorful and tender than the regular types. Hope that helps!
“Fortex” are my favorite beans and usually the only ones I grow. I have been growing them for years. Even when they get really long – no strings!
I love Violetta, a purple heirloom. Tender, purple (read in here…..easy to see when picking) and straight. I’m saving my seeds this year, because I LOVE them so.
You have made me SO happy! First year freezing fresh green beans and I did not blanch them – after I had already frozen them, I read the articles on blanching…OOPSIE! Have you tried this with broccoli as well? I have 3 frozen bags right now that were not blanched either. Guess I will find out 🙂
Haven’t tried it with broccoli – but now that you mention it, I will! Can’t hurt to try, can it?
Oh, this post is so timely for us! We have a BUNCH of green beans to “process” today and I was really dreading the whole blanching/icing process. I’ve done the peas this way and they are GREAT! We will join your rebellion. 🙂
Yeah! 🙂 Ooh, I’ll have to try it with peas, too – if we ever get enough to be able to freeze, that is!
I always grow lots of peas and just fill freezer bags to the top and seal without sucking out the air with no problems,corn cobs I use the straw method because you have so much air space. Have been blanching beans but will now try the no blanch method, so much easier. Aussie Ian.
Jami,I live in sc,for years i have been picking and shelling white acre peas,after shelled i place peas on a towel to air dry completely,then i take 15 to 20 pounds of them and place in pillow case and tie a knot in it and throw it in the freezer, when dyou wont peas, get a cup and get what amount you wont to cook with some fat back,and onion and garlic,they dont stick together if you dry them well and taste liked you just picked them. Go,tell the world this,and mabe your friends and relatives,wont come knocking on your door for fresh peas,they can do their onw.
I heard about and tried that last year with the pillowcase. It worked great! Loved that I could take out as little or as much as needed. I didn’t have peas to freeze last year, so I had forgotten about it. Glad I came across this and will be doing it again this year!
Bob will this work equally well with say black-eyed, crowder peas, pinto or cranberry beans. About how long does it take to dry them. My landlord replaced the old electric stove with a new glass top & I was thrilled until I found out that the glass top will shatter with the weight of a water canner or pressure cooker canner. I found an electric canner by Ball but that puppy is $300 and while I can do jams, jellies, sauces, he isn’t sure that you can do things like chow chow or veggies, I could do picles in it. But why spend $300 if it isn’t an all round electric canner?
I found to induction counter tp cookers one is 1500 watts & the other 1800 watts, does anyone know if those would make a high enogh heat to can vegetables with water bath or a pressure canner?
Margo, I too have a glass top stove, but we also have a deep turkey fryer, that I use for my canning. My canner fits right on the turkey fryer (uses LP tanks) and I do outside, works great and does not heat up the kitchen or house.
Non -blancher here too ! Did some last year and they were just like fresh. More are going straight in the freezer this year !
Great to know there are some others out there, too! 🙂
Jami-
Hi there! I am new this year to all the freezing of fresh vegetables! This maybe a silly question to you, but once you pull your geen beans out of the freezer- what time frame do you need to cook them on the stove before enjoying??
thanks!
Reading through all these posts has been an inspiration!! I am excited!!
Linda
I’d recommend you cook them as you like them – some like them more done than others. Frozen just aren’t the same as fresh to me – so we tend to cook a bit longer (and I often add them to soups) – 8 to 10 minutes, depending (fresh is usually 5-8 minutes for us). Hope that helps 🙂
Jami,
A friend told me the way to do frozen green beans and it is wonderful! Put the beans in a pot cover with water, bring to a boil, remove rinse and fill up with fresh water and bring to a boil for a second time. Drain and refill with fresh water, or chicken broth and seasonings to your taste.
It sounds like a lot of work, but it is not. It seems to remove that “freezer” taste. I always do all my frozen veggies like this! Good Luck
Thanks for the info, Susan! We do like the slow-cooked bacon beans sometimes, which this seems close to, so maybe this will be a good option. 🙂
my wife and I cook our fresh picked green beans for 3 to 4 hours in a pot of water that contains garlic powder and pieces of bacon. they are not mushy, just limp. the other ways that are mentioned are very good but we like our green beans like the canned French style green beans we purchase at the store. this year we are going to try to freeze them for winter so your article is very rewarding for us. we have learned much. thank you!
I pressure can fresh beans for 2 minutes and they come out fine. I’ll try it on these too.
I tried not blanching corn. Got the recipe from a caterer. NO THANKS! It was not nearly as
good as blanched. IMHO.
I’ve done both for corn, Sherry, and if I’m using the corn in fresh salad or something, I’m like you and prefer it cooked/blanched first. But I do a few unblanched for corn sautés and soups – especially for sautés, the corn doesn’t seem to get as ‘overcooked’ as when I start with blanched. But it doesn’t really matter, does it? Everybody’s different in their tastes. 🙂
Once you have frozen them w/ seal-a-meal, put them in the freezer. Now you’re ready to cook them. Do you thaw them or what?
Hi Paulette! I use them frozen in soups and stews or add them frozen to a pan I’ve sautéed onions and bacon in, add a bit of chicken broth and cook for 20 minutes or so.
Hi, I have always canned my beans. I am trying freezing them your method right now. I froze squash once (blanched them) and just did not like it. Have your experimented freezing squash the same way without blanching them? Thanks for your insight.
Cathy P.
My experience with squash, Cathy, is that there’s just too much moisture in it to freeze well. It’s just always a soggy mess, good for only baking with (and then not the best either). Sorry. But I don’t like cooked squash any other way than grilled or LIGHTLY sautéed, either – too mushy for me. Other people might be okay with the frozen result!
True about freezing squash, too mushy for anything other than a “squash casserole”. With that said, I grate up my raw squash with some grated onion, add some flour, egg, and cheese. Mix it up well, drop by spoonfuls on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and pop in the freezer for a few hours. Once frozen, remove and place ziploc freezer bag. Take out what you need and fry up in a pan (or can be baked in the oven) and then you have “squash patties” similar to “potatoe patties”.
That sounds delicious, Deb – thanks for sharing that!
I freeze squash all the time, have done so for years. 70 quarts or better.
i CUT THE SQUASH OPEN, dig out the seeds, do this with as many squash, that will fiti into a large roaster, add, enough water to keep them from burning to the bottom, about a inch or so, keep checking it. (PUT THE SQUSH IN THE ROASTER, WITH THE CUT SIDE DOWN) turn the oven on about 350, forget them for a hour, check water, make sure its not gone. when they are nice and soft, spoon the squash out into another roaster, (butter or spray the sides, for easy cleaning) until all the squash is cleaned out….THEN add some butter, and some brown sugar, (HONEY if you prefer) taste test…then set it aside, until it is cool..then put in freezer bags, I put 3 cups in a baggie so it is eaten, in a setting. a little work, but oh so good, in the middle of the winter.
THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN BLANCH SQUASH—
I wonder if Bonni is talking about winter squash or summer squash like zucchini? It sounds more like a butternut squash or pumpkin recipe to me. Maybe I am missing out on sweetened zucchini recipes!
Just this year, I decided to puree my zucchini for muffins and it was met well with my picky eater, so I have a bag of zucchini puree in the freezer for later. I am hoping that works well and is fine without any kind of blanching beforehand.
I have frozen summer squash and zucchini in 1 inch chunks. Put in food saver bags. Then sautéed them (on low/medium heat) right out of the freezer with a little butter. Do NOT thaw. Turns into mush. Don’t forget to add a little salt & pepper.
When I have a surplus of zucchini, I grate them all and then measure out 1 cup amounts into freezer bags. I flatten out the bags and then, of course, freeze them. Great for quiches, zucchini slice, fritters etc.
I’m so glad I found this today … was just leaving to get ice to blanch beans … I’ve already done some and wasn’t real happy with the texture … I AM going to go freeze some without blanching and vacumn seal them RIGHT NOW… Thank you so much … very informative
I am going to do this today! I have corn and tomatoes/sauce to do ASAP at the same time. So this would save tons of time. Last year My step-dad told me that you can freeze corn on the cob, with the shucks still on as long as the bag had little to no air. Takes up a lot of space in the freezer but I needed to get them done quickly, so the last dozen I did with the shucks on. Tasted better than my blanched/shucked corn three months later.
Oh man, I’ve read something like that, Charli, with corn but wasn’t sure – good to know, I’m going to try that this year, too! Thanks. 😉
I froze corn one year without blanching. Believe it or not I was in a hurry and just forgot. When we took it out in winter couldn’t tell the difference.
Yes, I’ve done that, too, Sandy and wrote an article about the different ways to freeze corn! https://anoregoncottage.com/how-to-freeze-corn-three-ways-blanched-unblanched-whole/
I’m 49 and have been gardening since I was a child. We never blanched our corn. Shuck and freeze. I also fresh freeze my bell pepper and jalapeño also. And fresh purple hull peas. Took the bad ones out and don’t wash. Store dry til ready to eat. You can even put them in a garbage bag by the lbs and scoop out what ya wanna cook and wash them then. Saves much time and trouble and hrs faster.
I freeze corn on the cob all the time w/o branching them, I shuck them and put them in a vacuum pack bag….just as good as the day I froze them….I’m trying the non-branching string bean trick today… Happy Freezing
YaY!!!
I am just getting all kinds of wonderful ideas and advice and I literally just found this website! Let’s all say it. . . . . YaYaYaYaYaYaYaY!
I froze all kinds of stuff last year, except green beans, then I got the flu and pneumonia in both lungs and spent 5 weeks in the hospital during which time my frig/freezer died. I had quart bags of tomatoes and peppers etc, all needed to go in the trash of into a gianormous pot of veggie soup, neither of which was going to happen under my hubbies direction. He was just way too worried, but he did manage to get the fridge fixed by himself for no money at all.
Okay blabbermouth, anyway, I have a question about freezing peppers. How can I do this so that they don’t impart their taste to most things in the freezer and some things in the fridge? It’s bizarre!
So glad you’re finding useful things, Karen, and so sorry to hear about your health issues! I hope all is better now. I freeze all my peppers like this shows: https://anoregoncottage.com/how-to-freeze-peppers-anaheim/ and I never have an issue of their flavor transmitting to anything else. That really is bizarre – sorry I can’t be of more help. 🙁
Yeah I just did this for my first time today on the 29th of August 2013. Glad to hear others agree
Enzymes also break down vitamins so you will be eating “empty” food.
Pam, when you make a statement like that, you really need to provide the source.
Thanks for reminding me to look this up, Penny (yes, links by commenters would be nice, wouldn’t it?). Here’s what I found in a 2-minute G search in an article aboutthe science of food preservation:
So, blanching for sure breaks down some nutrition, but it’s still a question for frozen, though they are considered ‘stable.’ Since unblanched beans aren’t nearly as mushy and limp as blanched, I think we have our answer. 😉
i’m working on freezing alot of my own veggoes this year, and one i have in question is cauliflower. can you use the ‘green bean approach’ with cauliflower and get good results? blanching is such a pain for me, since i can only get my hands on 12 ice cubes at a time. and it takes away valuable time with my family.
I don’t know, Desiree, but it’s a good question! I’ll have to add it to my list of veggies to try this with. 🙂
I also don’t have a lot of ice on hand so I’ve used ice packs to get the water cold for stopping the cooking process, it takes a little longer but it does work. Great post, going to try this.
Wow, at last I do not have tofeel guilty for not blanching the beans!
If I freeze green beans, can I use them later to dilly beans? We’re getting ready to go on vacation and just don’t have time to can the dilly beans.
ANN
No, I really don’t think that would work, Ann – sorry! The texture changes quite a bit after being frozen.
I froze the most amazing green beans 2 yrs. ago because they came from the farmer when I was just too busy to do anything else. I seal a mealed them and just took some out to make a bean and bacon dish in my crockpot. I found your website to make sure I could do that since I hadn’t blanched them. Now I feel confident and I have to say they look super good in the package, no frost and so green. I will add bacon that is half cooked and still a bit soft, drained well so there’s not too much oil, add sauteed onion and diced garlic, pepper and salt and some thin cut carrot sticks to the mix in veggie broth. Someone suggested some dill would be a good addition and maybe a little smokey flavoring. Wow, can’t wait.
Will return with the verdict.
Sounds like a plan, Cheri! I’ve found a stray bag in the freezer before and still use them with a slow-cook method like you mention and we’ve loved them, even though they were “old.”
non blanching here also. I washed and cut the ends and vacuum sealed in serving portions. Lasted a long time in the freezer. After I washed and prepped them, I put them on a large cookie sheet and dried them thoroughly in the sun. Turned out great. Just steamed them for supper. I’m starting the same method again today. thank you.
Great tip for air drying, Carol – thanks!