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Home » Cooking How To's » How To Freeze Green Beans (for the best texture!)

How To Freeze Green Beans (for the best texture!)

By Taesha Butler August 1, 2022 2 Comments

Servings4 servings
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time3 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Freezing fresh green beans is easy and a great way to enjoy homegrown veggies for months to come. Here is my step-by-step guide for How To Freeze Green Beans plus recipe ideas for how to use them!

Frozen green beans in a bowl, with some spilling onto the table The bag of frozen beans is on the table next to the bowl.

Summer gardens are bursting with fresh green beans. And, if you are like me, you have more beautiful green beans on your hands than you can eat all at once.

Luckily, green beans are a vegetable that freeze beautifully and can be added to all sorts of future meals (like my Veggie-Loaded Tater Tot Casserole). And freezing green beans is simple and fast to do.

If you have never frozen fresh green beans, I’ve got your back! Here is my easy peasy step-by-step guide to get you started so that those beans can be stored perfectly in your freezer for months to come.

What you’ll need

  • a cutting board
  • sharp knife
  • large pot
  • water
  • ice
  • large bowl
  • baking sheet
  • some paper towels
  • freezer safe container

I know what you are thinking. How can something “simple” require that much gear. Just trust me. There are a few steps, but they all take mere minutes.

How To Freeze Green Beans

Fresh green beans being washed in a strainer.
Fresh green beans on a cutting board with a knife. The ends off some of the beens have been trimmed off.

Step 1: Wash.

A quick rinse to get off dirt is all you need.

Step 2: Snip ends off green beans.

Both ends!

Fresh green beans on a cutting board with a knife, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Green beans in a pot of boiling water.

Step 3: Cut green beans.

This is an optional step but I find that it makes them easier to store. I either cut the beans in half or into 2 inch segments.

Step 4: Blanch green beans.

Blanching green beans before freezing helps them to retain that beautiful green color and crisp texture when you go to enjoy them. Skipping this step might result in your beans having a mushy texture once defrosted.

How to blanch green beans:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
  2. Add washed, trimmed, and cut green beans to the pot. Cook for 3 minutes. You want to parboil your green beans to help them have a lovely crisp texture once thawed. Do not cook them entirely.
  3. While beans are blanching, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. This will act as an ice bath to stop the cooking process once your green beans are parboiled.
  4. Once 3 minutes of cooking is up, immediately transfer the green beans to the ice bath using tongs or a slotted spoon.
  5. Let beans sit in ice bath for 5 minutes.
Green beans in an ice bath. A slotted metal spoon is scooping some beans out.
Blanched green beans on a baking sheet with a hand patting them dry with a paper towel.

Step 5: Dry and freeze beans.

Remove green beans from ice bath with a slotted spoon, tongs or by pouring into a strainer. Spread them out on a baking sheet in an even layer and pat dry with a towel or paper towel.

Step 6: Freeze green beans.

Place green beans on a baking sheet in your freezer and let freeze for 4-6 hours on the baking sheet. This step will help the beans to freeze individually instead of freezing in a clump and will make it easier to portion out when using.

Green beans in a large silicone bag. A hand is holding the bag open.
Frozen green beans in a large silicone bag.

Step 7: Transfer frozen green beans to freezer-safe container.

Once the beans are frozen, transfer them from the baking sheet to an air-tight freezer safe container.

I like to use a large silicone bag, but any large freezer safe sealable bag or container will work.

Store in your freezer and enjoy for up to 3 months

Can you freeze fresh green beans without blanching them first?

You can, but your green beans might not be that stunning green color we all love and might have a mushy texture when cooked.

Why do you need to blanch green beans before freezing?

Blanching green beans before freezing helps them to retain that beautiful green color and crisp texture when you go to enjoy them. Skipping this step might result in your beans having a mushy texture once defrosted.

How long can you store green beans in the freezer?

I find they maintain the best texture and flavor if frozen green beans are used within 3 months.

Recipes to use that contain frozen green beans:

  • Chickpea Slow Cooker Vegetable Curry
  • Lentil Vegan Shepherd’s Pie
  • Healthier Tater Tot Casserole (with veggies)
  • 30-Minute Minestrone Soup (vegan)
  • Chicken Piccata Stir-Fry 
  • Turkey Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

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Frozen green beans in a bowl. Some have spilled out onto the table.
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

How To Freeze Green Beans (for the best texture!)

Freezing fresh green beans is easy and a great way to enjoy homegrown veggies for months to come. Here is my step-by-step guide for How To Freeze Green Beans plus recipe ideas for how to use them!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time3 mins
Keyword: green beans
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 35kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Equipment

  • cutting board
  • sharp knife
  • large pot
  • slotted spoon
  • baking sheet
  • freezer safe container I used a large silicone bag

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound fresh green beans or as much or as little as you want to make

Instructions 

  • Wash your green beans.
  • Cut the ends off your green beans and then cut into bite-sized pieces, about 2-inch segments.
  • Next, we are going to blanch your green beans. This is important for helping your beans to be crisper once thawed. It also helps preserve that beautiful green color.
    To blanch your beans, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add washed, trimmed, and cut green beans to the pot. Cook for 3 minutes.
    You only want to parboil your beans. Do not cook until them entirely.
  • While beans are blanching, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. This will act as an ice bath to stop the cooking process once your green beans are parboiled. Once 3 minutes of cooking is up, immediately transfer the green beans to the ice bath using tongs or a slotted spoon.
    Let beans sit in ice bath for 5 minutes.
  • Drain green beans and spread out on a large baking sheet. Use a paper towel to blot the extra water off the beans.
  • Place in the freezer and let the beans freeze for 4-6 hours on the baking sheet.
    This step will help the beans to freeze individually instead of freezing in a clump and will make it easier to portion out when going to use.
  • Once the beans are frozen, transfer them from the baking sheet to an air-tight freezer safe container.
    I like to use a large silicone bag, but any large freezer safe sealable bag or container will work.
  • Store in your freezer and enjoy for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 35kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 782IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Cooking How To's, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Tagged With: green beans

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    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

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    Comments

  1. MKB

    September 10, 2022 at 7:14 pm

    5 stars
    This worked like a charm! 🙌 Thanks, Taesha.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      September 11, 2022 at 3:50 pm

      I am so happy to hear that!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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