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!
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 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 bean can 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
Step 1: Wash.
A quick rinse to get off dirt is all you need.
Step 2: Snip ends off green beans
Both ends!
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 blanching your green beans might result in your beans having a mushy texture once defrosted.
How to blanch green 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 want to parboil your green beans to help them have a lovely crisp texture once thawed. Do not cook 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.
Step 5: Dry and freeze beans
Remove green beans from ice bath with the slotted spoon, tongs or by pouring into a strainer. Spread 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 the 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 going to use.
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 blanching your green beans 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 frozen green beans in.
- 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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How To Freeze Green Beans (for the best texture!)
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 not 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
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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