Around here, late summer is peak harvest time for peppers of all kinds, and we thought we’d share how to freeze peppers so that you can enjoy garden fresh peppers all year round.
Freezing peppers is a quick, easy way to preserve our harvest. While we also pickle some of our peppers, most of them get frozen to be used throughout the year. We’ve also froze extra peppers from the store. This is great to do when you buy in bulk and want them to last. I love being able to pull peppers out of the freezer for fajitas, omelets, pizzas casseroles etc…
How to Freeze Peppers
1. Wash and dry peppers. If you get produce from the store, cleaning it off with a little water and vinegar can help eliminate any unwanted germs.
*Blanching peppers is not necessary, which makes this an even simpler process.
2. Remove stem, core and seeds. With bell peppers this can easily be done by cutting around the stem and gently pulling out the stem and core. This will remove most of the seeds. The remainder can be removed by turning the pepper upside down and shaking the seeds out. For chili peppers, cut the top of the pepper off to remove stem, and then slice the pepper in half lengthwise. Then, scoop the ribs and seeds out with a spoon.
3. Cut your peppers how you think you might want to use them later (halves, strips, chopped, etc). I typically cut bell peppers in strips, because I love fajitas. I can also throw them in omelets, or on top of pizzas. It’s easy to snap them a bit smaller if they are in strips.
4. Spread out your cut pieces out on a baking sheet in a single layer, and place in freezer for about an hour or until frozen. It’s important not to freeze your pepper pieces in a freezer bag. Freezing the peppers on a sheet keeps the pieces from clumping up.
5. Once they are frozen, remove tray and place peppers in freezer bags. Make sure they are sealed well. Date and label them if needed, place in freezer, and enjoy later.
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According to the EWG’s 2023 Shopper’s Guide, Hot Peppers and Bell Peppers are still part of the “dirty dozen”. This basically means they contain pesticides that have been proven to damage your health in one way or another.
Buying organic is better, but can be pretty pricey. We love to grow our own, if you’ve never done it before, but want to, check out our Gardening from Seed post.
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