Here is my simple method for How to Freeze Bell Peppers so you can enjoy them all year long. This is an easy way to enjoy your pepper harvest and preserve some of that much needed freezer space by storing the frozen pepper strips in an airtight container or zip top bag in the freezer and you’ll have sliced bell peppers for later use anytime you need them for any recipe or stir fry.
In This Post
Cook’s Notes
Whether it’s the bumper crop of peppers from your own backyard garden, perfectly ripe from the farmers market, or a sale you can’t pass up at the grocery store, freezing peppers is easy to do and a great way to make it easy for your weeknight meal prep. This technique works for any kind of pepper.
Whatever your reason, freezing bell peppers is easy, economical, helps prevent food waste, and doesn’t require anything other than a sharp knife, cutting board, and a sheet pan that will fit in your freezer. Pull them out whenever you need to add color to your dishes.
How to Freeze Fresh Bell Peppers
It is not necessary to blanch peppers before freezing them. Blanching will reduce the flavor and color, therefore it’s best to skip the blanching method all together.
- Make sure your peppers are blemish-free and not overly ripe. You can use all types of peppers: red peppers, green peppers, sweet peppers, or hot chili peppers, etc.
- Rinse the whole peppers under cool water and use a paper towel to dry them off before starting.
- Cut peppers how you would normally use them if you were chopping up a fresh pepper for a recipe. Whether that’s in strips, chunks or halves. You can also freeze whole peppers, just remove seeds and membranes before freezing.
- Place them in a single layer on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet or cookie sheet and freeze for 2 or 3 hours.
- Add to a heavy-duty freezer bags, plastic bag, or freezer-safe container, label and put them back in the freezer.
- Remove as much air from the bag as possible when using to prevent freezer burn.
Use the frozen peppers to make stir fries and quick fajitas, or dice them into smaller pieces while still frozen and add to soups and chilis.
What is Parthenocarpy?
What is it called? Sometimes you get a bell pepper that seems to be prego with another tiny pepper. That little pepper inside a bigger pepper is called an “internal proliferation”. Its form can vary from irregular and contorted to near perfect.
A pepper growing inside a pepper is a type of parthenocarpy, which is the formation of fruits without fertilization or the formation of seeds. No one is sure what causes them. Food for thought…right? Now you know what it’s called.
FAQs
Yes you can! You can follow the easy steps in this recipe to freeze fresh peppers.
Frozen bell pepper strips, rings, or dice can last up to a year in the freezer. Make sure you are removing as much air from your container as possible after each use to prevent freezer burn.
No! You can toss them frozen into a stir fry, fajitas, or cut the strips into dice for soups and chilis.
No! It is not necessary and will reduce the flavor and color.
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How to Freeze Bell Peppers
Recommended Tools
Ingredients
- 4 large bell peppers, any color
Instructions
- Wash and dry peppers.
- Remove stems, inner membrane, and seeds.
- Cut into strips (or cut into chop, dice, rings). Spread in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Blot any excess moisture with paper towels and freeze 2-3 hours.
- Transfer the frozen pepper strips to an airtight container or zip top bag. Remove as much air as possible.
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Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Hi! I’m Heather
I’m Heather, a recipe developer and content creator based in Vancouver, Washington. I started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006 because I believed weeknight dinners shouldn’t be boring and gourmet shouldn’t mean complicated. I’m also the co-founder of Spiceology, so safe to say I think about food for a living. Stick around for recipes that actually make it into your regular rotation.
This is an excellent recipe fir freezing peppers
so you leave the skin on the red pepper? I have always been told to scald it off. However, when I eat them I leave it on. When I cook with them I do blister it off. But, when freezing leave the skin on? Just asking. I love to can and preserve. thank you for the info about the nub inside the pepper, or any vegetable/fruit, that was nice to know.
Thanks for your blog and visitors comments. Will be freezing peppers this afternoon!
Curious why to use parchment over the cookie sheet for the peppers? Is it a chemical reaction to the aluminum / metal?
parchement prevents them from sticking to the pan. As they freeze they will stick a little.
What a great idea for stir-fries! I hate buying that package of frozen veggies. It’s never as good as you think it will be!
I’m with you Lisa. I hate buying frozen veggies, especially when you can do them this way.
Great tip! I’m all about freezing and saving as much food before it goes bad!
Great idea! It’s always a good idea to have red peppers on hand.
You are so smart! Thanks for the link love too!
You may want to consider a quick blanching, in boiling water or steam, to destroy the enzymes before freezing.
I always have to freeze my peppers! Too many recipes call for just half or a portion of them and if I don’t have another recipe lined up which uses it, it’ll go to waste! I really need to eat salads more to solve this problem.
Haha Erin. You and me both!
I do the same thing but I roast them first!
That’s a great idea!!! Thanks for sharing.
Great info! Who knew that’s what a tiny mutant baby pepper was called!
I know right? When I opened up the pepper I thought “I need to research what this little nugget is called”. It’s always good to learn something new. 🙂 Thanks for commenting…now lets drink VODKA! haha
What a neat idea! I tried this with carrots – don’t. Mine were soft and ugly when I used them after freezing!
You might try blanching carrots first before you freeze them.
You’re right Mike! Such a smarty farty you are. 😉
Blanching does help, but I prefer to not freeze carrots either. I will dehydrate them to reconstitute in soups or chilis rather than freeze.
Interesting! We usually eat our peppers as soon as the land in the fridge. I’ll have to start stocking up when they are on sale from now on and freeze them!
Glad to inspire you Lauren. 🙂
What about eating raw after freezing…..will they be crunchy?
They are best used in cooking applications after being thawed. Freezing will make them not crisp any longer.