Can You Freeze Whole Peppers?

Last updated on September 13th, 2022 at 05:39 pm

Peppers are a good addition to a lot of recipes. If you have found yourself with peppers galore from your garden or some that have been given to you you may be curious as to how to save them for future use. 

Instead of letting them sit in the refrigerator and quickly going bad, freeze the peppers! 

Usually you would slice the pepper into strips and freeze them this way. But if you enjoy stuffed peppers but want to freeze them to use them later, you can still freeze the whole pepper.

You can freeze a whole pepper but you will want to slice off the top, remove the core, and take out the seeds before you freeze it. 

To freeze a whole pepper just slice off the top and pull out the core. Then scrape out all the seeds. 

Whether you are freezing the peppers whole or sliced, it is good to do these first two steps in both cases. 

Now, you can place the tops and bottoms separately in the freezer for a flash freeze and then transfer them all into freezer bags. When it’s time to cook the delicious peppers, just stuff them with whatever you desire and cook in the oven. 

They will thaw out while they cook.

Peppers are a vegetable that can be frozen without blanching them first. This makes your job a lot easier when you are ready to place them in the freezer. 

Always wash the peppers before freezing them this way they will be ready to cook when you want to. 

Peppers can be frozen whole but this is typically done when you are going to make stuffed peppers. If you are going to be slicing the peppers anyways, do so before freezing them. 

Peppers are easier to freeze and store when they are already sliced or diced and that also makes it easier to simply pull them out and use them without having to cut them after thawing them out. 

Can You Freeze Whole Peppers With Seeds? 

It may seem faster and easier to just pop the entire pepper into the freezer. Why go through all the trouble to cut the tops off and pull the seeds out? 

Well, this step will have to be done either before or after they are frozen and it will make your job of cooking the vegetables a lot easier if it’s done before they are frozen. 

You shouldn’t freeze whole peppers with the seeds still inside as it’s far easier to cut out the core and seeds prior to freezing than afterwards. 

When freezing peppers, cut off the top and remove the core and seeds. Then you can freeze them and when it’s time for you to cook them they will be ready to pop in the oven. 

It is easier to cut out all the inedible parts before freezing because the pepper isn’t frozen stiff. It will be a lot harder to do that after it has sat in the freezer for months.

There are many types of peppers but the same freezing method is used for all of them. Cut off the top, remove membranes, pull out the core and seeds and slice as desidered. Then, lay them out on a baking sheet, freeze them until they are firm and then transfer the peppers over to a freezer bag to store for months. 

Peppers you can freeze whole include bell pepper that will be used for stuffed pepper recipes, and hot peppers such as jalapeños, habaneros, serranos, Thai/bird’s-eye and cayenne peppers.

Do Frozen Peppers Get Mushy? 

Are you worried that if you freeze the peppers and let them thaw before cooking them that they may end up mushy? Well, you are right. 

Frozen peppers can get mushy if you thaw them before cooking.

This part may get a little tricky because if you haven’t cut the peppers before freezing them, It can be hard to do this step after they are frozen and ice cold. Your fingers will certainly hate you for it but it is better to slice and dice them before they thaw out. 

You don’t want to end up with mushy and soggy peppers.

You can’t put the frozen peppers whole into a food processor either. You have to cut off the top and slice down the middle. Then take out all the seeds but don’t wash them out with water because it will make the pepper soggy. 

Cut the paper quickly so it won’t get soggy and then you can put it into a food processor to be chopped up and put into the recipe you are making.

How Can You Store Peppers Long Term? 

Peppers will last longer frozen than just refrigerated. So how can you store the vegetable long term?

If you are wanting to store peppers for a long time the best thing to do is to freeze them. This will allow them to be used in the upcoming months. 

Raw peppers will last in the refrigerator from 1 to 2 weeks. You want to store things in a sealed bag or plastic container with a paper towel to absorb moisture. Keep them in the crisper drawer for fresher veggies. 

Cut peppers will last for about 3 to 5 days. If you are going to use the pepper within a couple weeks just store them in the fridge.

Freezing the pepper is your best option if you want to store them long-term. If the peppers are properly stored then they can last for up to 12 months in the freezer but can still be safe to eat after that. 

Keep them frozen at all times. If you notice some dry spots or discoloration on the pepper then this may be freezer burn. It is still okay to eat the pepper but the freezer burn will most likely have affected its taste and texture.

Final Thoughts

If you are wanting to freeze some peppers whole then you can. This is great if you want to quickly pull them out of the freezer and cook them right away. 

You can also cook them frozen because if you wait until they thaw then you will have mushy and soggy peppers in your recipes. 

When you end up with a lot of peppers and don’t want them to go bad so you can use them later, freeze them! Peppers can last in the freezer for up to 12 months so you can enjoy them all year long.