How to Freeze Green Beans - With or Without Blanching
Learn how to freeze fresh green beans - with and without blanching first. Tips on how to best prepare, store, and cook frozen green beans included. Freezing is a great way to preserve fresh green beans from the garden!
Equipment
- Large pot or steamer pot (if blanching)
- Large bowl for ice bath (if blanching)
- Lint-free towels
- Freezer containers of choice
Ingredients
- fresh green beans
Instructions
Prep
- Wash the green beans, and trim off the woody stem end.
- Cut or snap into pieces, or leave whole.
- If you're NOT blanching, skip to drying and packing the freezer containers.
Blanching
- Bring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to a rolling boil, OR use a pot with a steamer basket insert and lid.
- Once the water is boiling (or the pot is filled with steam), add the green beans. When steam blanching, don’t overfill the pot – leave some room to toss them.
- Cover the pot with a lid and set a timer right away. Don’t overcook them!
- Blanch green beans for 2 to 3 minutes maximum. If using a steamer, stop and toss the green beans with tongs halfway through to promote even cooking. When boiling, start counting once the water returns to a boil after adding the beans.
- If blanching several batches, return the pot to a boil/steam before processing the next batch.
Ice Bath
- Immediately after blanching, carefully transfer the green beans to the ice water. Use tongs or a wire skimmer to fish them out of the boiling water, or simply lift and dump out the basket if using a steamer.
- Allow the green beans to soak and cool in the ice bath for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add more ice between batches as needed to keep the water icy cold.
Dry
- Transfer the green beans from the ice bath into a colander or strainer to drip dry, gently shaking to remove excess water.
- Then lay them out in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with a lint-free towel to dry further. If you’re processing a lot of green beans, it may be necessary to use several towel-lined pans. Allow them to sit for 30 to 60 minutes until they’re decently dry.
- Turning on a fan nearby and/or patting dry with another towel can help expedite the drying process.
Pack & Freeze
- Pack cooled, dry green beans into freezer containers of choice - such as resealable freezer bags, reusable silicone bags, or other freezer-safe containers.
- Optional “flash freeze”: Before packing freezer bags, lay the beans out in a single layer on a baking tray, freeze the whole tray for a few hours, and then pack the beans into bags once frozen. Flash freezing prevents the beans from sticking together in one big clump.
- Try to pack the containers as full as possible, and press out as much air as possible when sealing. Less air inside = less freezer burn and fresher beans.
- Date and label your freezer containers.
- Frozen green beans will last in the freezer for up to a year, though quality (texture and flavor) decreases with time. Blanched green beans will be good for at least 8 to 10 months in the freezer, while unblanched green beans are best to use within 3 or 4 months.
Reheating and Using Frozen Green Beans
- Frozen green beans can be used straight from the freezer - no need to thaw or defrost first.
- For the best results and texture, try to reheat them quickly but cook for as little time possible.
- To add frozen green beans to a dish (e.g. soups or stir fry) add them at the very end, once the rest of the dish is almost finished cooking.
- To reheat green beans to enjoy on their own, quickly heat them in a skillet with a little butter or oil, salt, and pepper (or other seasonings of choice) – not by cooking them in water.