How to freeze vegetables and berries the right way

Enjoying crops from your own harvest in the middle of winter is an amazing feeling. To make it possible, the freezer will be your best friend! We will guide you through how to freeze vegetables and berries in the best way possible. Enjoy!

How to pre-cook or parboil vegetables

There are several ways to freeze vegetables and berries. Many vegetables are best pre-cooked or parboiled before being frozen. You do this by boiling the vegetables in lightly salted water for a few minutes. In this way, they retain texture and taste better.

Are you wondering for how long frozen vegetables stay fresh in the freezer? Frozen vegetables have a long expiration date, although, they won’t taste good forever. A year is a good benchmark!

How to freeze berries

Berries are among the easiest things to freeze. Spread the berries on a tray or plate, and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, distribute them in jars or bags. If place directly into jars or bags in the freezer, they will form a large frozen lump. 

How to freeze chard, spinach, cabbage, and other leafy vegetables

Chop and pre-cook your chard, spinach, cabbage, and other leafy vegetables, and let them cool and drain before freezing them. 

How to freeze cauliflower and broccoli

Divide the cauliflower or broccoli bouquets into pieces and pre-cook.

How to freeze legumes

Parboil peas and beans before freezing them. If you pre-cook dried beans, freeze them like berries on a tray and then store them in jars or bags.

How to freeze chili and peppers

Chili can be frozen whole or in pieces, without being pre-cooked. Peppers are also excellent for freezing fresh. When it's time to eat them, they will taste best in stews, pies, or gratins. 

How to freeze spices and herbs

Finely chop the spices and herbs and freeze in small bags or jars. The taste will be well preserved in the freezer!

How to freeze onions and garlic

Onions, leeks, and garlic can be chopped into small pieces, frozen, and prepared for winter cooking.

How to freeze corn

Boil the corn cobs and then use a knife to pull off the corn kernels, before freezing them.

How to freeze pumpkin and winter squash

Pumpkins can be stored for a long time at room temperature. Although, its skin might get damaged, which could cause the entire pumpkin to go bad. Therefore, freezing pumpkin is a good idea. Peel and chop the pumpkin into pieces. Pre-cooking the pieces before they are frozen is to be preferred.

How to freeze root vegetables

Carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, and other root vegetables should be pre-cooked before frozen. Cut into smaller pieces or wedges and cook for a few minutes. Allow them to cool and dry slightly before freezing them. You can also freeze raw, grated root vegetables and use them in cooking.

How to freeze zucchini

Since zucchini contains a lot of water, it will be best if you pre-cook the zucchini in pieces before freezing. If you want to save time, you can chop and freeze the pieces fresh. Frozen zucchini tastes well in pots, once defrosted!

How to freeze tomatoes

You can freeze tomatoes in different ways: the whole tomato, in pieces, slices, or mixed. Defrosted tomatoes should probably not be used in salads, as they will be quite sloppy in the texture once they are out of the freezer. They taste much better in warm dishes!

How to make frozen puree 

Make a puree of fruits, berries, root vegetables, spices, or leafy vegetables and freeze into small pieces, for example, in trays for ice cubes. They add flavor to winter stews or as nutritional boosting for smoothies!

What not to freeze

As cucumber and lettuce consist of so much water, it is not a good idea to freeze them.