How To Freeze Green Beans

How To Freeze Green Beans a step by step guide on how to freeze fresh green beans, store them and recipe ideas to use them in. Answers to popular question like do you need to blanch green beans before freezing.

Why should you freeze green beans?

If you are reading this post, you are probably interested on what is the proper way to freeze green beans. While there is no right or wrong way, I’ll share with you how I do it.

So why should you freeze green beans? Because you might have an excess of fresh green beans from your garden or the Farmer’s Market. If you just refrigerate them they will go bad within a few weeks. Let’t face it, while I do love green beans, I just can’t have them every day.

Having bags of frozen green beans in the freezer is very helpful and time saving. You can quickly use them in soups, stews and side dishes. And right now, around the holidays green beans are pretty popular around here.

When are green beans in season?

Green beans are pretty much available year round. They are at their peak during the summer months – Jule, July, August and September. You can find fresh green beans at the Farmer’s Market from May to October. Fresh, crisp and juicy green beans taste way better than when frozen.

How to freeze green beans:

• Get your fresh green beans (by purchasing them or sourcing them from the garden).
• Rinse.
• Cut off the ends on both sides.

• Cut into small bite sized pieces (optional)

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Prepare a large bowl filled with ice cold water. Set aside.
• Add green beans to the pot. Boil for 2 minutes.

• Drain.
• Rinse with cold water.
• Place beans in the bowl filled with ice cold water for 3 minutes.

• Drain.
• Pat dry with paper towels. Make sure they are dry, so they don’t stick to each other once frozen.
• Place on a baking sheet, leaving some space between the beans.

• Freeze on the baking sheet for 1 hour.
• Take out of the freezer and place in zip lock bags. Alternatively use a Food Saver machine to seal the green beans before freezing.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.

Do you have to to boil (blanch) green beans before freezing?

You don’t need to boil green beans before freezing.

By boiling green beans for 2 minutes and then draining and placing them in a bowl of ice cold water you very slightly cook and soften the beans. This way green beans still retain their original texture and bright green color (not turn dark brownish green).

Then placing then in cold water stops the cooking process, but this step also preserves the bright green color of the beans.

This step is completely optional.

You can easily do the following:

1. Rinse the green beans. Pat dry.
2. Cut off the ends on both sides.
3. Cut into small pieces (optional).
4. Place on a large baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour, no more than that. (Optional step).
5. Place in zip lock bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

What do you need for this recipe:

Fresh green beans.

Large pot.

Strainer (optional).

Large bowl filled with iced water.

Large tray (or cutting board or any dish to pat try the blanched green beans).

Zip lock bags or Food Saver Machine with bags.

Tips for freezing green beans:

• Choose fresh green beans during their pean season (summer).
• Aim for smaller sized green beans, they are more tender.
• Get blemish-free green beans
• Blanch the green beans before freezing, if you have the time.
• Quick freeze for 1 hour, before you place green beans in zip lock bags, this way they won’t stick to each other and form large clumps in the zip lock bags.

What to use frozen green beans for?

You can use frozen green beans for pretty much any recipe that calls for green beans. I personally always have a bag of frozen green beans to give to my dog to snack on. He loves them! They are packed with fiber, folate and vitamin B.

These Roasted Green Beans And Potatoes from Cooktoria are the perfect side dish to add to any meal.

Recipes to use frozen green beans in:

• Green Bean Soup
• Green Bean Casserole (No mushroom soup)
• Baked Green Beans With Parmesan
• Green Beans With Bacon
• Pork Stir Fry With Green Beans