Freezing bell peppers is one of the easiest meal prep hacks ever. Let me show you how to freeze bell peppers in just 5 minutes.
When bell peppers are in season, I buy a bunch to chop up and freeze. It's so rewarding when I have them already chopped and ready to use to make everything from egg casserole to sloppy Joe's.
And while others will tell you to freeze bell peppers in steps, I've found that it's really not necessary.
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Can you freeze green bell peppers?
Yes, you can absolutely freeze green bell peppers. In fact, you can freeze green peppers, red bell peppers, purple, and yellow peppers... you get my drift :).
What you don't want to do, though, is freeze them whole. Definitely wash, then cut or slice them before freezing.
Why This Method Works
- Frozen chunks of bell pepper break apart easily.
- You're not going to eat frozen bell peppers (I mean, maybe you will, but most people don't, lol), so they're going to defrost anyway. If some of the pieces are stuck together when you go to use them, they'll separate as they defrost.
- Most recipes call for one or two bell peppers, not a tablespoon. So, does it really matter if some of the pieces are stuck together when frozen? 😅
How to Freeze Bell Peppers
- Slice bell pepper in half
- Remove the stem and seeds.
- Slice or dice bell peppers.
- Add to a freezer safe bag, store flat in the freezer.
Dietitian Tip
Here's a fun nutrition fact: red bell peppers contain more vitamin C than an orange. It's true! As a dietitian, adding frozen peppers to various meals is one of the easiest ways I've found to incorporate more veggies at mealtime.
📖 Recipe
How to Freeze Bell Peppers in 5 Minutes
Equipment
- 1 freezer-safe resealable bag one quart sized
Ingredients
- 2 bell peppers red, yellow, orange, purple, or green bell pepper (any color)
Instructions
- Slice each bell pepper in half from top to bottom, starting at one of the sides of the stem.2 bell peppers
- Remove the stem and seeds. Once halved, I like to rinse the insides with water to quickly remove all of the seeds.
- Dice or slice bell peppers into the size and shape you most often use them in recipes. Diced bell peppers are most versatile, while sliced bell peppers are often saved for fajitas.
- Place chopped or sliced bell peppers into a quart sized freezer bag.
- Lay the bag of chopped bell peppers flat on a counter and remove as much air as possible before sealing the bag.
- Lay the bag of bell peppers flat in your freezer to store.
Notes
- Lay the bag flat in the freezer to avoid having one massive clump of frozen pepper pieces. Once frozen, you can move the bag elsewhere in the freezer.
- Not all resealable bags (Ziploc style) are freezer safe. Be sure to use ones that are.
- Wash the bell peppers and pat them dry before cutting or slicing them.
- Frozen bell peppers will be soft (sort of soggy) once defrosted, so there is no need to sauté them first when using them in place of fresh bell peppers for most recipes.
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