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Green beans are at their best when in season at their peak freshness, like all of your favorite vegetables. From May to October you’ll find the freshest green beans available and of course that makes this the prime time to get cooking with this colorful ingredient. However, if you want to have a bank of fresh green beans to cook with throughout the year, then read on to learn how to freeze fresh green beans so you can enjoy this little legume throughout the winter months.
How to prepare green beans for freezing
First things first, when it comes to freezing green beans you’ll want to do this with the finest quality green beans available. They’re in season from May to October, even though you will be able to find them in the supermarket all year round. Select a bunch of green beans that are brilliantly green, free from any brown parts, and nice and firm for optimal results. If there’s a local farmers’ market near you, then we’d highly recommend heading down there to purchase your green beans for freezing.
Once you have your green beans home safe and sound, make sure to wash them first before blanching and it’s better to also trim off the ends. The ends tend to hold a duller, woodier taste so we’d suggest removing them as you would when cooking the beans fresh. To blanch the beans ready for freezing simply bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, and prepare a separate side bowl full of iced water. If you’re wondering how long to blanch green beans for freezing, you’ll only need to cook them for around three minutes until tender. Remove from the salted water with a slotted spoon, once you’re happy with the tenderness, and dunk into the iced water straight away for four minutes. Then remove from the iced water and place onto a kitchen towel to remove any excess moisture. The beans are now ready for freezing and we’ll walk you through the ideal way to freeze your beans further down in the article.
How to freeze green beans without blanching
If you don’t have time to blanch your green beans, or want to save energy by not turning the stove on during the warmer months, you can actually freeze green beans without blanching. You might lose some of the freshness and vibrant color, but you’ll still have a delicious hoard of beans ready to cook with. If you’d prefer to skip the step of blanching, then just trim the ends off the beans, chop them in half, wash thoroughly under cold running water, transfer to a kitchen towel until fully dried, and then place into freezer bags. It really is that simple.
Freezing blanched green beans
If you want to know how to freeze cooked green beans once you’ve blanched them, then there are a few more steps we’d recommend to get the best out of your beans. If you have the time, then ideally you should quick-freeze the beans first on a baking sheet in the freezer to help prevent them clumping together. Once you’ve done this, transfer your beans into your container of choice. Make sure you remove as much air as possible and pack the beans in nice and tightly. If you let too much air in or there’s too much moisture remaining in the container from blanching the beans, you’ll end up with undesirable freezer frost on your legumes.
How long can they be stored?
If you have freezer labels then it’s helpful to add these to your containers to note the date you froze the beans. They will usually last around eight months in the freezer following blanching. For inspiration on how to use your legumes once they’re tucked up in your freezer, we have lots of green beans cooking content. From a green bean casserole to Creole green beans there are lots of dishes that are perfect for exploring in the colder months. Equally, they’re delicious in a Thai curry or linguine with green beans, for a spicier kick or quick midweek meal idea. Or for a unique side dish, why not create blistered green beans? This side plate is bursting full of flavor with orange peel and salted pistachios, and can be paired with a variety of plates from roast meats to warm salads.
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