Banana peppers are a vegetable that’s known for their distinctive bright yellow color and banana-like shape. This vegetable is often using in cooked, stuffed, roasted, or pickled. Since banana peppers are available during the summer only, you may want to store them for later. Would freezing banana peppers be an option?
So can you freeze banana peppers? Yes, you can freeze banana peppers. These peppers freeze very well in the freezer. You can either freeze them cooked or raw. To keep them fresh in the freezer, they need to be prepared the right way. Prepared correctly and properly stored, banana peppers will last 6-12 months in the freezer.
Do Banana Pepper Freeze Well?
Banana peppers freeze very well. This is due to their high water content.
However, freezing banana pepper has their limitation to what you can use them for. Once the peppers thaw, they will become soft. You can’t use them to garnish a salad or in a meal that requires them to have that crunchy texture.
On the other hand, frozen banana peppers work well in recipes that require cooking such as soup, stew, stir-fry, or topping for pizza.
How To Freeze Banana Peppers
When it comes to freezing banana peppers, you can either freeze them fresh or cooked.
Both freeze extremely well.
Freezing Fresh Banana Peppers
1. Preparing
Start by choosing the freshest banana peppers available. Also, make sure that it’s ripe first to enjoy the full flavor of the peppers.
Clean the banana peppers with clean water to wash away any debris and pest that may be on the vegetable.
2. Cutting
Using a sharp knife, cut the stem off each banana pepper and slice it in halves.
Shake the pepper or use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.
Chop the peppers into your desired size.
It’s best to keep the skin on the peppers. The skin helps keep the crispy texture of the pepper while it’s frozen.
3. Flash Freezing
On a clean tray, lay a sheet of parchment paper on it. Then place the banana peppers onto the tray spacing them out from each other.
Place the tray full of peppers into the freezer. Flash freeze the vegetables for about 3-4 hours. This will prevent the peppers from sticking to each other during freezing.
4. Storage
Once the banana peppers are completely frozen, remove them from the freezer. Immediately transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag.
5. Seal It
If you’re using a freezer bag, press on the bag to remove any excess air before sealing it.
For an airtight container, check the seal on the lid to make sure there are no cuts or tears. If there is a cut, air will leak into the container and damage the banana peppers.
Secure the lid onto the container tightly.
6. Freezing
Once the container or bag is sealed, place them into the freezer for storage.
If you’re using a freezer bag and want to save space in the freezer, you can stack them on top of each other.
However, let each bag of peppers freeze completely first. Once it’s frozen, you can stack them against or on top of each other to save space.
Freezing Cooked Banana Peppers
Like other cooked vegetables, cooked banana peppers can be frozen too. Whether it’s stuffed, char-grilled, or roasted, you can freeze them.
Below are the steps to freezing cooked banana peppers:
- All the cooked banana peppers to cool down completely.
- Once it’s cooled down, place them into an airtight container.
- Using a cling wrapper, wrap the container at the opening. This will help prevent air from leaking into the container.
- For the lid, check the seal to make sure it doesn’t have any cuts or tears.
- Secure the lid onto the container.
- Label the container with the date of freezing and place it into the freezer.
How Long Can You Freeze Banana Peppers?
Banana peppers that are fresh will last for 6-12 months in the freezer. After that time, the peppers will still be safe to eat, but the quality of it will deteriorate.
When it comes to cooked banana peppers, it has a much shorter shelf life, which is about 4 to 6 months.
Whether it’s fresh or cooked, always try to consume them as soon a possible for optimal flavor.
How Do You Defrost Banana Peppers?
For fresh banana peppers, there’s no need to thaw them. Simply add them directly to the dish you’re cooking.
For cooked banana peppers, you’ll need to leave them in the fridge to thaw. Let it sit in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours before using the peppers. This will allow it to retain its texture and flavors.
Can You Refreeze Banana Peppers?
Refreezing banana peppers will depend on how much it’s thawed.
If the banana peppers have not thawed completely yet, you can refreeze them. Simply place them back into the freezer in a freezer bag or airtight container.
On the other hand, if the banana peppers have thawed completely, you cannot refreeze them. Doing so will cause it to become mushy when you freeze and thaw it again.
Related Questions
Can you freeze stuffed banana peppers?
Yes, you can freeze stuffed banana peppers. This is actually the best method to preserve it. Freezing them will help retain their flavor and texture. Also, freezing will help the pepper hold its shape due to the stuffing inside it.
Can you freeze sweet banana peppers?
Yes, you can freeze sweet banana peppers. You can either freeze them as cooked or fresh. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Properly stored, sweet banana peppers will keep for 6 to 12 months in the freezer.
Can you freeze banana peppers without blanching?
Yes, you can freeze banana peppers without blanching, but they won’t last very long in the freezer. You can freeze them for about a month before it starts to go bad. After that, the quality of the peppers will deteriorate, and you won’t enjoy it very much.