When it comes to healthy eating, green beans (also known as snap beans or string beans) are the crunchiest and tastiest. They are packed with vitamins and fiber and are incredibly versatile in every recipe. If bought fresh, they last only 2 to 4 days in the refrigerator, which is why we have penned an article on how to freeze green beans correctly. Our step-by-step guide will ensure that you can enjoy these cute beans at any time. You can use it in a healthy sauteed salad, grilled beans, or a casserole recipe. Let’s dig in! [1]
How To Freeze Green Beans?
Green beans are easy to freeze, and they last for a couple of months. You can enjoy the garden-fresh goodness also when it is colder outside than inside the refrigerator. Follow through and learn everything you need to know on how to freeze green beans correctly. Let us show you how!
Frozen snap beans are tastier in cozy casseroles. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Step 1: Trim the beans correctly. Take a handful of beans and line up the stem ends. Taking a sharp knife, slice off the ends. You can repeat this with the remaining beans.
Step 2: Cut them into small pieces. This is optional. For soups and casseroles, you require bite-sized pieces. You can save yourself prep work bu cutting them into 1-inch pieces before you freeze them. Otherwise, you can leave the beans as it is and freeze them, and chop them later as per the recipe requirement.
Step 3: Blanch the beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Simultaneously, fill another large bowl with ice water. Once your former pot is boiling, add a reasonable amount of salt for a gallon. Whilst working in batches, add the beans to boiling water and cook until tender, about 2 to 4 minutes depending on its size.
Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the beans to ice water (to preserve the bright green color). Let it soak for 5 minutes, then transfer to a towel with tongs and let it dry. Repeat the same process with the remaining beans, adding more water as per the quantity.
Step 4: Prepare the beans to freeze them. Arrange the beans on a baking sheet. Pack into ziplock bags, jars, or containers. Compress the beans in and then squeeze out as much air as possible and pack tightly. You can label each bag or container with dates and amounts (for organizational purposes). Finally, please place them in the freezer for approximately 8 months.
How to Use Frozen Beans?
These bright-green-colored beans are tasty and add a unique flavor to every dish. You can use them in easy recipes such as:
