How to Freeze Poblano Peppers | Easy Preservation
Preserve your peppers to enjoy for later use! Learn how to freeze poblano peppers the easy way with this step-by-step guide. You’ll love having peak-season peppers at the ready for soups, pasta sauces, and rice dishes all year round.
Last year, I accidentally bought way too many fresh poblanos from my co-op. As soon as I unpacked them and saw how many there were, I knew I needed to figure out a good way to preserve them long-term so they didn’t go to waste.
I had frozen bell peppers and jalapenos many times, so I knew freezing the poblanos would be the best way to preserve them. Freezing peppers is an easy way to pack them away for long-term storage and enjoy summer peppers all year long!
Whether you grew a surplus of poblanos in your salsa garden or you got a deal at the farmer’s market, freezing poblano peppers is a great way to preserve them for future use.
Why Freeze Poblano Peppers?
Preserve the harvest: You can enjoy beautiful summer peppers all year round by simply freezing them when they are in peak season!
Make cooking easier: Having ingredients already cut and ready to go makes cooking so much simpler. By cutting your poblano peppers before storing them in the freezer, you will save time washing, coring, and chopping later on.
Save money: You can save so much money on groceries by growing and preserving your own food, buying in bulk, and buying in-season vegetables.
Prevent food waste: One of the biggest challenges gardeners encounter is preventing food waste! If you have a surplus of poblano peppers coming in from the garden, freezing them will prevent any from going bad before you are able to use them.
What You’ll Need
- Fresh poblano peppers: From your garden, the farmers market, or the grocery store!
- Sharp knife
- Baking sheet
- Freezer-safe container: You can use a plastic bag, food storage container, or glass jar. Make sure it’a airtight to prevent any freezer burn.
How to Freeze Poblano Peppers
Step 1. Wash the peppers and dice them into small (½-inch) pieces. Discard the seeds and ribbing.
Step 2. Spread the diced peppers onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
Step 3. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours to flash freeze the peppers.
Step 4. Transfer the frozen peppers to a freezer-safe, airtight container and promptly return to the freezer.
Helpful Tips
- Flash freezing prevents your veggies from freezing together in a solid block, so don’t skip that step! The pepper pieces will be loose, so you can grab your desired amount without having to defrost the whole lot.
- If you prefer your peppers in even smaller pieces, feel free to mince them in the food processor and freeze them in ice cube trays. I do that when I freeze jalapeños and it works wonderfully.
- You can also freeze whole peppers or large pepper slices if you prefer. Simply remove the stem and seeds, then freeze them on a baking sheet following the same method.
- Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn if you’re using a freezer bag.
- Don’t forget to label your peppers so you know what they are when rifling through the freezer!
How to Use Frozen Poblano Peppers
Frozen poblano peppers can be tossed into a hot pan with olive oil or avocado oil – no need to defrost them first. You can add frozen poblanos in with fresh veggies, but they won’t take as long to cook, so add them last.
Frozen poblanos are good in any dish that usually has cooked poblanos or bell peppers. Pasta sauce, chili, vegetarian tortilla soup, and Mexican rice are my favorite ways to use them.
Recipe FAQ
Are frozen poblano peppers as good as fresh ones?
The flavor is exactly the same, but the texture of the peppers will be softer, similar to cooked peppers. I don’t recommend eating frozen poblano peppers plain like you would eat fresh peppers. They are good for cooked dishes like chili or Mexican rice.
Are poblano peppers hot?
Poblanos are considered hot peppers, but they have a mild heat. Poblanos are less spicy than jalapeño peppers but have a hint of spice compared to sweet peppers, such as bell peppers.
Can you freeze roasted poblano peppers?
Yes, you can! Allow the roasted peppers to cool to room temperature, then freeze them on a baking sheet just like you would with fresh peppers. Roasted poblanos can be frozen whole or diced.
Related Content
- Make and Freeze Soffritto Tutorial
- How to Freeze Garlic Scapes
- Easy Freezer Pesto
- How to Freeze Mirepoix
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How to Freeze Poblano Peppers
Equipment
- sharp knife
- Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- freezer-safe container a plastic bag, jar, or storage container
Ingredients
- fresh poblano peppers
Instructions
- Wash the peppers and dice them into small (½”) pieces. Discard the seeds and ribbing.
- Spread the diced peppers onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours to flash freeze the peppers.
- Transfer the frozen peppers to a freezer-safe, airtight container and promptly return to the freezer.
Notes
- Flash freezing prevents your veggies from freezing together in a solid block, so don’t skip that step! The pepper pieces will be loose, so you can grab your desired amount without having to defrost the whole lot.
- If you prefer your peppers in even smaller pieces, feel free to chop them small or minced in the food processor and freeze them in ice cube trays. I do that when I freeze jalapeños and it works wonderfully.
- You can also freeze whole peppers or pepper slices if you prefer. Simply remove the stem and seeds, then freeze them on a baking sheet following the same method.
- Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn if you’re using a freezer bag.
