Learn how to freeze fresh green peas with step-wise instructions. With correct freezing and storage method, you can easily store green peas upto a year. Use homemade frozen peas in curries, rice, pulao and many other ways.
Today's blog post will cover step-wise instructions on how to freeze fresh peas up to a year. Freezing fresh green peas is the best way to preserve and enjoy seasonal peas throughout the year.
Fresh / frozen green peas is used a lot at our home right from breakfast (upma, poha) to main course (curry, rice / pulao). I prefer freezing my own batch of peas instead of buying a bag from the supermarket.
Freezing is a great technique to improve / increase shelf life of produce. Anything excess in your refrigerator, always freeze it so that it doesn't go waste.
There are two methods of freezing fresh green peas - (1) Blanching method (2) without blanching. I have shared below detailed tips, pros / cons of both the methods. The post also includes tips on storage to improve shelf life .
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Ingredients
Green Peas or Peas in a Pod - Use fresh green peas for freezing. Shelf life depends on freshness / quality of the produce.
Shelling the peas is the only time consuming activity in this entire process.
Water - to blanch peas
I don't use salt or sugar while blanching the peas.
How to blanch peas for freezing
Shell Peas or Remove Peas from their pods and rinse thoroughly in a colander under running tap water. Drain excess water. Keep aside.
Place a pot on the stove, fill it with water and bring it to a boil. Add the shelled peas
Cook for 1.5 minutes (set a timer) and using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked peas onto a tray lined with a tea towel.
You can also drop the cooked peas in a bowl of ice cold water to stop cooking process but I prefer air drying (place the tray under the fan)
Once the peas appear dried, fill it in ziplock freezer safe bags and freeze. Remove excess air before placing in the freezer to prevent freezer burn.
How to freeze peas without blanching
Is it possible to freeze peas without blanching? Yes!
Does it last for a year? No!
Frozen unblanched peas has a shelf life of 2-3 months in the freezer. However, bear in mind that cooking will discolor unblanched peas. It will appear pale green and not the usual bright green.
Unblanched peas is more likely to develop freezer burn (ice crystals). This affects the taste and sweetness of peas.
Long story short - If you are not looking for a year's supply of fresh green peas, shell and store the peas in the freezer directly. Use it as soon as possible.
Recipes using frozen green peas
Rice - Peas Pulao, Biryani, Vegetable Pulao etc. Handful of frozen peas adds a touch of green and elevates the dish. You don't need to thaw peas for rice recipes.
Curries - Green Peas Curry, Aloo Matar are some of our favorites.
We use frozen peas for breakfast recipes like Upma, Poha, Vermicelli Upma as well.
Storage Tips - Preserving green peas
Use small zip lock bags or freezer safe bags / containers to store peas in freezer.
To avoid freezer burn or formation of ice crystals, remove air from the bags before sealing.
Hygiene plays an important role when freezing. Use clean tea towels, ensure you wash and towel dry your hands before handling food.
Storage containers should be clean and dry before food is transferred for storage. Use good quality plastic containers (without any oil residue or smell) for storage. Bags are ideal as they occupy less space in the freezer.
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How to freeze peas
Ingredients
- 1 kg Fresh Green Peas
- 6-8 cups Water for blanching peas
Instructions
- Shell Peas or Remove Peas from their pods and rinse thoroughly in a colander under running tap water. Drain excess water. Keep aside.
- Place a pot on the stove, fill it with water and bring it to a boil. Add the shelled peas
- Cook for 1.5 minutes (set a timer) and using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked peas onto a tray lined with a tea towel. Air Dry or place the tray under the fan to cool.
- Once the peas appear dried, transfer to ziplock freezer safe bags and freeze. Remove excess air before placing nags in the freezer to prevent freezer burn.
Video
Notes
- Shelled peas should be at room temperature. If you have shelled and stored peas in the refrigerator, place it on the counter top and bring it to room temperature before adding to boiling water. Refrigerated / cold peas will take more time to blanch.
- Don't cook peas more than the specified time. It will shrink in size and turn mushy.
- You can transfer the cooked peas to ice water bath and drain. However, I find air drying best for long shelf life.
- You can easily double or triple the amount of peas for freezing. It depends on your requirements. The process remains the same. I freeze up to 10 kgs of fresh peas following the above method.
- Use small zip lock bags or freezer safe bags / containers to store peas in freezer.
- To avoid freezer burn or formation of ice crystals, remove air from the bags before sealing.
- Hygiene plays an important role when freezing. Use clean tea towels, ensure you wash and towel dry your hands before handling food.
- Storage containers should be clean and dry before food is transferred for storage. Use good quality plastic containers (without any oil residue or smell) for storage. Bags are ideal as they occupy less space in the freezer.
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We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan
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