How to Freeze Green Beans: A Simple Guide to Freezing Beans (2024)

Fresh, crisp green beans are easily available and bountiful in the summer. This simple guide on How to Freeze Green Beans will demonstrate how easy it is to preserve green (or yellow) beans to enjoy them throughout the winter months.

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Introduction

During the summer harvest season, many gardeners find themselves with an abundance of fresh produce they’d like to preserve for the winter months.

Many delicious options exist, from preserving tomatoes to Italian parsley, fresh peas, and Swiss chard.

Today we’ll focus on green beans: one of the most versatile and nutritious vegetables.

Preserving green beans by freezing them is a cost-effective and simple process, especially if you have them growing in your backyard, as I do.

Before diving into freezing green beans, it is essential to understand the proper steps and techniques involved to ensure the preservation of nutrients and flavor.

This article will provide a detailed step-by-step guide on how to freeze green beans efficiently, effectively, and safely so they remain fresh and vibrant for various dishes throughout the year.

Name variations of green beans

Green beans, also known as string beans, wax beans, snap beans, or yellow beans, may vary in name depending on the region. Despite all these different names, they are all part of the same family of beans and can be used interchangeably in recipes.

Step-by-step guide on freezing fresh green beans

Harvesting or purchasing: When selecting yellow or green beans from your local grocery store or farmer’s market, it is essential to opt for fresh ones that are clean and unblemished. Fresh green beans should be bright, feel firm when touched, and snap easily when bent.

If harvesting from your backyard garden, snip them with scissors or pruning shears or carefully tug them off the stem. I prefer to pick the beans when they’re young and tender before they start to form pods.

Prepare the water: Fill a large pot with water and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat.

Prepare the ice ‌bath: Put ice cubes in a big bowl of cold water. This will be used to cool down the beans after blanching.

Wash the green beans: While the pot of water is heating up, rinse the freshly harvested green beans under cold water to remove any dirt or debris. You can also fill a large bowl with water and quickly swish the green beans. Avoid soaking your green beans in water for an extended period. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

Clean the green beans: Snap off the top and bottom ends of the beans. For more mature green beans, you may need to remove the thin string that runs along the seam of the bean. Use a paring knife or your fingers to gently pull the string away from the bean. Alternatively, line up the beans and trim the ends with a knife.

Blanch the green beans: Add the trimmed beans to the pot of boiling water and wait for it to come back to a boil. If your green beans are young and tender, like mine, blanch for 1-2 minutes. You may want to blanch for 3 minutes if your green beans are more mature. Remember to start your timer when the water returns to boiling. Once done, drain the beans into a colander.

Ice ‌bath: Transfer the blanched beans immediately to the ice water bath once the beans are drained. Immerse them in an ice-water bath for three minutes. This will stop the cooking process and help preserve the color and texture of the beans. You will immediately notice the transformation to a bright green (or yellow) color!

Remove moisture: After being in the ice water bath for a few minutes, transfer to a colander and drain properly. Then place them on a clean tea towel. Gently press down with another tea towel to remove as much moisture as possible.

Bag the green beans: Label the bags with the date. Transfer the green beans to the freezer bags in the anticipated required amounts. Use a vacuum sealer (if you have one) to efficiently remove air from the bag or use a straw with freezer bags that zip.

Store the green beans: Place the bags of green beans in the freezer. When ready to use them, thawing is unnecessary. Remove the bag from the freezer and cook them as you normally would.

Tips

• If harvesting your beans, gather them when they are still young and delicate before they grow pods.
• Dry the beans thoroughly after blanching to prevent ice crystals from forming.
• It is best to freeze the green beans as soon as possible after preparation to maintain their optimal texture and flavor.
• To make it easy to use the frozen green beans in recipes, freeze them in Ziploc bags in the amount you need for each recipe.

How to use frozen green beans

Frozen green beans are a great addition to vegetable barley soup, veal stew or tossed with lemon pasta. They are great in any recipe that calls for them to be cooked until tender. Give some of these easy recipes a go and enjoy the taste of garden-fresh string beans throughout the winter.

FAQ

Green bean recipes

Conclusion

Freezing green beans is a simple yet effective way to preserve their flavor, texture, and nutritional benefits.

It is also economical, practical and so easy to achieve.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener, a bargain hunter at the farmers market, or simply looking to stock up on this nutritious vegetable, freezing green beans allows you to enjoy their goodness year-round.

So go ahead and freeze those green beans, and relish the taste of summer even in the coldest of seasons.

★★★★★ If you have used this procedure to preserve green beans this way, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

This post was originally published on September 3, 2017 and republished on July 11, 2023 with updated content, photos and a video.