Below are tips for how to dice and freeze bell peppers that will help you make quick work of the project.
How to Dice and Freeze Bell Peppers
Bell peppers are in season which means they are available for great prices at the stores and might even be available for free from your garden. Take advantage of these inexpensive bell peppers and stock your freezer with diced peppers to get you through the winter when they are outrageously expensive.
First use the tip for quickly dicing peppers so easy slice and chop your bell peppers in record time. Then use the tips for freezing peppers, so you can stock your freezer with peppers for your favorite recipes.
How to Quickly Dice Bell Peppers:
My trick for quickly dicing bell peppers is to use my kitchen scissors.
1. Cut off the edges of the bell pepper with a knife.
2. Use kitchen scissors to cut the large pieces of bell pepper into strips.
3. Use the scissors to cut the strips into smaller pieces.
How to Freeze Diced Bell Peppers:
Think about how much bell pepper you usually add to your recipes to determine the best quantity for bulk freezing diced peppers. I often use 1/2 cup of bell peppers, so I freeze diced peppers in that quantity. However, it is easy to open a bag and remove a smaller quantity if necessary.
1. After dicing bell peppers, measure and add 1/2 cup to a snack size sealable bag.
2. Squeeze the air out of the bag, seal it, and lay it flat on a cookie sheet.
3. After all the diced peppers have been bagged and place on a cookie sheet, place the cookie sheet in a freezer.
4. Once the peppers are frozen, remove them from the cookie sheet. You can now stack them or file them on their ends where ever you have a convenient space in your freezer.
Are you interested in saving money by freezing other vegetables and fruits?
More Tips for Freezing Produce
How to Freeze Berries
How to Freeze Diced Tomatoes
How to Freeze Cherry Tomatoes
How to Freeze Lemon and Lime Juice
Ginger says
After slicing or dicing, I dehydrate the peppers by about 1/2. Then I freeze in bags. The peppers take up less room in the freezer and also the consistency isn’t as mushy when cooking.
Thanks for the great idea of using kitchen shears!
Cindy says
Your idea of dehydrating is a good one. The reason fruit and veggies develop ice crystals in the freezer is from excess moisture in them. Vacuum packing will help prevent ice also. When using in a recipe, the peppers will easily rehydrate.
Partially dehydrating is a great method when freezing anything moist… sliced strawberries, sliced peaches, etc.
Phyllis Tomchuk says
I always check the reduced for sale rack in the super market and find a lot of still usable produce, clean them up, chop them up and you are good to go, freezer meals casseroles, Also green onions and celery are great for freezing too. Happy chopping you all.
Jeanette says
How do you freeze celery?
Karen says
Thank all of you for those wonderful tips! 😊
Sarah says
Its easier if you spread the diced peppers out on apiece of waxed paper placed on a cookie sheet orjelly roll pan. Place in freezer till they are frozen solid. Then put them into your ziplock baggies per serving.
Sharon says
I totally agree! Have been doing it way for years, this way they never stick together. Also I chop them on my mandolin. Easy cleanup.
Jan Butler says
I often try to keep peppers by freezing them, but they also seem pretty mushy. I didn’t know about using corn flower (is that the same as corn starch?).
Any other advise on keeping them “mush free”?
Alea Milham says
The texture is going to impacted by freezing to some degree no matter what. It is best to use frozen peppers in cooked recipes, so the texture change from freezing is not noticeable.
Rapozkitchen says
I use d same method..but I sprinkle a little cornflour and freeze it..in order to avoid the bell peppers from getting soggy..
LSikut says
In the summer when peppers are plentiful and cheap, I like to buy an 8-quart basket (or more), chop them up and freeze them. My method is similar except, I like to freeze them by patting them dry and laying them in a single layer on the cookie sheet. I let them freeze for about an hour, then I bag them. That way I can take out a few to saute for my morning eggs or I can measure out what I need for a recipe. 🙂
Lisa LaRocco says
A girl after my own heart! I have been freezing leftover bell peppers for years. I buy the organic ones and they are too expensive to throw out if you haven’t used them and they start to go bad.
Also, it is so easy to take them out of the freezer and use them when all the prep work has already been done. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
Lisa
mary says
this is the best way to always have peppers ready to cook, always buy several when on sale and slice them up you can always chop smaller when ready to cook
Angela says
how do I prevent freezer burn? and how long will they stay good in the freezer? 3 month, 6 mos, 1 year? Thanks!
Alea says
To prevent freezer burn, pat the peppers dry and get as much air out of the bag as possible when you close it up. They last in the freezer for up to 6 months.
jean says
dice peppers. Put them on a paper towel to absorb the water. Line cookie sheet with saran wrap. Place peppers on wrap and put in freezer till froze. pack in food saver or bags remove air.
mub says
I really like the idea of using kitchen scissors! That really never occurred to me. I also like to freeze strips to fry up as a side dish later too.
Alea says
Leaving some as strips for stir-fry is a great idea!
hepcat says
My mom used to freeze strips and give them to me straight out of the freezer as a snack when it was close to dinner time.
Peggy says
Yeah strips for stir fry great idea!