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Here’s how to freeze broccoli! This quick trick preserves this fresh vegetable until you’re ready to use it.
Got extra broccoli and not sure how to use it up? Here’s a great way to extend the life: pop it in the freezer! This quick trick preserves broccoli perfectly, making it quick and easy to throw into a skillet to sauté as a side dish, or throw into stir fries, soups and more. We use this method often for leftovers in our produce drawer: especially if we’re heading out of town before we have a chance to use it. Here’s how to freeze broccoli, and a few great ways to use it in recipes after it’s frozen.
How to freeze broccoli
The first step to how to freeze broccoli? Blanching. Blanching is boiling vegetables until they’re crisp tender, then plunging them into cold or ice water to stop the cooking process. Is it really necessary? Yes! Blanching helps to keep vegetables colorful over time by locking in a beautifully bright color, and makes them last longer by stopping the natural enzyme activity that deteriorates their texture, color, and flavor.
Here’s how to freeze broccoli:
- Cut the broccoli into florets.
- Prepare a large pot of boiling water. Add the broccoli and boil for 1 to 2 minutes until crisp tender when pierced with a fork.
- Rinse the florets under cold water until cool to the touch.
- Pat the broccoli dry and place it in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Freeze in a single layer for 1 hour.
- Transfer to a sealable freezer-safe bag and freeze for 6 to 8 months.
Ways to use frozen broccoli
Frozen broccoli works well in cooked recipes of all kinds. However, make sure to cook the broccoli slightly less than the recipe indicates for fresh broccoli, since the blanching and freezing process shortcuts a few minutes of cook time. Here are some broccoli recipes that work well with frozen broccoli:
- Sautés like Quick Broccoli and Cheese, Simple Sauteed Broccoli or Pan Fried Broccoli
- Stir fries like Broccoli Stir Fry or Shrimp and Broccoli
- Roasted like Roasted Frozen Broccoli (it may need slightly more cook time than store-bought frozen broccoli)
- Soup like Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup
- Pasta like Healthy Mac and Cheese with Broccoli
More freezing methods
Want to freeze more fruits and vegetables? Here are a few more methods for preserving fresh food for months:
- Learn how to freeze carrots, celery, onions, avocado, green beans, potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, or corn
- Extend the life of fruit with how to freeze strawberries, peaches, blueberries or bananas
How to Freeze Broccoli
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 minute
- Total Time: 1 hour 1 minutes
- Yield: N/A
- Category: Frozen
- Method: Frozen
- Cuisine: N/A
Ingredients
- Fresh broccoli
Instructions
- Cut the broccoli into florets.
- Prepare a large pot of boiling water. Add the broccoli and boil for 1 to 2 minutes until crisp tender when pierced with a fork (blanching).
- Rinse the broccoli under cold water until cool to the touch.
- Pat the florets dry. Place them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Freeze in a single layer for 1 hour.
- Transfer to a sealable freezer-safe bag and freeze for 6 to 8 months.
Does the water need to be returned to a boil before starting the 1 (or 2?) minute timer.
(You state one minute if the blog, but two minutes in the recipe. Please clarify.)
Thanks for the note! It does not need to return to a boil: you can start the timer immediately. This should say “boil for 1 to 2 minutes until crisp tender when pierced with a fork”. We’ve updated the recipe accordingly. Thank you!
Let us know if you have any questions!