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Can You Freeze Egg Whites?

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By Ross Young

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Have you followed a recipe that only requires egg yolks, but you don’t want to throw out the perfectly good egg whites? Have you considered whether or not you can freeze egg whites, then?

Can You Freeze Egg Whites?

Yes, you can freeze egg whites for up to 6 months. The best approach is to pour egg whites into an ice cube tray and then freeze the egg whites into ready-to-use cubes.

Do Egg Whites Freeze Well? Yes

Can You Refreeze Egg Whites? No

How to Freeze Egg Whites

The method for freezing egg whites is fairly simple. You will need to grab a jug and an ice cube tray, and then you’re ready to go:

Time needed: 10 minutes

This is my preferred method for freezing egg whites

  1. Pour Into a Jug

    First, take all your leftover eggs whites into a jug. Using a jug will make the next step an awful lot easier. Don’t add any sugar or vinegar, and don’t whisk them up.Pour Egg Whites Into Jug

  2. Pour Into Ice Cubes

    Pour the egg white into your ice cube tray and then place it in the freezer overnight to allow the egg white to completely freeze. You may want to wrap the tray in clingfilm to protect it further, but this isn’t a necessary step you need to take.Add Egg Whites to Ice Cube Tray

  3. Bag Up

    Once frozen, take your ice cube tray out of the freezer, release each egg white cube and place it into a freezer bag.Bag Up Frozen Egg White Cubes

  4. Freeze

    Return the bag to the freezer. You now have ready-to-go cubes of egg white.

Can You Freeze Egg White Cartons?

I would advise against it. You don’t know how full the container is, and when frozen, there is a chance that the egg white will expand. If it does, it may cause a split in the container and all kinds of mess.

How Long Can You Freeze Egg Whites?

You can freeze egg whites for up to 6 months. It’s recommended that you label your egg whites to ensure you don’t keep using them once the 6 months are up.

You could also put a reminder in your phone from the date you freeze them to remind yourself to either use them up or dispose of them (preferably not the latter, of course).

How Long Do Egg Whites Last in the Fridge?

Leftover egg whites can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How Do You Defrost Egg Whites?

Defrosting your egg whites is a simple process, but you must ensure it’s done right to help you get the best results from them. Thaw your egg whites in the fridge overnight. Only defrost as much as you need.

Once thawed, you can take the egg whites out of the fridge and leave for around 30 minutes until they are at room temperature – this makes it easier to whip them.

Can You Refreeze Egg Whites?

I would not refreeze egg whites. Doing so could be dangerous if they are not stored correctly between the initial and second freeze.

It would be better if you used the ice cube method to freeze egg whites so you can thaw the amount you need at a time. 

Do Egg Whites Freeze Well?

Egg whites are a great frozen ingredient, and when defrosted and prepared carefully, they can be equal to fresh egg whites. For convenience, fresh is much easier, as there’s no need to wait for your egg whites to defrost.

But careful food planning will help you make the most of your frozen egg whites and whip up some tasty recipes while avoiding wasting any leftover egg whites.

Whisk BEFORE Freezing

Egg whites can become slightly viscous when frozen, so lightly whisk them before freezing to ensure a smoother consistency once thawed. It doesn’t need to be frothy, just enough to break up the protein structure a bit.

Sources

We have verified the information on this page using the following resources:

Tasting Table

BBC Good Food

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2 thoughts on “Can You Freeze Egg Whites?”

  1. Hi. I froze a few bottles of liquid egg white and 2 days ago I removed them from freezer and put them in fridge to defrost, but they are still quite crunchy to touch, so they’ve not defrosted yet. They are in a plastic individual bottle and I was told they can be frozen, but I thought they only take a day to defrost. I’m a bit confused about this

    Reply
    • How cold do you have your refrigerator set? This could stretch out the thawing process longer than expected for sure.

      Reply

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