If you have grown your own jalapenos at home, you could end up with quite a large harvest so unless you are planning on having a spicy breakfast, lunch and dinner, it’s a good idea to preserve some of them.
Can You Freeze Jalapenos?
Yes, you can freeze jalapenos for up to 1 year. Once prepared and sliced up, freeze on a baking tray before transferring them to a bag and returning them to the freezer.
Do Jalapenos Freeze Well? Yes
Can You Refreeze Jalapenos? Yes
How to Freeze Jalapenos
The process for freezing jalapenos is simple. The one thing you do need to consider is how you normally use them. Do you pierce them and use them whole to impart flavour? Do you prefer to have them finally diced?
- Get Jalapenos
Jalapenos are actually an easy pepper to grow at home for those of you who are more green fingered. Alternatively, you can buy fresh jalapenos from most supermarkets. - Wash Jalapeno Peppers
Wash the jalapenos under cold running water. To ensure you remove all bacteria, consider using 3 parts water and 1 part distilled water when washing. - Prepare Jalapeno Peppers
Slice off the stem and decide how you’re going to store your peppers – whole, sliced or diced. - Flash-freeze the Jalapenos
Put your jalapenos on a baking tray lined with parchment and place in the freezer for 2 hours. This will flash freeze them and avoid sticking when transferred. - Put Into Bags
Once flash frozen, place the jalapenos into ziplock freezer bags and remove as much air as possible. - Freeze
Place into the freezer for up to a year!
3 Tips for Freezing Jalapenos
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing jalapenos to have the best results:
Whole, Sliced or Diced Works
Depending on how much freezer space you have, decide whether you will freeze whole or sliced peppers. Similar to habaneros, jalapenos are smaller peppers that can last longer in the freezer if left whole. However, if you need to freeze slices of jalapenos, remove the membranes and seeds while cutting.
Dry Peppers Thoroughly
Once you’ve either sliced, diced or kept your peppers whole, make sure you dry them thoroughly. If they go into the freezer when damp or wet, they could form a frost or freezer burn on the outside which could make the peppers mushy.
Use High-Quality Bags
The last thing you want is to open your frozen jalapenos in a month only to find freezer burn and frost buildup. Normal ziplock bags will work, but they will allow more air particles through to your peppers over time. Consider using silicone freezer bags to ensure zero freezer burn.
How Long Can You Freeze Jalapenos?
You can freeze jalapenos for up to a year. You could keep them in the freezer for longer than this but keep an eye on if the peppers start to discolour as this could indicate the peppers are spoilt.
Another thing to note is that frozen jalapenos do not lose any of their heat or spice!
You Can Freeze Jalapenos for up to 1 Year
How Do You Defrost Jalapenos?
Thawing your frozen jalapenos is even easier than freezing.
When you need jalapenos for a recipe, simply remove the required amount from your freezer bags, reseal the bags with no air inside, and replace them in your freezer.
Place the frozen jalapenos on a paper towel to remove excess moisture and you can then cook frozen jalapenos right away or let them thaw to room temperature.
Although frozen peppers lack the crispy texture of fresh peppers, they maintain their flavour and heat level for up to a year.
Fresh jalapeno peppers work best for fresh salsa, nachos, and tacos, but frozen peppers work perfectly in soups, stir-fries, and when making baked jalapeno poppers
Can You Refreeze Jalapenos?
It is possible to refreeze jalapenos. Similar to peppers and other chillies, they have a soft texture which can be liable to becoming mushy if refreezing.
Partially thawing and refreezing them, however, may negatively affect the food quality. But, they will be safe to eat.
Do Jalapenos Freeze Well?
Yes, jalapenos will freeze well and can be used straight from frozen. Most vegetables with a high water content, like peppers, will freeze solid (the water turns to ice) and they don’t lose any flavour or heat for up to a year.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing jalapenos or jalapenos in general, then these may help:
Yes, you can. Fresh chillies all tend to freeze well whether you’ve got a simple red chilli from the supermarket or have been lucky enough to get your hands on some habaneros.
Yes, you can freeze jalapenos both raw and cooked. There is also no need to blanch them beforehand to freeze them.
