How To Blanch Peas For Freezing

Learn How To Blanch Peas For Freezing so you can enjoy their delicious, fresh-from-the-garden taste for months to come. If stored properly, peas will keep for an entire year in the freezer and are perfect to have on hand to add to soups or stews all winter!

I love freezing peas from the garden! When blanched and frozen properly, they taste just like they were picked fresh out of the garden!

I love to toss a bag of frozen peas in Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Pasta Soup for extra veggies or serve them with Maple-Soy Glazed Salmon, Air Fryer Keto Tuna Patties, or Smoked Chicken Legs for a quick and easy dinner.

What Does Blanching Mean?

Blanching is the process of immersing and scalding food in boiling water for a brief period of time, followed by cooling in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Why Blanch Peas?

Blanching peas stops the enzymes in peas from aging the pea, which causes a loss of flavor, color, texture, and nutrients. Blanching peas before freezing ensures the peas will keep in the freezer properly. Blanched peas are tender, bright green in color, and full of flavor.

I tried skipping this step one time to see what would happen, and it was a huge mistake. The peas were hard and bitter and had a terrible flavor.

Ingredients

To blanch fresh peas before freezing, you will need :

• Fresh shelled peas, either grown in your own garden or bought at the Farmer's Market or if you're lucky, peas that were given to you!
• Boiling water
• Cold ice-water

How To Blanch Peas

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Shell the peas and wash them in cold water. Swish them around with your hands, then drain.
2. Bring a large pot of boiling water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the green peas, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. The peas need room to move around. If the pot is too full, the peas on top will be undercooked and the ones on the bottom will be overcooked.
3. Once the water returns to a boil, set a timer and boil (blanch) the peas for 90 seconds. The peas will turn a brighter green as they blanch.
4. When the 90 seconds is up, cool the peas immediately in an ice water bath. The ice water stops the cooking process so you don't end up with mushy peas.
5. I find the easiest and quickest way to do this is to fill one side of your kitchen sink with cold water and a couple of trays of ice cubes. Then, on the other side of the sink, place a colander that you can pour the hot peas into to drain out all the hot water. When the hot water is drained, immediately immerse the peas in a bowl of ice water.
6. Swish the peas around with a large spoon to cool them off quickly and add more cold water and ice if needed. They cool off usually within 5 minutes. When all of the peas are cooled, place the peas in a colander for a few minutes to drain at room temperature.

How To Freeze Blanched Peas

1. You have two options for freezing the blanched peas: You can freeze the individual peas on a cookie sheet or in a bag.
2. To freeze on a baking sheet, place a dish towel on a baking sheet and place cooled and drained peas in a single layer. Place the tray in a freezer for about 2 hours, then transfer the frozen peas to a container or a Ziploc bag.
3. You can also freeze peas in a freezer bag. The peas will freeze together in a clump, but they thaw quickly just by running them under hot water. Measure out 1 or 2 cups of peas into a medium-sized Ziploc bag, remove as much air as possible, and zip it up!
4. Place freezer bags in the freezer and store them for up to one year. I love having enough peas to last until next year's pea crop!

How To Prepare Frozen Peas

The best part about blanched peas is that they are partially cooked, so they do not need much cooking time.

Thaw frozen peas by placing them in a colander and running hot water over them. In just a few minutes, they will be thawed.

If you are serving them as a side dish, cook in boiling water for a few minutes, drain, and serve.

You can also place the peas in a bowl and pour boiling water from a kettle over the peas. After a few minutes, the peas will be hot and ready to eat.

Expert Tips

• Do not freeze peas without blanching them. The peas will lose their flavor and may have a bitter taste.
• Shell, blanch, and freeze peas as soon as you pick them. Peas continue to age after they are picked. They will start to dry out, get limp, and lose flavor.
• Get your kids to help, invite some friends or neighbors over, and turn on Netflix and shell away!

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