How to Freeze Roasted Peppers

Fresh peppers are available in a variety of flavors ranging from bitter green bell peppers to sweet red peppers. Although you can eat them fresh or quickly cooked in oil, if you roast them over high heat until their skins blacken, they'll have a much richer flavor. Roasted peppers are typically stored in oil to keep them moist and flavorful, but they are only safe to eat for up to two days. If you have a large batch of roasted peppers, you can prevent waste and freeze any leftovers that you can't eat in time.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Freshly roasted peppers
• Cloth
• Baking sheets
• Wax paper
• Spatula
• Gallon-sized plastic freezer bag
• Olive oil

1. Moisten a clean cloth with warm water. Remove your freshly roasted peppers from the oven, but do not add any olive oil or seasonings. Drape the peppers with the moistened cloth.

2. Set the covered peppers aside for about 10 minutes. Uncover them and use your fingers to gently remove the outer blackened skins of the peppers. If the skin is not pulling off, cover them back up with the cloth for another 5 minutes so the trapped steam can further loosen the skin, and then peel them.

3. Cover 1 to 2 baking sheets (or enough to hold all your roasted peppers) with wax paper. Place the peeled roasted peppers onto the baking sheets. Make sure the peppers are evenly spaced and not touching.

4. Place the baking sheets directly into the freezer without covering them. Let them freeze for about one hour or until the individual peppers are completely hardened.

5. Use a spatula to scoop the frozen individual peppers off the baking sheets. Place them into a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag. Seal the bag securely and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.

6. Remove your desired amount of roasted peppers from the freezer bag when you're ready to use them. Transfer them into an airtight container and let them thaw in your refrigerator. Drizzle the thawed peppers with your preferred amount of olive oil and serve sliced or whole at room temperature.

Tips & Warnings

• If you want to save time preparing the roasted peppers for the freezer, freeze them with their skins on and peel it off only after they're defrosted.
• Don't add any oil to the roasted peppers prior to freezing or else they won't retain their texture during the freezing process.
• Don't freeze the peppers while they are stacked or touching because they will freeze in a large block instead of individual pieces.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Peppers
• Nestle Cooking Tips: Preparing Roasted Peppers for the Freezer

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