How to Freeze Yellow Beans

Young and tender beans will retain their flavor and texture when frozen.

Yellow snap beans are prepared and eaten in the same fashion as green beans. Yellow and green beans are low in calories, high in beta carotene, vitamin K and calcium. When you have an abundant amount of beans, store them in the freezer to enjoy the produce throughout the year once the growing season ends. Yellow beans last up 18 months when prepared properly for the freezer.

Things You'll Need

• Colander
• Knife
• Cooking pot
• Slotted spoon
• Bowl
• Ice water
• Freezer bags or containers

Instructions

1. Examine the yellow beans. Remove any that appear old, dried out, wrinkled or discolored.

2. Place the yellow beans into a colander. Rinse the beans under cold water to remove dirt and debris

3. Trim 1/4 inch off the bean ends. Slice the yellow beans to your desired size pieces.

4. Fill a large cooking pot 2/3 of the way full with water. Bring the water to a boil on the stovetop. For best results, boil 1 gallon of water for every 1 lb. of yellow beans.

5. Place the yellow beans into the boiling water to blanch them for three minutes. Cover the pot while the beans blanch. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon, and place them into a bowl of ice water for three minutes.

6. Fill freezer bags or containers with the blanched yellow beans. Remove as much air as possible from the bags. Write the date and contents onto the freezer containers or bags, and place the beans into the freezer.

Tips & Warnings

• Freeze the yellow beans in a single layer on a shallow pan, and then store them into freezer bags or containers to prevent them from freezing together in clumps.

• Place freshly harvested yellow beans in a pan, cover them with cold water, and place them in the refrigerator if you cannot prepare them for the freezer immediately.

• Freezing the yellow beans for longer than 18 months will cause their quality to diminish.

References

• Pick Your Own: How to Freeze Green Beans and Other Beans from Your Garden or the Shop
• University of Minnesota Extension; Freezing Green and Yellow Beans; Linda Neil; 2008
• The University of Maine; Green Beans and Wax Beans; Nellie Hedstrom et al.; 2009
• Virginia Tech; Preserving Foods; Jo Anne Barton; May 2009
• Colorado State University Extension; Freezing Vegetables; P. Kendall; March 2008