Carrots are a gem of the spring or fall garden, and if you want to preserve that fresh carrot taste all winter long, then consider freezing carrots to use later. Learning how to freeze carrots is easy, and you can fill your freezer for carrot recipes all winter long.
Why Freezer Preserving
With all the different methods of preserving out there, why learn how to freezer preserve? Freezer preserving is one of the easiest ways to store your fruits and vegetables.
All you need is a freezer and some freezer bags, a little time, and you can have fresh produce all winter long. Plus, freezer preserving doesn’t require any special equipment or ingredients, so it’s a great option if you’re new to preserving.
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Supplies for Freezer Preserving
Though you don’t need much, here are the basic supplies to have on hand for most freezer preserving:
- cutting board
- knife
- stock pot (for blanching)
- colander
- large bowl
- ice
- freezer bags or containers (I love my Foodsaver)
- sharpie or permanent marker
You can also see my full post of my favorite products for freezer preserving!
What is Blanching?
Before you can freeze your carrots, you need to blanch them. Blanching is a quick cook process that stops the enzyme activity in the produce.
This is what causes fruits and vegetables to ripen and eventually go bad. By blanching your carrots before freezing them, you’re stopping that process and ensuring that your carrots will stay fresh in the freezer for up to a year.
Many types of vegetables require blanching before they can be frozen. See my tutorials at the bottom of this post for more freezer preserving, or check out my e-book Quick and Easy Freezer Preservation, which is all about how to freeze fruits, vegetables, and herbs for about the same price as a fancy coffee!
How to Freeze Carrots
Here is the step by step process to take carrots from the field or farmer’s market to the freezer.
- Wash carrots thoroughly and peel. A vegetable brush is helpful here, especially if you like to leave them unpeeled.
- Cut the carrots into the desired shape. I like to cut my carrots into chunks, but you can also slice or dice them. Just keep in mind how you will be using the carrots later when you’re deciding on a cutting style.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the carrots to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove the carrots from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place them in a large bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process and help retain their color and flavor.
- Once they are cooled, drain the carrots well and spread them out on a sheet pan lined with a clean dish cloth.
- Label freezer bags while carrots finish cooling.
- Once carrots are completely cooled, fill freezer bags and remove as much air as possible, or vacuum seal.
- Freeze for up to one year or more if you’ve vacuum sealed them.
And that’s it! Learning how to freeze carrots is easy, and it’s a great way to preserve your spring or fall harvest. Be sure to check out my other tutorials on how to blanch and freeze other fruits and vegetables.
How to Freeze Carrots
Learning how to freeze carrots, whether they're fresh from the garden or purchased at the Farmer's market, is easy! Stock your freezer today with carrots to use all winter long in soups, stews, and stir fry.
Materials
- cutting board
- knife
- stock pot (for blanching)
- colander
- large bowl
- ice
- freezer bags or containers (I love my Foodsaver)
- sharpie or permanent marker
- fresh carrots
Instructions
- Wash carrots thoroughly and peel. A vegetable brush is helpful here, especially if you like to leave them unpeeled.
- Cut the carrots into the desired shape. I like to cut my carrots into chunks, but you can also slice or dice them. Just keep in mind how you will be using the carrots later when you're deciding on a cutting style.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the carrots to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Remove the carrots from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place them in a large bowl of ice water. This will stop the cooking process and help retain their color and flavor.
- Once they are cooled, drain the carrots well and spread them out on a sheet pan lined with a clean dish cloth.
- Label freezer bags while carrots finish cooling.
- Once carrots are completely cooled, fill freezer bags and remove as much air as possible, or vacuum seal.
- Freeze for up to one year or more if you've vacuum sealed them.
Recommended Products
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