How to freeze fresh peas is a common question when you get a lot of fresh green peas.`
Green peas are seasonal and its found in abundance during winter. Freezing is the right way to use it around the year. It is economical too.
When life gives you green peas, buy even more and store it. So that for the rest of the year we can use it in our daily cooking without any effort. Green Peas are in season during the winter, so let’s use the most of this season.
Last week when I was ordering my vegetables in Big basket I was really shocked to see the price, it was just 10 Rs /Kg , So it was then I got this idea of freezing fresh peas.
The only time-consuming thing in freezing green peas is to remove the peas from their pod (de shelling). I had to do it for around 2 Kgs, but Hubby helped me in this which almost halved my effort. The Peas which I used for clicking pics are almost 2 weeks old after freezing. Now let’s get started.
Jump to:
Choosing the right Peas
Always go for peas with an even dark green color. Do not select the pale-colored or overripe or already partially de shelled green peas.
How to Freeze Peas
We can divide the freezing processing into 4 steps. Will share them in detail below.
Deshell
The first and time-consuming part is de-shelling the peas from the pod. Do it slowly and carefully and collect the green peas. Make sure your peas are fresh. Watch a Netflix show and do this. I bet you can make the most out of it.
Blanch
Blanching peas for freezing is the next step. This is for a longer shelf life of the peas. Peas naturally have aging enzymes. so if we freeze without blanching the life decreases. To avoid this we are blanching the peas.
Dry
After blanching the peas pat dry the peas in a kitchen towel to remove the excess moisture. We will store the peas after its completely dry.
Store
Once the peas are dry store them in small zip-lock bags and freeze them to enjoy for the rest of the year.
how to blanch peas for freezing
Blanching is the process of adding the shelled peas to hot water for a few mins. The peas are then removed from the water and washed in ice-cold water to prevent further cooking. After which the peas are pat dry.
This is an important step in freezing peas. Without blanching the shelf life of peas will be lesser.
Ingredients
Fresh Green peas - Use fresh green peas which are evenly green in color. Select the peas without any uneven patches or discolors.
Salt - We add salt to maintain the fresh green color of the peas.
Water & Icecubes - Again water is only for Blanching and we will add ice cubes to the peas after blanching to prevent them from cooking further.
FAQ 's
We do not use frozen peas directly to cook. We thaw and bring it to room temperature and then cook. The process of bringing them to room temperature is thawing.
It stays good for up to 1 year. When handled clean and frozen properly.
We can use it in pulao, gravy, cutlet , or in any cooking which calls for green peas. In fact, frozen peas get cooked quickly as we have already balanced before freezing.
Just a few mins. Maximum 2 or 3 mins, until the peas start floating in the water.
Similar Recipes:
How to Freeze Green Peas, Pictorial:
1. Remove the green peas from the Pods. Wash the fresh peas really well and set aside.
2. In a large pan bring in lots of water to boil. Once it starts bubbling up add in the cleaned fresh peas to the boiling water. It will sink to the bottom after immediately adding it to water.
3. After around 1-2 mins the peas will start floating in the top switch off the stove immediately and wash well with cold water to prevent it from further cooking. Spread the peas in a kitchen towel and allow it to dry completely.
4. Once it is dry completely, transfer to a zip lock cover and freeze. It will stay good for months together.
Pro Tips: Always freeze in small batches, so that when needed, you can simply thaw a small batch as needed and use.
Tips to Freeze Green Peas
- Make sure the peas are dry completely before freezing in zip lock cover, otherwise the shelf life might get reduced.
- The Frozen peas can be used directly in cooking no need to soak overnight and cook.
- Thaw the frozen peas for some time before cooking or as needed for the recipe.
★ Did you enjoy this recipe? If you happen to try it out, I would love to hear from you! I’d appreciate it if you could rate and leave a review below in the comments. Your reviews help others know the recipe better too. Thanks for your time. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram,Youtube and Twitter for more updates
📖 Recipe
How to Freeze Green Peas | Homemade Frozen Peas
Standard 1 cup measures 240 ml
Ingredients
- 2 cup Green Peas
- Water as needed
- Salt a pinch
Instructions
- Remove the green peas from the Pods. Wash the fresh peas really well and set aside.
- In a large pan bring in lots of water to boil. Once it starts bubbling up add in the cleaned fresh peas. It will sink to the bottom after immediately adding it to water.
- After around 1-2 mins the peas will start floating in the top switch off the stove immediately and wash well with cold water to prevent it from further cooking. Spread the peas in a kitchen towel and allow it to dry completely.
- Once it is dry completely, transfer to a zip lock cover and freeze. It will stay good for months together.
Notes
- Make sure the peas are dry completely before freezing in zip lock cover, otherwise the shelf life might get reduced.
- The Frozen peas can be used directly in cooking no need to soak and cook.
- Thaw the frozen peas for some time before cooking.
- It keeps well for months together.
- Max I have stored for 6 months.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, the nutrition value provided here is an estimate. It will vary based on the quantity and brands of the products used.
Leave a Reply