How To Preserve Bell Peppers From The Garden

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Did you know bell peppers freeze beautifully for use in all your favorite recipes? I'm walking you through the very easy steps to learn how to freeze bell peppers!

Close up of a serving spoon full of frozen diced bell peppers.

Preserving the Harvest

So why do I freeze bell peppers? Well, like clockwork, spring brings about the mad dash to eat, gift, or preserve all the goodies that come from our garden. And bell peppers are no exception! We always eat our fill of raw peppers dipped in hummus, fajitas, soups, salads, but we can't ever seem to eat them quickly enough!

The solution? I learned how to freeze bell peppers! Even if you don't have a garden, though, you might find your bell peppers are starting to "go" before you've gotten to eat them. Even if they're getting a little wrinkled and soft, they're still perfectly fine to freeze.

Any time I use frozen bell peppers in a recipe in my Instagram stories, I get this question: "How do I freeze bell peppers?!" So I'm laying it out for you and sharing a few simple tips and tricks to preserving them in the freezer. Keep reading!

You may also like: How to freeze strawberries, How to microwave sweet potatoes.

Step by Step Instructions

Bell peppers can be frozen in three easy steps: First, wash and slice the peppers in the desired way, either in long strips or diced. Next, par freeze the bell peppers for an hour, spread on a parchment lined baking sheet. Last, transfer to a freezer bag and store until you're ready to use.

Once you learn how this method, you'll be able to freeze most other types of peppers, even hot peppers like jalapeños!

A cutting board topped with diced and sliced bell peppers.

Step 1: Prep the Bell Peppers

First things first, make sure to wash the bell peppers well. Use a sharp knife to cut the flesh away from the seeds and stems.

You can then slice the peppers into thin strips or dice them into bite sized pieces, depending only on your personal preference. I sometimes do a little of both! The longer strips are good for fajitas and stir frys, the diced pieces are better for omelets.

A collage showing bell peppers on a parchment lined baking sheet, before and after freezing.

Step 2: First Freeze

Good news: Unlike other vegetables, you don't need to blanche the peppers first! They freeze wonderfully when they're raw.

Gently pat the peppers dry with a paper towel, then lay the peppers on a parchment lined baking sheet, and separate the pieces as much as possible. A little bit of touching is just fine!

Set the pan in the freezer for just an hour. This will start the freezing process. Why do we do this? Keep reading!

Partially freezing the peppers while they're separated from each other will prevent you from ending up with a giant frozen clump of frozen peppers all stuck to each other and hard to cook.

Close up of a zip lock bag filled with diced bell peppers.

Step 3: Transfer & Freeze

Last but not least, transfer the peppers to a freezer bag or air tight container. Squeeze as much air out as you can, seal, and store in the freezer until you're ready to enjoy!

Frozen Bell Peppers FAQ

How do I cook frozen bell peppers?

Frozen bell peppers can be used interchangeably with fresh bell peppers in any recipe that requires cooking. Some of the best ways to use frozen bell peppers are in soups, stews, fajitas, stir frys and omelets. Cook them exactly as you would if they were fresh, but allow for slightly more cooking time.

How do I store frozen bell peppers?

Store bell peppers in an airtight bag in the freezer.

How long can I freeze bell peppers?

For best quality and freshness, use frozen bell peppers within 3-4 months.

Recipes that use Bell Peppers

There are endless ways to use bell peppers during your meal prep! Once you have them frozen, add a handful next time you're cooking an an omelet, stir fry, soup, and more to add some extra veggies and flavor! Here are more of my favorite uses:

Collage of images showing recipes that use peppers.

Southwest Waffle Iron Omelet
Easy Shakshuka
Chicken Pad Thai with Daikon
Chicken Fajita Salad
Mexican Tuna Salad

More bell pepper recipes: Kung Pao Chicken, Roasted Bell Pepper Dip, Stuffed Pepper Casserole.

How to Freeze Bell Peppers

The easiest way to freeze bell peppers and preserve them for cooking later on!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword Preserving

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Servings 4 servings

Calories 18 kcal

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

2 bell peppers

Wash the bell peppers. Cut away the flesh from the stem and the seeds. Dice, thinly slice, or half the bell peppers, however you prefer them cut for eating later. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
Transfer the peppers to a baking sheet, spreading the pieces apart so they touch as little as possible. Place in the freezer for 1 hour.
Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the peppers to an airtight bag or container. Squeeze all the air out of the bag and seal. Set back in the freezer until you're ready to use them.

For best quality, store bell peppers in a zip top plastic bag, reusable silicone Stasher bags, or an airtight container in the freezer, and use frozen bell peppers within 3-4 months.

Nutrition Facts

How to Freeze Bell Peppers

Amount Per Serving

Calories 18 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g 2%

Saturated Fat 1g 6%

Sodium 2mg 0%

Potassium 126mg 4%

Carbohydrates 4g 1%

Fiber 1g 4%

Sugar 3g 3%

Protein 1g 2%

Vitamin A 1863IU 37%

Vitamin C 76mg 92%

Calcium 4mg 0%

Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet and may vary based on your ingredients.

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