How to freeze carrots (2024)

FAQs

Can you freeze raw carrots without blanching? ›

Can you freeze carrots without blanching? Blanching is optional, but helps ensure that carrots retain their nutrients, texture, color, and flavor. You may absolutely skip it, but just be aware that your frozen carrots will be best enjoyed incopproated into a recipe verse on their own.

Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture, taste, colour and nutritional value of carrots deteriorates. Make sure you blanch the veg to preserve these elements. Always use carrots that are at the peak of their freshness.

It might be tempting to chuck your raw carrots into the freezer as is, however, in order to lock in and preserve taste, colour and nutrients, it's important to blanch them first.

You can freeze cooked or uncooked carrots, but start by scrubbing the vegetables to remove any dirt. Peel them too, if you prefer peeled carrots. Next, you can shred or chop the carrots and store them in a freezer bag. Another option is to blanch them before freezing, which helps preserve the carrot's bright coloring.

"Frozen vegetables tend to release water quickly and can end up quite mushy if done improperly," says William Goldfield, director of corporate communications at Dole Food Company, Inc. Defrosting frozen vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, peas, carrots, and kale properly can help you avoid this.

It's tempting to simply toss extra carrots in a bag for freezing, but if you want to preserve their taste, texture, and nutrients, it pays to blanch them first. Blanching can even protect carrots' gorgeous color! Plus, taking a few minutes to prep your carrots now will save time when you're ready to cook them.

Most vegetables need to be blanched before being freeze dried. This step of briefly boiling vegetables helps to prevent changes to color, texture, and flavor, caused by enzymes, during long term storage.

When the carrots are dry — which can take upwards to an hour — place them in either zip-lock bags or vacuum-sealed bags. Using vacuum-sealed bags provides the longest freezing and preservation, but it is optional. If using zip-lock bags, it is very important to remove as much air as possible.

You'll have to store your carrots in the refrigerator, but how you store them can actually make a difference. Raw carrots, when properly stored will usually stay fresh for around 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge. If your carrots are sliced or chopped, you can store them in the fridge and they'll last for about 2 to 3 weeks.

Yes, you can freeze carrots! We recommend blanching carrots before freezing, which slows down the enzymatic action that causes vegetables to decay and lose their best qualities—flavor, vibrancy, nutritional value, etc.

Why are my carrots soft after freezing? ›

"Frozen vegetables tend to release water quickly and can end up quite mushy if done improperly," says William Goldfield, director of corporate communications at Dole Food Company, Inc. Defrosting frozen vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, peas, carrots, and kale properly can help you avoid this.

Once stored in the freezer your carrots will stay fresh for 10 to 12 months in the freezer, but will remain good to use beyond that time frame. So you've put your expertise on how to freeze carrots to good use and now you've found the perfect carrot-based casserole or soup recipe.

All vegetables should be blanched and quickly cooled before freezing, drying or dehydrating. Exceptions: Diced or cut onions, green onions, leeks and peppers do not need to be blanched before preserving.