How to Freeze Carrots: Ways to Use Frozen Carrots

Freezing carrots is an excellent way to extend the life of this vibrant root vegetable. Usually harvested in the spring and late fall, carrots will keep for up to a few months in their raw state when stored in a cool, dark place. However, when frozen properly, this versatile vegetable will last for up to a year.

While you can freeze carrots without blanching them first, there are several benefits to blanching—a technique that involves cooking vegetables quickly in generously salted water to draw out their vibrant flavors and colors. Blanching preserves the bright-orange color of the carrots, kills harmful bacteria, and allows for quicker cooking later.

Here’s the best way to freeze fresh whole carrots at home:

1. 1. Peel and slice: Before blanching the whole carrots, peel off the outer layer with a vegetable peeler. (Skip this step if using baby carrots.) Slice the vegetables into quarter-inch thick slices, discarding the top of the carrot.
2. 2. Blanch: Add the sliced carrots to a large pot of well-salted boiling water and allow them to cook for about three minutes before using a slotted spoon to immediately transfer the blanched carrots to a large bowl of ice water.
3. 3. Drain: After a few minutes in the cold water bath, drain the carrots and pat them dry with a paper towel.
4. 4. Flash freeze: Transfer the carrot slices to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread them out into a single layer. Place the baking sheet in the freezer until the carrots are frozen through, about four to five hours.
5. 5. Store: Transfer the frozen carrots to an airtight freezer bag and seal it tightly, squeezing as much air out as possible to prevent freezer burn. Store the carrots for up to a year in the freezer.

While freezing carrots is a simple process that anyone can pull off, these tips will help guide you:

1. 1. Choose fresh, unspoiled carrots. Choose fresh, recently harvested carrots for freezing. The blanching and freezing process will preserve the fresh vegetables' crisp texture and rich nutrients while significantly extending their shelf life.
2. 2. Blanching is key. Blanching is a critical step in the carrot-freezing process. If you don’t blanch the carrots before freezing, they may turn out mushy.
3. 3. Mix and match with other vegetables. To save time, freeze carrots with other sturdy vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, and diced potato, for a frozen veggie medley.
4. 4. Peeling is optional. Peeling is an optional step in this recipe, completely dependent on your taste preference. The blanching process will destroy any bacteria lingering on the outside of the carrot, so peeling is primarily for the texture and appearance of the sliced vegetables.
5. 5. Freeze leftover cooked carrots. While blanched raw carrots will yield the best frozen carrots, you can also freeze leftover cooked carrots in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.

These convenient frozen vegetables can go straight from the freezer into hot dishes, with no defrosting required. Frozen carrots make an excellent addition to hearty cooked dishes like carrot soup, vegetable stews, chicken pot pie, casseroles, shepherd’s pie, and stir-frys.

After adding the carrots to a hot dish, you may need to season them with additional salt to offset the water from the frozen veggies. Use frozen carrots in cooked preparations; if defrosted, a frozen carrot won’t be as crisp as a fresh carrot.

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