Can You Freeze Fresh Green Beans?

Learn the best way to keep your green beans at their freshest.

If you overbought at the farmer's market or your garden grows a little too well, you may wonder whether you can preserve some of your fresh green beans for use months down the line. And fortunately, freezing offers you the perfect opportunity to save your favorite fresh produce for later use.

Related: How to Freeze (and Thaw) Food—Plus How to Keep Your Freezer Organized

But there's more to it than just knowing whether you can freeze green beans—you want to know the trick to making sure they're as perfectly preserved as possible. Follow our tips to make sure your frozen green beans taste just as delicious as the day you froze them.

Can You Freeze Green Beans?

Green beans can absolutely be frozen (obviously!), as you'll always find bags of green beans in the freezer cases at the supermarket. And in fact, green beans can last for up to a year in the freezer, though they may lose quality as the months go on.

The best part is that freezing green beans allows you to keep them in peak condition, so you'll be able to enjoy that fresh-picked flavor.

How to Freeze Green Beans Properly

Following a few key steps to properly prep your green beans will ensure that your green beans are easy to use and in peak condition.

Prep the green beans

Start by prepping your green beans as if you were going to use them. Wash and dry your green beans thoroughly, and trim the ends to make them a uniform size and get rid of any stringy stems.

Related: Here's How to Clean Fruits and Vegetables Properly

Give them a quick cook

To help ensure your green beans achieve (and keep) that bright green color, take a few minutes to blanch your green beans. Heat up a pot of salt water to boiling, then pop the green beans in for two minutes, until they turn bright green. Put them immediately in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve the crispness of your green beans. You can drain them once your green beans are nice and chilled, and then dry them thoroughly

Pre-freeze your beans

Wrapping them up and popping them in the freezer could result in a big, unbreakable blob of frozen green beans. Instead, lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet, then pop them in the freezer and let them freeze solid. (It should take just a couple of hours.)

Package them for the freezer

Once they're fully frozen, you can bag them up for long-term storage. Wrap them tightly in freezer-safe plastic wrap, or in a freezer bag or container. Try to keep as much air as possible from touching your green beans, as that frigid air could lead to freezer burn. Put the date on them (just so you're not left wondering when you packaged them), and put them in your freezer.

How to Thaw Green Beans

You don't necessarily need to thaw the green beans before you use them—especially if you'll be cooking them anyway. If you do need to thaw them, you can do it slowly overnight by popping the frozen green beans into the fridge, or run the bag of green beans under cool water in the sink until they're thawed.

Green Bean Recipes

Green beans make a great addition to soups and stews—and also a perfect veggie side dish. Check out a few of our favorite options for using your frozen green beans.

Spring Minestrone

This veggie-packed soup features all your spring veggie favorites. Green beans, celery, swiss chard, and basil add plenty of flavor.

Spring Minestrone

Green Beans With Bacon Vinaigrette

Bacon adds a smoky flavor to this stellar side dish. A short cooking time ensures the green beans are still crisp and crunchy.

Green Beans With Bacon Vinaigrette

Roasted Chicken With Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

A single pan and just 15 minutes of prep get you this delicious (and dinner party-worthy) meal. You can use your frozen green beans to help minimize prep.

Roasted Chicken With Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Green Bean and Celery Salad

This fun and fast side dish features the crunch of celery and apples in addition to green beans. Ginger and sesame seeds add a flavorful touch to the Dijon vinaigrette.

Green Bean and Celery Salad Is a New Favorite Holiday Side Dish

Green Beans With Crispy Breadcrumbs

Don't let the secret ingredient (anchovies!) throw you off of this tasty side dish. It adds a touch of umami that perfectly balances the garlic-lemon dressing.

Green Bean Salad with Crispy Bread Crumbs

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