A few of the upcoming make ahead recipes call for chopped onions, celery, and/or peppers. Freezing said chopped celery, peppers or onions a couple times a year is a necessity for me. Not only do I hate buying them for a recipe that uses a small amount and then having the rest go to waste, but it is such a time saver having them prepped and ready to go when you’re trying to throw a meal together.
And when you chop the onions all at once…. you only suffer onion tears once, too :)
Celery, peppers and onions that are chopped and frozen are perfect for any recipe that will not require them to be crisp-tender when cooked. Like sauces, soups, casseroles, meatloaf, etc. They won’t be crisp in stir fry or steamed dishes… but still taste good!
First, chop them up how you usually do. I chop at least 5 pounds of onions at a time, along with several bunches of celery and a dozen or so peppers. Because I’m prepping a large amount, I prefer to dice them up in the food processor. But if you have just a few to chop, a knife works just as well.
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Spread the chopped vegetables into a thin, even layer with a spatula. Freeze 6 hours or overnight. Break apart the frozen sheet of vegetables into smaller pieces and store in Ziploc bags in your freezer. Store in the freezer up to 6 months.
You just saved yourself loads of time!
I do the same! Except, for my onions, I wrap them in little saran wrap bundles, so I can quickly pull out one bunch at a time when I'm browning hamburger or need them in a recipe. It's such a time saver!
ReplyDeleteGreat tip, Kristen! I'll definitely try the plastic wrap next time :)
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