Have you got some broccoli that’s about to be past its best? Here’s how to blanch and freeze broccoli.

Earlier this week I noticed I has some Broccoli that was in danger of going off. As I’m always keen to prevent food waste, I decided to blanch and freeze the broccoli ready to be used another day.

This method can be used for pretty much any vegetables, although you may want to increase the cooking time for root vegetables. I really like the way blanching preserves the colour of vegetables as well as being a way to preserve them for later use.

Can I Freeze Raw Broccoli?

Raw broccoli does freeze well. Like many other vegetables. broccoli has high water content and tends to go very mushy when frozen raw.

Can I Freeze Broccoli Without Blanching?

You could freeze broccoli without blanching but it’s likely you would just end up with a horrible soggy mess! Blanching starts and then stops the cooking process which will allow you to successfully freeze, defrost and reheat broccoli.

How To Blanch And Freeze Broccoli: What Is Blanching?

Blanching is a process that quickly cooks and then cools vegetables and other foods. Blanching can help preserve colour as well as being necessary before freezing veggies which have high water content.

The process for blanching is simple. Drop the vegetables into a pan of boiling water for two to three minutes. Then transfer into a bowl of ice water to cool. Once cool the vegetable (in this case broccoli) can then be frozen.

How To Blanch And Freeze Broccoli

You can blanch and freeze broccoli using the simple steps below. My method includes flash freezing as I find this the best way to stop all the broccoli florets clumping together while in the freezer. It also makes it much easier to only remove one or two pieces of broccoli at a time as needed.

You will need some equipment. Don’t worry, it’s all things that most people will already have in their kitchen!

Blanch And Freeze Broccoli – You Will Need

• Chopping Board & Knife
• A large cooking pan filled with water
• Bowl of ice water
• Slotted spoon or colander
• Greaseproof paper
• Baking tray
• Freezer safe container

How To Blanch And Freeze Broccoli

1. First, place the pan of water on to boil. While waiting for the water to heat up, line the baking tray with grease-proof paper and get your bowl of iced water ready.
2. Prepare the broccoli by removing the stalks and cutting the head into small florets.
3. When the water has a steady rolling boil, add the broccoli and cook for two to three minutes.
4. Once the time is up, remove the broccoli from the boiling water, either using a slotted spoon or by pouring it into a colander over the sink.
5. Place the broccoli in the bowl of iced water to cool.
6. When the broccoli is cold, drain and pat dry. Place the broccoli on the baking tray, making sure there is a small amount of space between each piece.
7. Freeze for around two hours until the broccoli is solid.
8. Place the broccoli into a freezer-proof container such as a zip-loc bag or plastic takeaway tub. Label and date the broccoli before returning it to the freezer until needed.

Once in the freezer, the broccoli should last for around six months.

You can defrost the broccoli before using it or you could use it straight from frozen. Frozen florets can be placed into a pan of boiling water and will only need a few minutes of cooking before they can be served.

If you have a lot of broccoli or vegetables to blanch and freeze you may want to do this in batches.