Q&A for How to Freeze Green Peppers

Use fully ripened, fresh bell peppers in good condition, free of blemishes; wash and dry thoroughly. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment or wax paper. Place into the freezer; they will take from 12 to 24 hours to freeze completely. Transfer into resealable heavy-duty freezer bags or containers and return to the freezer. Alternatively, wrap each bell pepper individually in wax paper. Place the wrapped bell peppers into a large resealable heavy duty freezer bag, date and label, then place into a suitable area of your freezer. Always press air out of resealable bags before freezing and leave ½ inch space to top of the bag from the peppers.

Bell peppers will stay in optimal condition for 10 to 12 months when frozen properly (using heavy-duty freezer bags or an appropriate sealed freezer container). Provided they remain frozen properly, they will remain safe to eat for much longer, although they might not taste as good.

Yes, you can freeze green peppers without blanching. Choose good quality green peppers, wash and dry thoroughly. Cut in half and remove stems, seeds and membranes. Cut into strips or slices, then arrange in a single layer (preferably not touching) across a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place into the freezer until frozen (1-2 hours), then remove and repackage into freezer bags or containers. Date and label, then return to the freezer. If the peppers turn mushy, they’re still fine for pasta sauces and stir-fry dishes.

You can freeze bell peppers of any color, either blanched (if they're to keep their structure when cooked) or unblanched. This article explains what to do; the “green peppers” it refers to are bell peppers and will also apply to red, orange and purple bell peppers.

Blanching the peppers first will kill some of the bacteria, microbes and enzymes that speed up the spoiling process. This is safer and longer lasting than using raw peppers with the meat mixture.

Yes you can.

Yes, though you have to freeze them for quite some time -- about two days.

Yes. Remove the seeds and membranes and rinse. Place the peppers, with tops upright, in an ungreased 9x12 inch glass baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap. Microwave until hot, 3 to 4 minutes (note: do NOT cook peppers until done -- you are just blanching them).

Yes, but I would freeze the mixture without the cheese and cooked rice. When you thaw the mixture, you may add the cheese and cooked rice before stuffing the peppers.

Macaroni's texture changes when you freeze it; it can be done, but in my opinion it is not very successful.