How long can cooked vegetables be frozen?

Vegetables are an important part of every day. They are one of the most recommended foods in the food pyramid. According to the dietary guidelines published by the USDA, you should consume between 5 and 13 total servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

If you follow any kind of healthy eating plan, chances are vegetables are the number one recommended food. With this knowledge, it would be very effective to cook the vegetables in advance and then freeze them for future use.

Can cooked vegetables be frozen and what is the best way to reheat them when you are ready to use them?

You can freeze cooked vegetables. You can also freeze raw vegetables if you want.

Freezing cooked veggies is a great way to preserve leftovers, but it’s also a great way to prepare meal options ahead of time, so all you have to do is take the veggie out of the freezer and reheat it as you go.

How long can you freeze cooked vegetables?

We have put together a guide to explain everything you need to know about freezing cooked vegetables, as well as the methods you must follow to do it. Keep in mind that there are some vegetables that freeze better than others, but for the most part the freezing instructions work in all cases. If you don’t have them, you’ll want to get quality double-zippered freezer bags to store your vegetables.

Read on to find out everything you need to know about freezing your cooked vegetables.

Freeze cooked vegetables

Freezing cooked vegetables is relatively easy. You do not need any special tools or materials. Grab some freezer bags or some airtight containers and you’re all set to freeze those cooked vegetables as much as your little heart desires.

Whether you’re freezing your veggies because you’re overcooked and have a bunch of leftover stuff you’d rather not waste, or you just want to cook ahead of time and freeze things for later, the process is quick and easy. Nothing more detailed is needed than what you could follow to store leftovers in the fridge.

Many times we tend to throw away leftovers because we’re worried they won’t keep well or we don’t even think about freezing as an option. The good news is, it IS an option! Now is the time to make the vegetables and start freezing them.

Learning new possibilities is always fun. You discover things you didn’t know you could do and find the tips that will help you succeed. That’s why we’re here. We want to share with you all the information you may need to have the best experience.

You can preserve your raw vegetables in the same way as cooked ones. Depending on your cooking methods, it may not save you a lot of time to cook and then freeze your vegetables, but the potential is always there.

Freezing your cooked vegetables is a great alternative and the reheating methods are super fast. Also, we should mention that if you freeze cooked vegetables you have already completed the preparation steps that involve cutting or slicing.

Freezing is a perfect tool to plan ahead and pull out that vegetable and add it to your recipe or just reheat it as a side dish when you need something quick to go with pasta or another main dish. You can also add frozen cooked vegetables to casseroles and mix them in dishes.

If you are going to roast the vegetables, do not forget to use the best oven trays for roasting vegetables.

Let’s talk about some of the advantages and disadvantages of freezing cooked vegetables.

The advantages of freezing cooked vegetables

• Store leftovers or pre-cooked foods for later use
• It’s easy to freeze
• easy to reheat
• If the vegetables are cooked, they do not lose flavor or consistency when frozen
• It’s a great way to multipurpose and store vegetables
• It is not a complicated process
• No defrost time required

The Disadvantages of Freezing Cooked Vegetables

• Some vegetables do not freeze well: cucumbers, lettuce, salad greens, and sprouts are prime examples.
• Some vegetables can lose some of their integrity when reheated and are best frozen raw
• Freezing time has its limitations
• Food must be chilled before being frozen.
• Vegetables may have some mush in them, but this mostly happens with vegetables that don’t freeze well.

We have provided this information so that you have some basic expectations for your freezing expedition. We certainly don’t want you to think that you can freeze anything you want and never have a problem.

It is true that most foods can be frozen in both the raw and cooked states. However, it’s also important to remember that not everything freezes the same and some things lose texture when thawed and/or reheated. 

Guide to freezing cooked vegetables

As we have said before, freezing your cooked vegetables is not very difficult. Most of the vegetables that you cook to serve are easy to freeze and reheat well too.

 If you look at the list above that mentions some vegetables that don’t freeze well, you’ll also notice that those vegetables are usually not cooked when served.  Most of the time they are served cold rather than cooked in any way. This does not necessarily apply to all of them all of the time.

There are some basic steps you should follow when you decide to freeze your cooked vegetables. We are going to talk about that process and then also about the steps necessary to defrost and reheat those cooked vegetables.

freeze vegetables

Before you start, remember that we have said that freezing cooked vegetables is a relatively simple process. You will be surprised how easy it is.

1. Allow cooked vegetables to cool completely to room temperature; don’t overcool them, as you don’t want to risk spoiling them. They can usually cool down in about 30 minutes.
2. Put the cooked vegetables in an airtight container or freezer bag. If the vegetable has juice, pour it into your preservation method as well.
3. Seal it well and put it in the freezer.
4. Label with a title and a date for vegetables
5. Stores in the freezer for up to 9 months safely
6. That’s it! Your cooked vegetables are patiently waiting for the day you need them.

Defrosting and reheating frozen cooked vegetables

The best thing about freezing cooked vegetables is that they can be reheated relatively quickly and there is no need for thawing time. In fact, we recommend that you take frozen cooked vegetables directly from the freezer to the pan.

If you decide to let the frozen vegetables thaw before using them, let them thaw in the fridge. We do not recommend thawing on the countertop, as this may cause only parts to thaw properly, causing excess condensation.

1. Take cooked vegetables out of the freezer
2. Place them in a pan with a lid.
3. Cover the skillet and heat over medium heat.
4. When the vegetables start to thaw under the heat, stir them and separate them
5. Heat them to the desired temperature and serve them
6. Alternatively, you can heat frozen cooked vegetables in the microwave. Place the frozen vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring after every minute.
7. There is no need to add water for these methods, unless you feel they don’t have enough moisture during cooking.

If you plan to use the vegetables cooked in a casserole or mixed in a dish, rather than serving them individually as a side dish, they don’t need to be fully cooked.  Place them on the stove or in the microwave long enough so that they are not completely frozen. Then add them to your dish and bake as directed.

It is recommended to use frozen cooked vegetables within 9 months, but both vegetables and fruit keep quite well in the freezer and you can most likely extend the freezing time if absolutely necessary.

Related questions

We hope this guide has provided you with information on the process of freezing cooked vegetables. We’ve provided some common questions and answers that we invite you to review for additional information.

Is it better to blanch raw vegetables and freeze them than to freeze cooked vegetables?

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Freezing cooked vegetables and freezing raw vegetables that have been blanched mostly give the same results in the end. The advantage of either option is that you can prepare the vegetables however you like before making it.

Cooking vegetables before freezing allows you to also season them to your liking and the seasoning sits on them while they are in the freezer.

What happens if I don’t put the juice from my cooked vegetables when freezing?

This step simply allows the natural juice of the vegetable to be retained with it. However, if you don’t have cooking juices or don’t add them to your freezer bag or container, that’s fine. You will simply have to add a little water when you reheat those vegetables.