The crunchy texture and mild flavour of bean sprouts are a staple ingredient of many Asian dishes and key in stir fry. If you’ve ever bought a bag, you know you only end up using a handful or two at a time. So what do you do with the rest of the pack?
Can You Freeze Bean Sprouts?
Yes, you can freeze bean sprouts for up to 10 months. You need to blanch them before freezing. To freeze bean sprouts, blanch them, toss them into a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and freeze.
Do Do Bean Sprouts freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Bean Sprouts? No
How to Freeze Bean Sprouts
As we mentioned earlier, it isnāt the simplest of processes to freeze bean sprouts in a way that retains their crunchy texture, but if you follow the steps outlined below, you should be fine.
With our method below for freezing bean sprouts, we highly recommend blanching your bean sprouts.
This will only benefit you in the long run and help the bean sprouts to retain their texture – no one wants a mushy bean sprout! Here’s how to freeze bean sprouts properly:
- Wash Bean Sprouts: Make sure you wash the bean sprouts thoroughly and let them drain.
- Blanch Them: Boil a saucepan of water. Pop the bean sprouts into a metal colander then lower it into the boiling water for 3 minutes to blanch them. Take the colander out and immediately immerse the bean sprouts into the ice water.
- Drain: You don’t want the bean sprouts to be covered in excess water so drain thoroughly and dab with kitchen towels to soak up as much water as possible.
- Freeze Bean Sprouts: Pop your bean sprouts into a freezer bag and write the name and date on the outside. Put the bag into the freezer and allow the bean sprouts to freeze.
There is a risk that the bean sprouts will freeze into a clump, so try only to freeze them in portions so you can quickly defrost the amount you need at a time.
You could also freeze them on a tray initially before bagging up but this, of course, takes extra time.
How to Blanch Bean Sprouts
We always recommend freezing most vegetables whether it’s carrots or broad beans. Bean sprouts are certainly no different. Blanching will help lock in flavour, texture and appearance when freezing them.
You can learn more about the importance of blanching here.
To blanch bean sprouts, firstly bring a pot of water to a boil and have a bowl of ice-cold water ready too.
Place the bean sprouts into a metal colander and drop them into the boiling water for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, immediately remove the colander and submerge it in the ice-cold water for a further 3 minutes.
Finally, drain the bean sprouts and then dry them thoroughly. You could place them onto a towel and dab them to try to soak up as much excess water as possible.
3 Tips for Freezing Bean Sprouts
Now you know how to freeze them, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing bean sprouts to have the best results:
Blanch
Blanching is vital when freezing bean sprouts. It can help retain the crunchy texture when defrosting. If you fail to blanch them, they can become mushy, which is not pleasant to eat.
Shake the Bag
Once the bag of bean sprouts has been in the freezer for around 30 minutes, give them a quick but vigorous shake. This can help separate them a little and prevent some clumping.
Use from Frozen
As bean sprouts have such a small surface area, you can cook them from frozen. Grab a handful and place them into a wok over a high heat.
How Long Can You Freeze Bean Sprouts?
If you have frozen your bean sprouts correctly, they should last for up to 10 months in the freezer – plenty of time to use them all in your favourite dishes.
If you have used a resealable bag, you can grab out a few whenever you need them and reseal the bag back up for later use.
When kept in the bag they came in, bean sprouts will last for around 2 weeks in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost Bean Sprouts?
You will be glad to hear that defrosting bean sprouts is much easier than freezing them. You can use them right from frozen! When cooking, grab the amount you need and throw them into the pan.
This works for boiling or frying so no matter your recipe, this method should work fine.
However, if you want to defrost the bean sprouts before using them, grab the amount you need from the freezer and put them in a bowl in the fridge. They should be fully thawed out within a couple of hours.
Can You Refreeze Bean Sprouts?
Refreezing bean sprouts, like most foods, is not something we can recommend. Every time you freeze, thaw and then refreeze them, you’ll break the texture down further.
One of the key elements bean sprouts brings to a dish is texture and crunch so you don’t want to lose that by refreezing them.
Do Bean Sprouts Freeze Well?
Bean sprouts are definitely not the easiest food to freeze, and they can end up mushy and difficult to use if they are not blanched and frozen properly.
So no, bean sprouts donāt necessarily freeze well, but as long as you are happy to undertake all the preparation work, then you should be able to successfully freeze your extra bean sprouts and retain the crunchy texture they are known for.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing bean sprouts or bean sprouts in general, then these may help:
It’s safe to do so but not advisable. Not blanching your bean sprouts will lead to a high risk of the texture becoming mushy, and that’s the last thing you want. Instead, you want to make sure you spend just a few minutes blanching them.
Yes, it’s possible to store canned bean sprouts in the freezer – but only if you have leftovers. If you have an unopened can then they will keep better and longer if left in the can in the cupboard.
Great information thanks. But I have a question. Can you successfully freeze chopped spring onions (Scallions)?
You should be able to freeze chopped spring onions with no problem. This article might help you out Jim: https://freezeit.net/can-you-freeze-spring-onions/