Vegetables
Can You Freeze Beansprouts? Eveyrhting You Need To Know For Freezing Beansprouts Safely

Can You Freeze Beansprouts? Eveyrhting You Need To Know For Freezing Beansprouts Safely

Beansprouts are perfect for adding to a lovely speedy mid-week stirfry but often they come in a huge bag with far more beansprouts than we would ever need for one meal.

Often, we don’t want to eat the same thing again the next night and they don’t really last long in the fridge, so recently I’ve been wondering if you can freeze beansprouts to help prevent food waste and eat again at a later date.

Can You Freeze Beansprouts?

Yes, you can freeze beansprouts

Beansprouts can be frozen, but there will need to be some preparation first, such as blanching or lightly frying.

This will help the beansprouts keep some crunch and texture after they have been frozen.

Is It Safe To Freeze Beansprouts?

Yes, it is safe to freeze beansprouts.

Extra care should be taken when cooking and consuming beansprouts as they have a higher risk of foodborne illness than most other foods and are often only very lightly cooked.

If you plan to eat beansprouts raw, ensure they are labelled ‘ready to eat’ when purchasing from the supermarket.

If they do not carry this label then they should be thoroughly cooked before eating. Raw beansprouts should be kept in the fridge and eaten within two days of purchase.

For more advice on Beansprout safety, you can visit the NHS website.

Can I Freeze Beansprouts without Blanching?

It is not recommended to freeze beansprouts without blanching them first.

Like many vegetables, beansprouts have a very high water content, so freezing them without blanching means they end up as a soggy, inedible mess once they have been defrosted.

Can You Freeze Beansprouts?

How To Blanch Beansprouts

Before freezing your beansprouts, you’ll need to blanch them. 

  1. Bring a pan of water to a boil.

  2. Add the beansprouts and cook for two minutes.

  3. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the beansprouts to a bowl of iced water to cool. This will help lock in some crunch and flavour.

Instead of blanching, you could also try lightly frying the beansprouts before cooling and freezing.

How To Freeze Beansprouts

Here are the simple steps you need to take to freeze beansprouts.

  1. Before freezing the beansprouts, ensure they are fully cooled from blanching or frying.

  2. Divide the beansprouts into smaller portions if required.

  3. Place the cooked beansprouts in a suitable freezer container such as a zip-lock bag or Tupperware box.

  4. Label the container with the date the beansprouts were cooked and what it contains.

  5. Beansprouts will last in the freezer for around 10 months.

How To Defrost Beansprouts After Freezing

Beansprouts are best defrosted overnight in the fridge as this will allow them to defrost safely without coming up to room temperature.

As beansprouts are a high-risk food, I would not recommend defrosting them on the countertop.

The time it takes to defrost beansprouts will depend on the portion size. A handful should only take a few hours whereas large quantities may take 12-14 hours when safely defrosting in the fridge.

How To Reheat Beansprouts

Beansprouts should always be reheated to a minimum temperature of 75 degrees C whether being served as a vegetable side dish or as part of a complete meal. You can check the temperature using a food thermometer or probe.

Beansprouts can be reheated by cooking in boiling water, stir-frying, or in the microwave.

Always ensure the beansprouts are piping hot before serving.

Can You Freeze Beansprouts – Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Freeze Beansprouts As Part Of Another Dish?

Yes, beansprouts are fine to be frozen as part of another dish, such as Pad Thai, provided all the other ingredients are safe to be frozen and then reheated too.

How Long Do Beansprouts Last In The Freezer?

Beansprouts will last in the freezer for up to 10 months.

After this time, they will be safe to eat but may have lost some flavour or be showing signs of deterioration. Always label and date any food you are freezing at home.

Can You Reheat Beansprouts In The Microwave?

Yes, you can reheat beansprouts in the microwave.

Can You Eat Out Of Date Beansprouts?

As someone who is usually passionately against food waste and often ignores food date labels one thing I would say is that you need to be extra careful with beansprouts.

Beansprouts carry a higher risk of foodborne illness than other vegetables, so you should be extra careful and stick to the use-by date with these, especially if you are in a vulnerable group such as being elderly or pregnant.

3 Top Tips For Freezing Beansprouts

1. Always Blanch Or lightly Fry First

Freezing raw beansprouts is a no-go as they will turn into a horrible soggy mess! Always blanch or lightly fry before cooking.

2. Only Freeze Healthy Beansprouts

Beansprouts can turn pretty quickly, even when they’ve been stored in the fridge. Only blanch and freeze healthy, fresh-looking beansprouts and discard any that are showing signs of deterioration.

3. Freeze In Small Portions To Prevent Food Waste

As I mentioned at the start of this post, often a bag of beansprouts is far too many for one or two meals.

Consider this also when freezing. Freezing beansprouts in small portions means you can take what you need from the freezer and reduces thawing time.

Freezing Other Vegetables

Looking to freeze other types of veg? We’ve got you covered!

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