How to Blanch and Freeze Broccoli

I am absolutely loving being able to pick fresh produce from the garden! It always amazes me how much better things taste when they come directly from the garden. WAAAAYYYY better than from a grocery store. Granted… I’m very bias haha! :).

So, recently my broccoli has started to be ready to pick! Like most plants, I always intentionally plant more than we can eat right now because I like to preserve some for the winter. Winters in Minnesota get long so it’s always nice to be able to use some of the stuff from the garden when cooking in like January to March. Personally, I like to blanch and freeze our broccoli.

Once again, the first step is super simple… pick your broccoli when it’s ready. I like to pick it right before it starts to bloom and is still entirely green. I pick it by just snapping it off, but you can use a knife or scissors too. If you leave the leaves, some smaller heads of broccoli may grow later!

Start boiling some water with a little salt. Also prepare an ice bath by adding ice and very cold water to a large bowl. Place the bowl near your pot of water on the stove. Then, prepare your broccoli!

I like to give the broccoli a quick rinse, then snap or cut it into whatever size pieces you would like. I generally cut them fairly small because I love to use them in my Chicken and Veggie Stuffed Shells recipe.

Once the water is boiling, add about a handful of your prepared broccoli and cook for three minutes. After the three minutes, use a slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli into the ice bath to stop it from continuing to cook. Repeat until all of your broccoli is in the ice bath.

Use your slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli from the ice bath onto a towel. Allow to dry for about 20 minutes. This will help prevent the broccoli from freezing together in a clump.

Transfer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze. I like to freeze over night, but freeze for at least 2-3 hours. Then use a food sealer to seal in whatever size batches you prefer or place in a labeled freezer safe bag or container. That’s it! Then you will be able to enjoy it later! 🙂