Can you freeze stuffed peppers? Absolutely. Learn how to freeze your stuffed peppers so you can make larger batches and enjoy them later.
I've received quite a few emails recently about freezing stuffed peppers so I figured it was time to finally get a post online. The big question is - Can You Freeze Stuffed Chili Peppers?
The answer is YES. Absolutely.
Why Should I Freeze My Stuffed Peppers?
Freezing your stuffed peppers is a smart way to keep them. I enjoy making larger portions so we can have quick meals throughout the week.
It's a huge time saver. You can make a very large batch of your favorite stuffed peppers on a weekend and enjoy them all month long.
Bonus!
How Long Do Stuffed Peppers Last in the Freezer?
Stuffed peppers will easily last several months in the freezer, even up to a year, though mine don't stick around that long.
However, there are some important steps to take to ensure you retain the quality you desire.
How to Freeze Stuffed Peppers / Freezing Stuffed Peppers
- Cook your stuffed peppers according to your recipe. No half-cooking, please. Make sure the meats are cooked through completely, or they will require additional cooking once they are thawed. Cool the cooked stuffed peppers before freezing.
- Place all of the stuffed peppers into a freezer-safe dish. A large casserole dish works well. Cover them in aluminum foil and then wrap theentire dish in plastic wrap to completely seal them up. Leave no part of the peppers exposed or else you might get freezer burn.
- You can also freeze each pepper individually by cooling them, then wrapping them in plastic wrap. Set them into airtight freezer bags and freeze. A vacuum sealer also works great.
Your stuffed peppers will last easily 3 months or longer. I personally don't like to freeze them longer than 3 months.
When you're ready to chow down on those stuffed pepper creations, remove the wrapping and bake them straight from frozen at 350 degrees F until they are thawed and warmed through, about 20-30 minutes. This could take longer with larger peppers, up to 1 hour or longer.
You can also thaw them in the refrigerator for several hours before cooking and they will heat through faster.
I prefer to cook the stuffed peppers completely before freezing, but you don't have to. All of the stuffing ingredients should be cooked through, but if you'd prefer to freeze your stuffed peppers BEFORE cooking them, here are the steps.
Freezing Uncooked Stuffed Peppers
- Cook your stuffing ingredients through according to your recipe instructions and set them aside.
- Blanch your peppers in boiling water a few minutes to lightly soften. Cool, then stuff your peppers.
- Place all of the stuffed peppers into a freezer-safe dish. A large casserole dish works well. Cover them in aluminum foil and then wrap the entire dish in plastic wrap to completely seal them up. Leave no part of the peppers exposed or else you might get freezer burn.
- You can also freeze each pepper individually by cooling them, then wrapping them in plastic wrap. Set them into airtight freezer bags and freeze. A vacuum sealer also works great.
When you are ready to enjoy your stuffed peppers, you can cook them from frozen at 350 degrees F until they are cooked through, or thaw them overnight to save a bit of time. Your cooking time will be longer than cooking with the already cooked peppers, about 30-35 minutes or longer until they are cooked through, to your preference.
Looking for recipes? Check out our Stuffed Pepper Recipes. We love them!
Heather! says
Thanks for your reply! I will definitely make a note and allow more time in the future!
Heather! says
350 degrees for 30 minutes yielded still-frozen peppers. Not cold, frozen. I put them in a for another 25 minutes, but they were still super cold. Finally, I put them in the microwave for a couple of minutes to fully thaw them, raised the oven temp to 380 and cooked them for another 25 minutes. Dinner was pretty late by then! They were super good, but I wish I had known upfront that they need a higher temp for a longer time. Have you heated frozen peppers as the recipe is written?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sorry to hear, Heather. Yes, the peppers should warm up enough in that amount of time as I have tested, but some larger peppers can take longer. I did make a note of that in the post. It can take up to an hour, as you have seen. The peppers really just need to come to proper temperature and can vary from pepper to pepper and oven to oven.
Anne says
I don't know if you're still monitoring this website, but I thought I'd ask anyway - do you freeze the cheese on the peppers, or add it in after they are thawed and re-baked?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Anne, I freeze without the cheese and add it later. Much better that way.
Jeanne Strauchon says
I love freezing stuffed red bell peppers, but I find after baking them (straight freom the freezer) that they have a lot of water in them. What should I be doing
differently?
REPLY: Jeanne, it's hard to say, though it could be the moisture content of your stuffing. I would be sure to reduce the water content there, use thicker sauces, etc. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
jim Peterson says
Won't the heat of the chili, defrost your freezer?
REPLY: Jim, no, you'll cool them first, or use the uncooked method. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.