Freezing peppers is a great way to preserve your chili pepper harvest. Learn how to freeze peppers of any kind so you can enjoy them all year long.
How to Freeze Peppers
Freezing peppers is a good idea if you have a large crop and want to save them for later use. You don't have to cook your chili peppers before freezing, although you can skin or peel them if desired.
Just keep in mind that after you thaw them, the skins usually come right off easily.
You can freeze any type of chili pepper this way, including freezing bell peppers, freezing jalapeno peppers, even the hottest of the superhot chili peppers.
How to Freeze Peppers - Step by Step
- First, select fresh peppers that show no signs of rot.
- Wash the peppers clean, then dry them completely.
- Slice the peppers open and remove the stems. Remove the seeds and membrane, if desired.
- Chop the peppers if you'd like, or you can freeze them whole.
- Transfer the peppers to freezer bags and remove as much air as possible.
- Set the peppers into the freezer. Use as needed.
Some people like to blanch their peppers before freezing, but it is not necessary. If you'd like to blanch your peppers, however, simply set your sliced peppers into boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, cool and dry them, then freeze as needed.
Tips for Freezing Peppers
You can remove the seeds and membrane from the peppers if you'd like by scraping them out with a spoon, or keep them in if you'd like. Most of the heat from most peppers is held within the whitish interior, so choose accordingly.
You can also set out your chopped or whole fresh peppers onto a baking sheet and set it into the freezer before bagging. Then, once they are frozen, transfer them to freezer-safe bags and seal them up.
Safety Tip
It is recommended to wear gloves when handling hot chili peppers. Capsaicin, the chemical that makes chili peppers hot, is an oil that can get onto your skin and cause a burning sensation. Gloves will protect you from the burn.
If you do feel the burning sensation, wash your hands thoroughly. There are many methods to help. Learn more about how to stop the chili pepper burn.
How Long Do Frozen Peppers Last?
One you freeze chili peppers, it is recommended they be consumed within 6 months to maintain best quality.
After about 6 months, they start to lose quality and may suffer from freezer burn.
How to Thaw Frozen Peppers
To thaw frozen peppers, simply remove the amount you need from the freezer and let them come to room temperature.
It is good to freeze them in portions that you normally use, but if you freeze them in a very large bag, they should break apart fairly easily so you can keep the unneeded portion frozen.
Using Frozen Peppers - How to Cook with Frozen Peppers
Cooking with frozen peppers is easy. Simply thaw a portion of them required for your recipe and use them as you would fresh peppers.
They will most likely be softer, however, than fresh peppers, so consider this for the recipe you are making.
Cook them into anything from soups and stews, stir fries and more.
Frozen peppers can be used to make sauces and hot sauces, and they can also be dehydrated without issue to make powders and seasoning blends.
See my post on How to Cook with Frozen Peppers for further information.
Can You Refreeze Thawed Peppers or Vegetables That Have Been Previously Frozen?
According to FoodSafety.gov, you can safely refreeze thawed or partially thawed food if it still contains ice crystals or at 40 °F or below. Partially thawing and refreezing them, however, may negatively affect the food quality. But, they will be safe to eat.
Enjoy!
Further Pepper Preservation and Information
See below for other information to help you with your chili pepper harvest. There are answers to some of the most common questions I receive on the site.
- How to Freeze Roasted Peppers
- How to Freeze Stuffed Peppers
- Dehydrating Chili Peppers
- How to Pickle Chili Peppers - a Guide
- How to Ripen Unripe Peppers
- How to Ferment Peppers
- Saving Pepper Seeds for Growing Later
- How to Can Peppers
- How to Store Peppers
NOTE: This post was updated on 10/8/25 to include new photos. It was originally published on 4/14/14.
Randee says
Hi----I grow dozens of varieties of peppers and chilis. I dehydrate those that I do not use right away or freeze. I then grind them all up, sweet, hot, and stinking hot!, all together in food processor. But the color, due to greens and reds in the mix, is very dull---- and sometimes way too hot! So i add a lot of sweet smoked paprika to sweeten things up and give good red color. I have so much, though, that i need to preserve it all. Can I freeze this powder? Or just store in fridge? Or will that diminish the flavor, etc.?
Thank you for your help!
REPLY: Randee, yes, you can freeze chili powder or store it in the fridge. It would be best to vacuum seal it to stay fresher longer. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Joey says
Have never eaten a jalepeno pepper, just how hot are they?
thanks.
Joey
REPLY: Joey, technically they measure about 5,000 Scoville Heat Units, which isn't that hot when compared to something like a habanero, which is about 300,000 SHU. However, they still have a bit of a kick for most people. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
jim Peterson says
Hi, Mike...I took my Thai chilies out of the freezer, to plant the seeds. Would you dry the seeds, before planting? If so, dry how many days?
Thanks for the great help,
Peterson
REPLY: Peterson, you can bring them to room temperature then plant them as normal. There is a possibility of seed damage if they were frozen wet, however. If you're concerned, take several of the frozen seeds and perform a germination test on them. If you get a low germination rate, then I would suggest getting new seeds. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Dawb says
Hi Mike, I want to freeze cayenne peppers, so do I cut off the green top cap or how do I prepare them?Thank you
REPLY: Dawn, it depends on what you want to ultimately do with them, but I like to wash then dry them, then chop them and freeze them. I do chop off the stems. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Janet says
I just picked a bunch of hot peppers from my garden threw them in a bag..sealed but didn't wash first. Should I throw them away?
REPLY: Janet, no, they are still good. Just wash them afterward. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Mo says
My Chillies seeds have gone brown are they safe to eat.
REPLY: Mo, they are still safe to eat as long as they haven't rotted inside, though the peppers certainly won't be as fresh. You can easily remove the seeds, or just go with fresher peppers. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
mike says
can u freeze jalepenos same way
REPLY: Mike, absolutely. This applies to all peppers. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness
Mark says
Just FYI we are still eating chillies from the freezer that were picked and frozen 18 months ago. They still taste great and haven't lost any appearance. Just stored in an airtight container. Didn't expect them to last so long.
Arifur Rahman says
I Have A Resource to Collect a Lot of Green Chili and Develop a business, But I have no Proper Method of Preserve. Please Help & Send me to give a proper guideline.
REPLY: I have some preserving information here you can review: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Dan says
Can you refreeze chillies after they have already been frozen and thawed out?
REPLY: This is from Foodsafety.gov: "Thawed or partially thawed food in the freezer may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40 °F or below. Partial thawing and refreezing may affect the quality of some food, but the food will be safe to eat." -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Brenda says
Do you remove the seeds and stem before you freeze them?
REPLY: Brenda, you can if you'd like, but sometimes I don't and do it later. - Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Deb says
How long of a freezer life do they have?
REPLY: Deb, I usually go through the Winter, up to 6 months, though you can keep them longer if you double wrap them or use a vacuum sealer. Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.