Have more carrots than you know what to do with? Freeze them! It’s easy.
In this post, I’ll show you how to freeze carrots before they get soft or go to waste. It’s an easy way to save all those extra carrots from the garden.
We like to slice, dice, or chop ours for soups, stews, and casseroles. You can also shred them for easy baking. You don’t even have to blanch them if you don’t want to—although, honestly, I recommend it.
Why You’ll Love Freezing Carrots
Freezing carrots is easy, and it makes cooking later so much faster. Here’s why you’ll love it:
- Nothing goes to waste: Freeze extra garden carrots before they get soft.
- They’re ready to use: Slice, dice, chop, or shred them now and save yourself time later.
- Meals come together faster: Toss frozen carrots straight into soups, stews, casseroles, and other cooked dishes.
- You’ll save money: Preserve your garden harvest or stock up when carrots are on sale.
- No special equipment needed: All you need are a few basic kitchen supplies and freezer bags.
Freezing garden carrots is one of the easiest ways to preserve the harvest. And you’ll be so glad to have them ready when it’s time to make supper.
Can You Freeze Fresh Carrots?
Yes, you can freeze fresh carrots! You can freeze carrots from the garden, farmers market, or grocery store.
Choose carrots that are firm, crisp, and fresh. They’ll have the best flavor and texture after freezing.
If your carrots are already soft or rubbery, freezing won’t help. It’s better to use those carrots right away in soup, stock, or a side dish.
You don’t have to freeze your carrots, though. Fresh carrots can last quite a while in the refrigerator, and a root cellar can keep them fresh for several months. You can also pressure can carrots rather than freeze them.
But we prefer to freeze ours. We like to slice, dice, or chop them and bag them according to what we plan on making later—soups, casseroles, or cheesy carrots.
You can also freeze small carrots or baby carrots whole. They make a great side dish.
Freezing is a great choice when you want to preserve your carrots and make future meals easier.
What You’ll Need
You don’t need any special equipment to freeze carrots. Just gather a few basic kitchen supplies:
- Fresh carrots: Choose carrots that are firm, crisp, and free from soft spots.
- Vegetable peeler: You can peel your carrots or simply scrub them well.
- Cutting board and sharp knife: For slicing, dicing, or chopping the carrots.
- Large pot: You’ll need this to blanch the carrots.
- Large bowl of ice water: This stops the cooking process after blanching.
- Colander or slotted spoon: For draining or transferring the carrots.
- Clean kitchen towel: Use it to dry the carrots before freezing.
- Baking sheet: This is helpful if you want to flash freeze them first.
- Freezer bags or containers: Choose packaging made specifically for freezer storage.
- Permanent marker or freezer labels: Label each package with the cut and the date.
If you’re freezing shredded carrots, you’ll also need a box grater or food processor. Parchment paper is optional, but it can keep the carrots from sticking to the baking sheet.
How to Prepare Carrots for Freezing
You can freeze carrots sliced, diced, chopped, shredded, or whole. Think about how you’ll use them later, and prepare them accordingly.
1. Wash the Carrots
Wash the carrots under cool running water. Use a vegetable brush to scrub away any dirt, especially if they’re fresh from the garden.
2. Peel and Trim the Carrots
Cut off the tops and the small root ends. I like to peel the carrots, but you don’t have to. Scott and my son don’t peel theirs. They believe that if the skins are tender, a good scrubbing is enough.
3. Cut the Carrots
Cut your carrots into evenly sized pieces. This helps them blanch at the same rate.
We usually prepare ours a few different ways:
Sliced or “coined” carrots: Great for soups, stews, and side dishes.
Diced or chopped carrots: Easy to add to casseroles, pot pies, and homemade soup.
Carrot sticks: Perfect for roasting or serving as a cooked side dish.
Shredded carrots: Handy for carrot cake, muffins, quick breads, and other baking. (I don’t usually shred mine so I have no photo.)
Small whole carrots: Baby carrots and small garden carrots can be frozen whole.
I like to bag the carrots according to how we’ll use them. That way, I can grab exactly what I need without thawing a large bag of carrots.
How to Blanch Carrots for Freezing
Blanching simply means boiling the carrots for a few minutes and then quickly cooling them in ice water. It helps them keep their color, flavor, and texture in the freezer.
1. Bring the Water to a Boil
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a full boil. While you wait, fill a large bowl or clean sink with cold water and plenty of ice.
2. Blanch the Carrots
Carefully add the carrots to the boiling water. Once the water returns to a boil, start your timer.
Blanch them according to how they are cut:
- Small whole carrots: 5 minutes
- Sliced, diced, or chopped carrots: 2 minutes
- Carrot sticks: 2 minutes
- Shredded carrots: 2 minutes
Work in small batches so the water returns to a boil quickly. If you add too many carrots at once, the water temperature will drop and they may not blanch evenly.
3. Cool Them in Ice Water
As soon as the time is up, move the carrots directly into the ice water. Let them cool for about the same amount of time they were in the boiling water.
This stops the cooking process. Otherwise, the carrots will continue to cook and may become too soft.
4. Drain and Dry
Drain the carrots well. Then spread them on a clean kitchen towel and pat them dry.
Try to remove as much water as possible. Extra moisture creates ice crystals and can cause the carrots to freeze together.
How to Freeze Carrots
Once your carrots are blanched, cooled, and dried, they’re ready for the freezer.
1. Flash Freeze the Carrots (Optional)
You don’t have to flash freeze them, if you don’t want to. I usually don’t. But flash freezing keeps them from sticking together, and makes them look prettier in the bag.
We usually bag ours in the aount needed for a recipe, though, so I don’t care if they stick together.
To flash freeze your carrots, spread the carrots in a single layer on a baking sheet. Try not to let them overlap.
Then place the baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours, or until the carrots are frozen solid.
2. Bag the Carrots
Transfer the carrots to freezer bags, food saver bags, or freezer-safe containers. If you’re using freezer bags, press out as much air as possible before sealing them.
We package ours according to how we’ll use them. We’ll freeze diced carrots for soups and casseroles, sliced coins for soups and side dishes, and big quarters for stews and side dishes.
3. Label and Freeze
Label each bag with the type of cut and the date. Then place the carrots in the freezer.
Your frozen carrots will be ready to add directly to soups, stews, casseroles, and other cooked dishes.
Can You Freeze Carrots Without Blanching?
Yes, you can freeze carrots without blanching them first. Just wash, peel, and cut them the same way you would for blanched carrots. Dry them well, then flash freeze or package them in freezer bags.
But honestly, I recommend blanching them. Raw carrots will lose their color, flavor, and texture faster in the freezer. They may also become soft or rubbery when cooked.
If you plan to use your frozen carrots within a few months, skipping the blanching step may be fine. It’s quick, and it’s certainly better than letting a pile of fresh garden carrots go to waste.
For longer freezer storage, though, blanching carrots first will give you the best results.
Can You Freeze Whole Carrots?
Yes, you can freeze whole carrots. But this works best with baby carrots or small garden carrots. Large carrots won’t blanch evenly, so you’ll want to slice, dice, or quarter those first.
Wash and peel your carrots, if desired. Then blanch small whole carrots for five minutes. Cool them in ice water, drain them well, and pat them dry before freezing.
You can flash freeze them first or package them in recipe-sized portions. Whole frozen carrots make an easy side dish, especially when they’re roasted, glazed, or cooked with a pot roast.
Do You Have to Thaw Frozen Carrots?
No, you usually don’t have to thaw frozen carrots before cooking them. Just grab what you need from the freezer and add them directly to soups, stews, casseroles, or other cooked dishes.
If you’re roasting them or making a side dish, you can cook them straight from frozen as well. You may need to add a little extra cooking time.
Frozen carrots will be softer than fresh carrots once thawed. They aren’t the best choice for salads, veggie trays, or anything else where you want that fresh crunch.
How to Use Frozen Carrots
Frozen carrots are best in cooked dishes. You can usually add them straight from the freezer without thawing them first.
We use ours in:
- Soups and stews: Add diced or sliced carrots right along with the other vegetables.
- Casseroles: Frozen carrots work well in pot pies, hotdishes, and other baked meals.
- Pot roast: Add large carrot pieces to the slow cooker with the meat and potatoes.
- Side dishes: Cook sliced or whole carrots with butter, brown sugar, or a simple cheese sauce.
- Roasted vegetables: Roast them from frozen, but give them a little extra time in the oven.
- Chicken and dumplings: Diced carrots are perfect for adding color and flavor.
- Homemade stock: Toss carrots into the pot with your other vegetables and scraps.
- Baking: Thaw and drain shredded carrots before using them in carrot cake, muffins, or quick breads.
Frozen carrots will be softer than fresh ones, but that doesn’t matter in most cooked dishes. They’re already washed, cut, and ready to go, which makes getting supper on the table a little easier.
How Long Do Frozen Carrots Last?
If you blanch the carrots, they will they will keep for 10 to 12 months. Carrots frozen without blanching should be used within a few months though.
If you remove as much air as possible from the bag before freezing, it’ll help your carrots last longer. Some carrots do get freezer-burnt, if they are lost in the freezer for too long.
Freezer-burnt carrots are usually still safe to eat, but they won’t taste as good. Label each bag with the date so you can use the oldest carrots first.
I also add the newly frozen carrots to the bottom of the deep freeze, so that the oldest carrots are always on top of the pile.
Tips for the Best Frozen Carrots
Freezing carrots is pretty straightforward. But these simple tips will help you get the best results:
- Use fresh carrots: Freeze your carrots while they’re still firm and crisp.
- Sort them by size: One carrot may need to be cut several different ways. I might quarter or dice the large end, then cut the small, narrow end into coins. I keep several bowls going and sort the pieces by size so I can blanch and freeze similar-sized pieces together.
- Work in small batches: Too many carrots will cool the boiling water down.
- Use plenty of ice: The ice bath needs to cool the carrots quickly and stop them from cooking.
- Dry them well: Extra water will turn into ice crystals in the freezer.
- Remove as much air as possible: This helps prevent freezer burn.
- Freeze recipe-sized portions: Package the carrots according to how you plan to use them.
- Label every bag: Write down how the carrots are cut and the date you froze them.
It also helps to freeze your carrots in a few different shapes and sizes. Then you’ll have exactly what you need for soups, casseroles, stews, side dishes, and baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about freezing carrots? Here are a few quick answers to some of the most common questions about preparing, freezing, and using them.
Can You Freeze Carrots Straight From the Garden?
Yes! Wash them well to remove all the dirt. Then peel them, if desired, and cut them according to how you plan to use them. Blanch, cool, and dry the carrots before freezing.
Do You Have to Peel Carrots Before Freezing?
No, you don’t have to peel carrots before freezing them. I prefer to peel ours, but Scott and my son don’t. If the skins are tender, you can simply scrub the carrots well.
Is It Better to Freeze Carrots Raw or Cooked?
I recommend blanching fresh carrots before freezing them. They’ll keep their color, flavor, and texture longer.
You can freeze raw carrots without blanching, though. Just plan to use them within a few months.
Why Are My Frozen Carrots Rubbery?
Carrots may become rubbery if they weren’t blanched before freezing, weren’t fresh when frozen, or were stored for too long. Frozen carrots will also be softer than fresh carrots, so they’re best used in cooked dishes.
Can You Freeze Shredded Carrots for Carrot Cake?
Yes! Shred the carrots, blanch them for two minutes, cool them in ice water, and drain them well before freezing.
Freeze them in the amount your carrot cake recipe calls for. Thaw and drain them before adding them to the batter.
(We don’t use shredded carrots for our carrot cake – find out why here.)
Can Frozen Carrots Be Roasted?
Yes, frozen carrots can be roasted without thawing them first. Spread them on a baking sheet, add oil and seasonings, and roast them until they’re tender and browned. They may take a little longer than fresh carrots.
Can You Refreeze Thawed Carrots?
You can safely refreeze carrots that thawed in the refrigerator, but their texture may become even softer. I’d rather cook them and freeze the finished dish than refreeze the carrots by themselves. I tend to have a general rule that once it comes out of the freezer, it doesn’t go back in.
Slow Down and Savor It
Honestly, freezing carrots isn’t my favorite job. All that peeling and chopping gets tedious. And after slicing my hand pretty badly while chopping carrots once, I like it even less. 😂
Thankfully, carrots are one of the jobs Scott and I always do together. Some of the garden produce is his responsibility, and some is mine. But because he knows how much I dislike doing carrots, he always helps me with them.
My mom always loved doing them too. I’d bring her five-gallon buckets full of carrots, and she’d return them all canned or frozen for me. 🥰 It was such a sweet thing she did.
Sometimes preserving the garden harvest is a lot of work. Sometimes the work just plain sucks. But the memories—and the food we share with the people we love—are what make all that work precious.
My mom can’t chop carrots for me anymore. I don’t mind, but I know the joy it brought her. And that breaks my heart. So never take these little moments for granted.
Always remember to slow down and savor it. 🍻
More Ways to Preserve the Harvest
Have more garden produce to put up? Here are a few more ways to preserve it for later:
How to Freeze Zucchini: Freeze it sliced, chopped, or shredded for soups, casseroles, and baking.
How to Freeze Peppers: Preserve peppers whole, sliced, or diced—no blanching required.
How to Freeze Rhubarb: Chop and freeze fresh rhubarb for crisps, pies, muffins, and sauce.
How to Pressure Can Green Beans: Preserve fresh garden beans for shelf-stable storage.
How to Make Apple Cider Vinegar: Turn apple scraps into homemade vinegar for your kitchen and homestead.
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