Can You Freeze Baby Carrots? Easy Guide to Freeze Baby Carrots

Ayub KhanandRehmat DietitianMarch 15, 2023Last Updated: April 12, 2023

5 minutes read

Table of Contents

In this article, you will know the answer to the query “Can You Freeze Baby Carrots? Easy Guide to Freeze Baby Carrots“.

Baby carrots are a great snack and can be used in many recipes, but they become mushy if left in the refrigerator for too long.

We often throw away baby carrots before we can use them because they become slimy.

There is no problem with this. How long can baby carrots be frozen? You can freeze baby carrots.

Baby carrots can be frozen in three different ways. You can Blanche them, unblanched them, or cook them.

There are advantages to each method, but each method produces different results.

You can freeze baby carrots by following these steps. In addition, we will explain what baby carrots are and how you can use them.

As a final point, we will answer many common questions regarding preserving baby carrots as well as other vegetables.

What’re Baby Carrots?

It is misleading to call baby carrots “carrots.”.

In spite of the fact that baby carrots appear to be small and not fully mature, they are merely a “baby cut” version of normal carrots.

They are smaller than regular carrots and have been peeled and shaped into the baby carrot shape we are all familiar with.

They contain a high amount of water. As carrots are peeled, a portion of their moisture is lost during the peeling process.

Raw or cooked, they can either be eaten raw or cooked.

While there are many ways to cook them, their small size makes it hard for them to maintain their shape after cooking.

Thus, it is recommended that you parboil them before using them.

3 Ways to Freeze Baby Carrots

You should not leave baby carrots in the refrigerator for too long because they can become slimy and moldy.

You might want to freeze your baby carrots if you are not sure if you will use them soon.

Blanched or raw carrots or cooked carrots are three ways to freeze baby carrots.

How to Freeze Blanched Baby Carrots?

Freezing vegetables by blanching is the most popular method.

When frozen, raw vegetables may experience some loss of flavor, texture, or color.

The best way to freeze baby carrots is to blanch them. We recommend that you blanch your baby carrots for a few extra minutes.

Blankets of baby carrots:

Prepare a large pot of boiling water and place 1 lb of carrots in it. Let the water simmer for 3 to 5 minutes after it has boiled again.
Put the carrots into large bowls of ice water immediately after removing them from the hot water. Allow them to cook for another three to five minutes.
Drain the ice water and let the carrots dry completely.

You should Blanche baby carrots in plastic bags or freezer-safe containers.

You should always leave a few inches extra to allow for expansion.

If blanched, baby carrots will last between 12-18 months in the freezer. This is a general guideline.

You can store them in the freezer for up to 18 months, depending on how you prepare them and what you do with them.

How to Freeze Raw Baby Carrots?

If you don’t have time to blanch baby carrots before freezing them, you can freeze them raw.

Depending on how long you keep them in the fridge, they may lose some texture or flavor.

You don’t have to blanch baby carrots before freezing them:

Put them in the freezer for 24 hours after spreading them out on parchment paper.

For storage, remove them from the freezer and place them in plastic bags.

In a bowl, you can just leave them exposed, but as time passes, they may become wrinkled or rubbery.

When frozen in an airtight container, baby carrots stay fresh for between three weeks and six weeks.

In contrast, if they are exposed to excess moisture, they can become slimy or grow mold.

How to Freeze Cooked Baby Carrots?

It is more likely that the baby carrots will stay slimy or mold-free if they are boiled before freezing.

As an example, if you are going to freeze carrots that you have cooked, sauteed, or roasted, let them cool before transferring them to an airtight, freezer-safe container.

Leave a few inches of space between each. As an alternative, you can:

You should drain any liquid from the carrots and place them on a baking sheet. Freeze the carrots for 24 hours before transferring them to the container.
You will avoid your carrots becoming too soft when you reheat them this way.

Before freezing baby carrots, allow them to cool to room temperature.

By doing so, they will be exposed to less moisture. Freeze-dried baby carrots should be eaten within 10-12 months after freezing.

It won’t harm you if you eat them after this time, but they may lose some of their flavor and texture.

How to Thaw Frozen Baby Carrots?

There are two methods for thawing frozen baby carrots.

Putting them in cold water is the easiest way to thaw them, but you will end up with soggy vegetables.

We recommend that you place frozen baby carrots into boiling water if you want them firmer after they are thawed or if you want to use them right away.

Serve them after they have simmered for a few minutes.

Alternatively, you can defrost the frozen baby carrots overnight in the refrigerator.

You will need to spend more time on this, but you will end up with firm, healthy carrots.

How to Tell if Baby Carrots are Bad?

Baby carrots that have been spoiled will have a pungent smell.

When you open the container you will smell a powerful, unpleasant odor.

When the following signs appear on baby carrots, they should be thrown away:

An appearance of cloudiness or slime. Spots of moisture on the leaves of baby carrots.

Mold growth is evident in these symptoms. Bad smell, especially if it’s sour or unpleasant.

Before freezing, they’re sprouting in a bag or container.

If they’re mushy and soft to the touch, then you should throw them out as well.

They are most likely rotting and no longer edible.

You should throw away bad baby carrots immediately and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water if they are bad.

Conclusion

Moreover, baby carrots are not only delicious but they can also be frozen easily.

When you get home after work and want to make something healthy for dinner, they will cut down on most of your prep time.

Although they can be eaten within two weeks after freezing, if you dislike the taste or texture of baby carrots after freezing, then it is perfectly fine to eat them within these two weeks.