Graceful Little Honey Bee

How to Freeze Celery

by 39 Comments

Learn how to freeze diced celery to save time and money. Works great in soups and in the slow cooker.

   I love freezer cooking and I’m always trying to think of new ways to freeze foods that will save me time and money. Convenience items are great, but they tend to be unhealthy and expensive so if you can grow your own or find a good deal on produce that freezes well you will be better off in the long run. A few weeks ago, I showed you how to freeze bell peppers because I had an abundance of them fresh from my garden. This week I’m going to show you how to freeze celery which is basically the same process as the peppers.

 

   When I’m making a recipe that calls for celery, I normally just use one or two stalks and then freeze the rest for whenever I need it and not have to worry about buying more just for a single recipe. This is a great method for making soups in your slow cooker. Instead of having to stop and chop five different kinds of veggies for the soup you can just scoop out what you need from your already chopped produce and be on your way.

 

   Keeping chopped produce in your freezer is a great way to simplify your life and ensure that you are making the most with what you have grown or found at a rock bottom price. (I paid $1.29 per stalk at Aldi last week and they are on sale for .69 this week. OOPS! Maybe I’ll stock up on some more!) You could even put together veggie soup kits for your favorite recipes. For example, if your family eats chicken noodle soup a lot then you could freeze bags of chopped onions, carrots and celery.

 

How to Freeze Celery

 

Step 1: Pull stalks apart and rinse off any dirt.

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Step 2: Pat dry with clean towel and chop into bite sized pieces.

Step 3: Spread out on baking sheet in single layer and flash freeze for two hours.

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Step 4: Place celery in properly labeled freezer bags removing as much air as possible.

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Freeze and enjoy! The celery should last a few months in a regular freezer and even longer in a deep freeze.

 

Do you freeze fresh produce to save money? If so, what do you freeze? I’d love to know!

 

Other posts you might enjoy:

Freezing bell peppers is a fast and easy way to preserve the harvest. Plus, its great having them available year-round to toss into soups, omelets and casseroles whenever you need them. The Ultimate Freezer Cooking Round-Up including 350+ tips, tricks and meals. This is the perfect resource for anyone who does freezer cooking.

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  3. Love this tip. Just think, people buy them in the store frozen. I try and save all the tops for scraps and make stock with it. I like the idea of having what I need chopped in advance and frozen. Great post!
    Reply

  4. I had no idea you could freeze celery. I'm going to try this from now on! It's such a waste to only need a couple stalks and then the celery goes limp and you have to throw it away. I also like the idea of making a blend of carrots, celery and onion. Thanks for sharing these time and money saving ideas!!
    Reply

  7. Years ago kids were young n I work full time I liked making soups. I froze leftover veggies from a meal in a container in freezer when making soup emptied it in, They were fresh and canned veggies with whatever soup I made
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  8. I did my celery about half the size of yours, A few family members don´t really care for it. If it´s small they will eat it. So glad that´s done. The whole time I chopped I kept I kept telling myself that when I was cooking I would be so happy to have it ready. Thanks for the information. Barb
    Reply

  9. I’m doing this today! Thank you for the wonderful tips on freezing celery. We eat lots of celery soup, stews and soups. This will be ever so helpful.
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  10. I am curious as to what you do with the leaves/tops? I use them in soups and they can be washed, patted dry and dehydrated then ground or minced to use in seasoning dishes. I freeze all sorts of produce. I watch for deals then buy, freeze, dry or can. So nice to have it on hand and prepped when needed.
    Reply

    • It's when you lay something out (normally on a baking sheet) in a single later and freezer for 1-2 hours, then put it all in a ziplock bag. It helps to prevent food from sticking together and clumping.
      Reply

  13. I've been freezing celery for years simply because I live too far away from general stores to be able to buy it when I need it. Lately I've been drying and grinding up certain veggies, especially leaves and this veggies that just don't look quite right. Powders from all sorts of veggies are great for adding flavour to soups, stews etc. Tomato powder has become a staple on my herb shelf. Thanks for this article!
    Reply

  14. I have frozen abundance of produce for as long as I can recal. I always make sure I have enough peppers, broccoli, potatoes, carrots, onions, etc. If it's a vegetable I'm going to freeze it. The carrots and onions I tend to cut them thicker and wider, the onions I will cut in half then cut in half quarters again, and the carrots I'll cut a quarter inch thick and cut them length wise in a slanted angle. The potatoes I will cut in thick squares. I will also make prep bags for stews and soups them label the bags and actually add the seasoning base in smaller freezer bags and add those inside the larger bags with the veggies. Then all I have to do is add the both or stock
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  15. Like you I freeze whatever I can .Apart from freezing most chopped vegetables I also freeze most of the fruit I grow. Then I make good use of the little ice cube trays I have for freezing any leftover sauces or gravy so that I always I have gravy cubes filled with homemade gravy ready for a midweek meal. I freeze apple sauce in cubes and many other fruit sauces that I make, these come in handy to add to sponge puddings or to have with ice cream.
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  17. Thank you for this tip, I usually do not purchase celery because of the waste. Just never thought I could freeze celery
    Reply

  19. I love to freeze sweet banana peppers. I use the same method you do, but I can have them year round to put in meatloafs, salsa, goulash, and a number of dishes. They are hard to find in the winter months, so I just go to the freezer. Oh yeah, you can gut them easily with a potato peeler.
    Reply

  22. My frozen celery came out mush ! What did I do wrong? Was it meant to be used only in cooking? I hoped to use it in a salad.
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  23. Chopped shallots, peeled garlic cloves, basil leaves, Chopped ginger, lemongrass cores, and the leftover chopped pieces of onion from recipes that only need a small or medium onion, & the only one on hand is is the size of a grapefruit (lol!)
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  25. I love to freeze ‘sliced’ strawberries. I use a strawberry slicer ( bb&b) lay slices on a cookie sheet freeze and then put them in freezer bags. Perfect.
    Reply

  28. When I see a sale on items I buy and stock up. Celery, potatoes, green beans, strawberries, blueberries, milk, coffee creamer, bell peppers, onions, any fresh produce mostly can be frozen. I buy lunch meat, meat and cheese and freeze. We live in a rural area and its far to the grocery store. My kids tell me if ever they are hungry or need something they know where to come. I would like to experiment and try avocados frozen.
    Reply

    • Avocados do freeze. I freeze 1” chunks for guacamole or a spread on sandwiches. Definitely not for eating as fresh slices. I put the chunks in baggies. Leave in baggies, thaw in fridge and mash by squeezing the baggie to create a chunky guacamole. Mash with fork for a smoother guacamole.
      Reply

  29. U have always hated to waste produce and now I will have a place to find out how to save time and money! Thanks so much!!!
    Reply