Can you freeze bok choy? Yes, you can! Learn how to freeze it without it turning into mush in today’s post.
This is part of an ongoing series on how to freeze and preserve your vegetables.
We had great success with our bok choy this Spring, much of it unexpected. I store some bok choy in the refrigerator, but we weren’t prepared to be harvesting pounds of it per day! Because I will cry if anything we grow ever goes to waste I wanted to figure out a method on how to freeze it.
I have tried freezing greens in the past and they’ve turned into mush, but with this method below you totally won’t get that mushy mess again. No, this is not going to make the bok choy remain crisp as if you just brought it home or just picked it, but it’s consistency is going to stay solid enough to use in soups, noodle dishes and stir fries.
In this freezing method we aren’t going to blanch the bok choy prior to freezing. This is the key step to make sure it doesn’t turn mushy. When you blanch you are already adding water to it, no matter how much you dry it. So without blanching we don’t have to worry about that excess water. I’d also like to point out that we are not washing our bok choy under water prior to this. If you need to clean up your bok choy, take a moist paper towel and gently wash it down removing the dirt on it.
Steps:
1. If you need to clean your bok choy, take a moist paper towel and gently wash it down removing the dirt on it. Do not wash or soak it under water!
2. Place bok choy on cutting board and cut it into pieces, both leaves and stems.
3. Place bok choy in freezer bags. I like to put 2 cups of chopped bok choy into each quart sized bag.
4. Lay freezer bag down flat and get all the air out of the bag. I use a straw to suck the air out of each bag. Seal the bag.
5. Write contents and date on the bag.
6. Place bok choy in freezer.
Step 1.
Step 2.
Step 4.
Step 5.
Step 6.
Now you can enjoy bok choy throughout the seasons!
Looking for more freezing tips? Check out:
How to freeze zucchini
How to freeze green beans
How to freeze cake
gr8bkset says
The chopped bok choy can clump together, so I spread them on a plate to freeze before bagging them. My store bought bok choy seem to have no dirt. Hydroponically grown?
Pamela Reed says
Usually it says if it’s hydroponically grown, but lots of vegetables go through a postharvest rinse to remove dirt/critters. Hope this helps!
RS says
I find dating and labeling baggies easier when they are empty. You will always have a flat surface to write on.
Pam says
Will definitely be trying this method. This is the only recipe I have seen that does not call for blanching. A couple of questions: 1) do you wash the bok choy before cooking and 2) do you cook from frozen or do you thaw it first?
Thank you. I find your website very helpful and have had excellent results with your instructions on storage of leafy green vegetables.
Andrea says
This is awesome! To people asking, and tell me if this is wrong, I’m just going to wash it more when I go to use it. Run it under water at that time.
I’d love to try growing bok choy, it’s pricey, but I barely get any light in my mostly weeds yard. Any ideas?
J white says
Get a Tower Garden.
Maree Harding says
I am so happy to be able to freeze bokchoy thanks for the info
Lia says
If u do not have a vacuum sealer (I got mine used off FaceBook MarketPlace for $20), submerge the zip bag of veg under water (leaving the top sticking out) to push most of the air out b4 u put in ur straw 😉
Fg says
If u don’t wash the dirt off the Bok Choy including the whole one before freezing. How do you clean it when you take it out to use it?
It would be helpful to know that. Thx :). Maybe an added line in your post.
Lia says
Use a wet paper towel & wipe down the individual leaves & stems b4 u cut it.
Merritt L. says
Like you, I hate to waste anything we grow in our garden, so was happy to find this post! Many thanks!
Cristina Viloria says
I was escatic to learn bok choy can be frozen. Your steps were simple to follow and thorough. Only thing I missed is how long should you freeze it?
Pamela says
Bok choy can usually be frozen for about 6 months. Hope this helps!
ALANNAH says
how discolored is the frozen bok choi after using the no blanch method?
Pamela says
I find that it keeps it’s color pretty well. Hope this helps!
Mari says
I did the book Chou freeze last year and it was GREAT. Just used the last this past weekend in stir fry. I also roasted some with garlic oil and minced garlic as a side. Yummy. Time for restocking.
Willie Mae Sargeant says
First time growing bok chow. Interesting to see how it turns out. Is it healthy for me
Chad says
How long will this last for? Will the same method work for baby bok choy?
Pamela says
It’ll last for months! And yup, I use the same method for baby bok choy (which is my favorite!).
Tina Almasri says
I really appreciate your way of freezing bok choy. Thanks for the know how.