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Home recipes Garden Recipes

How to Freeze Bok Choy Without It Turning Mushy!

bok choy
Posted:6/20/14
Updated:5/3/21

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.  

How to Freeze Bok Choy

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.  

How to Freeze Bok Choy_1

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. 
How to Freeze Bok Choy_2

Step 2. 
How to Freeze Bok Choy_3

Step 4. 
How to Freeze Bok Choy_4

Step 5. 
How to Freeze Bok Choy_5

Step 6. 
How to Freeze Bok Choy_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

Similar Recipes

  • How To Freeze Bok Choy Whole To Use in Udon Soup
  • Bok Choy Pasta
  • Chinese Bok Choy and Mushroom Noodles
  • How to Freeze Sugar Snap Peas (Without blanching!)

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  1. David Grinstein says

    May 21, 2019 at 10:34 pm

    Thanks very much!
    We needed a quick way to freeze our bok choy before a long trip.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 22, 2019 at 9:40 am

      Hey David, so happy this helped you! Enjoy all that bok choy!

      Reply
  2. Amanda says

    October 8, 2018 at 5:40 pm

    Same method for Chinese broccoli?

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      October 9, 2018 at 9:26 am

      Yes, this works for Chinese broccoli too.

      Reply
  3. Sandie Brietzke says

    June 30, 2018 at 5:55 pm

    Awesome, Thank you so much! I appreciate your knowledge. Good stuff!😁

    Reply
  4. Kirk Petersen says

    June 26, 2018 at 8:25 pm

    Do you wash it when you take it out of the freezer? If so, should it be thawed out or still frozen when you do that?

    Reply
  5. Kama says

    April 15, 2018 at 1:23 am

    Thank you, just the info I was after.

    Kama

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      April 15, 2018 at 3:26 pm

      Glad this could help you!

      Reply
  6. Stacey says

    November 13, 2017 at 2:45 pm

    When you are going to cook with it, do you let it thaw or toss it in the pan still frozen?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      November 13, 2017 at 10:35 pm

      Hey Stacey, it can be used either way depending on the dish. You can use it frozen if you’re throwing it in soups or stir fries. If you’re thawing, I’d put it in the refrigerator for a few hours before using. Hope this helps!

      Reply
      • Stacey says

        November 14, 2017 at 7:41 am

        Awesome! Thank you. I was worried about it getting mushy 🙂

        Reply
  7. cathy says

    October 30, 2016 at 4:16 am

    this makes me think vacuum packing it would make it have an even better effect because it sucks all the air out. has anyone tried that?? also has anyone canned it? i suppose that wouldn’t work it would work same as cabbage.

    Reply
  8. Charlene says

    October 6, 2016 at 6:40 pm

    I’ve been trying to find foods with calcium, other than dairy products. I made myself a little herb garden this year in numerous pots. I couldn’t find any Bok Choy, but I did find some Pak Choi. Do to lack of space, I only planted 4 seeds. (All 4 came up.) Plus I didn’t even think of freezing it. Have anyone ever froze Pak Choi? I saw one article that said to blanch it. I only eat it in a stir fry anyway.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      October 6, 2016 at 6:59 pm

      Hey Charlene – you can freeze Pak Choi the exact same way. You can also freeze it whole, which is perfect in Winter soups: https://brooklynfarmgirl.com/2016/07/11/how-to-freeze-bok-choy-to-use-in-udon-soup/

      Enjoy!

      Reply
    • Michelle says

      February 25, 2019 at 3:18 pm

      Pak Choi will grow into full size bok choy if you don’t harvest it when young. We found this out and ended up with a ton of bok choy, but we both love it, and this from a husband who’s not too crazy about vegetables. We love the stuff and I will be freezing it from now on when I buy (or grow) too much.

      Reply
  9. James says

    January 11, 2016 at 6:24 pm

    Finally, a web site with just the facts. I like how everything is addressed in simple terms, easy to follow and easy see. I’m not a good cook, even worse at freezing or preserving, but with today’s prices, I have been learning more about preserving when the prices are at their lowest.

    I’ve bookmarked it and as time goes by, I will most certainly drop by for help.

    Thanks very much for your time and effort on this site. I really appreciate it.

    J

    Reply
  10. Victoria says

    July 29, 2015 at 1:25 am

    Since it’s not blanched first, is there a shorter freezer life span? Maybe a better question is, how long do you usually wait until eating your frozen bok choy?

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      July 29, 2015 at 11:44 am

      To be honest, I had bok choy in my freezer this Spring from 9 months ago and it still tasted great in a stir fry.

      Reply
  11. FRIEDA BERKENILE says

    June 3, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    How many minutes do you blanch the bok choy?

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      June 3, 2015 at 4:26 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • S says

        February 15, 2018 at 2:46 am

        How long is it good for frozen?

        Reply
  12. Alberata says

    May 1, 2015 at 9:50 am

    I cannot read all of your site as it is in light blue…I am old and cannot read very light printing. Even the light grey is hard to read. Why can’t it be in black?

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      June 29, 2015 at 2:51 pm

      I have to agree. I am not very old and I still find it very hard to read the light blue/aqua sections. Maybe you want to use another (darker) color? Thanks!

      Reply
    • hank says

      August 18, 2015 at 2:15 pm

      I thought the blue parts were secret cause I can barely make out letters.

      Reply
  13. Sue says

    November 19, 2014 at 7:05 pm

    Great advice. One question, though – will this work for smoothies?

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      November 19, 2014 at 7:18 pm

      Absolutely Sue, it would work perfect in a smoothie!

      Reply
  14. Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says

    June 23, 2014 at 8:53 am

    I need to keep track of all these tips! I didn’t get a chance to plant a garden this year, but it will come in handy when I need to freeze veggies.

    Reply
  15. Chris @ Shared Appetite says

    June 23, 2014 at 7:52 am

    Great tips Pamela!

    Reply
  16. mimi says

    June 22, 2014 at 1:32 am

    What an awesome idea!

    Reply
  17. Anna says

    June 21, 2014 at 11:40 pm

    Brilliant! Thanks for the tip, and cool way of vac packing the food too. Would never have thought to use a straw. 🙂

    Reply
    • Michellle says

      February 25, 2019 at 3:14 pm

      We used to use a straw all the time but finally broke down and bought a full-service FoodSaver when they came out with a vertical one we could keep on the counter. Our food waste has gone way down and we’re freezing more of our leftovers in packages that we can defrost and reheat on those days we don’t feel like cooking. Just wish we’d gotten the FoodSaver years ago!

      Reply
  18. Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking says

    June 21, 2014 at 8:28 pm

    I never imagined you could freeze greens successfully! What a great method!

    Reply
  19. Kelly says

    June 21, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    Love this post! I had no idea you could freeze bok choy without it turning into mush so this is definitely super helpful 🙂 Thanks for the awesome tip girl and hope you’re enjoying the weekend so far!

    Reply
  20. Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says

    June 21, 2014 at 12:04 pm

    Awesome tip. I often want to freeze greens without them turning into mush. Love it!

    Reply
  21. [email protected]'s Recipes says

    June 21, 2014 at 3:51 am

    A very helpful post, Pamela.
    Have a beautiful weekend!

    Reply
  22. [email protected] says

    June 21, 2014 at 1:43 am

    Great tips!

    ela h.

    Reply
  23. PassTheKnife says

    June 20, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    Great tip! Does this method work for other greens as well?

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      June 20, 2014 at 3:08 pm

      You can check out this link for Turnip Greens, Beet Greens, Broccoli de Rabe, Collards, Mustard Greens, Dandelions, Salad Greens: https://brooklynfarmgirl.com/how-to-store-and-freeze-vegetables-and-fruits/.

      If you have another green vegetable, let me know. 🙂

      Reply
      • Des says

        November 15, 2016 at 1:24 pm

        I cut cabbage fine (1/4 inch) and saute it in a large fry pan with a little butter and some finely cut onions and/or carrot and some finely chopped bacon and seasoning. When the bacon gets translucent I take it off the heat. The cabbage should not be cooked to the soggy stage.
        When it is cold I put enough for a meal for the family in a plastic bag, squeeze it flat to get the air out and freeze it. Mark and date the package.
        To prepare for a meal take the cabbage from the plastic bag and micro wave it until thawed and hot enough to eat. The cabbage should still have some crunch when it is eaten.
        I add some curry powder or other spices, Mrs Dash. Any flavors you like might be added when cooking the cabbage initially.

        Reply
        • Pat says

          September 26, 2018 at 11:14 am

          Love this way to freeze

          Reply
          • Pamela says

            September 26, 2018 at 2:33 pm

            Hey Pat, I’m so happy to hear it works for you!

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Hi! I'm Pamela, an artist Mom who shares family recipes. My farm is a 1,000 sq ft apartment in NYC. Let's make dinner together.

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