How to Freeze Garlic & Mirepoix for Easy Cooking
Why Prep and Freeze Veggies and Garlic?
One of my favorite ways to make cooking faster and more enjoyable is to use frozen chopped mirepoix and minced garlic that I prepared ahead of time.
If you have these staples ready to go, many recipes come together with almost no chopping. I usually prep this on a quiet weekend afternoon while listening to a podcast (and usually sipping a cup of coffee). It’s calming for me to peel, chop, freeze, and bag everything for another day. Often, I make a batch of soup at the same time, which lets me check off more than one task and only use my cutting boards once.
What is Mirepoix?
Mirepoix is a mix of 2 parts diced onions, 1 part diced carrot, and 1 part diced celery. This blend is common in French cooking and many soups. If you use onions more often than the full mix, you can just chop a big bag of onions instead. (Wear goggles or make sure your kitchen is well ventilated!)
How to Prep and Freeze Mirepoix
Wash the carrots and celery well. Peel the carrots and onions. Dice all the vegetables into pieces that are about the same size. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the veggies out flat. Make sure the pan fits in your freezer. Freeze the veggies for 1-2 hours before transferring them to a freezer bag.
How to Freeze Garlic (Step-by-Step)
Another time-saving hack is to pre-mince garlic and freeze it in small portions. The easiest way is to buy a large bag of peeled garlic and use a food processor to mince it in batches. Spread the minced garlic on a 9×13 sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Press it down so it’s flat and compact. If you have extra whole peeled garlic, store it in your fridge for sauces, dressings, or marinades. Use a bench scraper to cut the minced garlic into even sections. Flash-freeze for two hours, then break it into pieces and store them in a large freezer bag. Each section should be about 1×1 inch, which is roughly 2-3 minced cloves.
Does Freezing Change the Flavor?
Don’t worry about losing flavor, the frozen veggies and garlic keep their taste. When I freeze vegetables, they do hold a bit of extra water, but I just cook them a little longer on the stove to let it evaporate. Pre-peeled garlic tastes almost as fresh as garlic you peel yourself, and it saves a lot of effort. Freezing actually locks in that fresh garlic flavor. In my kitchen, homemade frozen minced garlic always tastes better than store-bought pre-minced garlic, which can taste dull and lack freshness.
I hope this post helps you streamline your home cooking and make the process more fun and enjoyable! If you try this, please comment below and let me know how it went! Happy Cooking!
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