Today, we’re talking about how to freeze herbs and aromatics used commonly in Asian cooking, so that:
- You can reduce food waste
- You always have what you need on hand to whip up a recipe
A couple weeks ago, my mom was pulling a bag of frozen scallions out of the freezer to make dinner and promptly called to remind me to write this post. So really, all of this is just yet another valuable lesson from The Woks of Life matriarch. I’m just the messenger!
The Dilemma
You’ve probably experienced this all-too-common kitchen problem. You buy a piece of ginger to use in a recipe, and after you’re done cooking, you have a ton of ginger left over. So you put it in the fridge “to save for another day,” when really what happens is that it slowly goes moldy until it hits full-on blue fur status, and you finally toss it in the trash.
It can happen to a bundle of scallions, those way-too-big bunches of cilantro (WHO needs that much cilantro?!), that packed styrofoam tray of Thai bird chilies (do they think you want to die?!), a bunch of lemongrass, and other herbs like basil, parsley, etc.
The good news is, all of these herbs and aromatics can be easily frozen and taken out whenever you need them. No more waste. No more spending money on the same ingredients over and over. And no more special trips to your nearest Asian grocery whenever the mood for Larb or Lemongrass Chicken strikes!
Many of our recipes call for the same few fresh aromatics to give dishes flavor, including ginger, scallions, cilantro, chilies, and ginger. Let’s get into how to prepare them for long term freezer storage.
Either scroll through to read, or jump to one of the following sections for instructions on a specific ingredient:
- How to Freeze Cilantro
- How to Freeze Ginger
- How to Freeze Scallions
- How to Freeze Chilies & Peppers
- How to Freeze Lemongrass
How to Freeze Cilantro
Can you freeze cilantro? Yes, you can! Here’s how:
- Trim the bottom stems of the cilantro and soak in a bowl of cold water to rid the herbs of any dirt or sand. Wash in a bowl of fresh water a couple more times to ensure it’s clean.
- Thoroughly dry the cilantro leaves and stems using a salad spinner and/or clean kitchen towel.
- Put in a freezer bag (preferably reusable!) with any air pressed out of it and freeze.
Cilantro will keep very well this way and can be used in cooked applications, such as soups and stir-fries. No need to thaw before use! Just chop and add to recipes!
(In case you’re wondering about my freezer bags, I use reusable silicone bags that are watertight and dishwasher safe! They’re easy to use and better for the environment. We highly recommend checking them out.)
Use frozen cilantro to make:
How to Freeze Ginger
Can you freeze ginger? Of course! Ginger actually freezes very well, and if there’s anything that I always make sure to have stocked in my freezer, it’s ginger slices.
I use ginger a couple times a week, a few slices at a time, and it makes cooking Asian dishes on a regular basis so much easier. Ginger slices are also great to add to hot cups of tea, a pot of chicken stock, etc.
Here’s how to freeze ginger:
- Use a vegetable peeler, paring knife, or spoon to peel the entire piece of ginger.
- Slice the ginger into discs.
- Place the ginger slices into a freezer bag, press out any air, seal, and freeze!
It’s important to make sure the ginger stays relatively dry during this process. Any natural moisture from inside the ginger is okay, but avoid getting the ginger wet, or the slices will fuse together in the freezer and become difficult to break apart.
Because you’ve sliced the ginger into thin disks, they thaw easily (though you don’t necessarily have to thaw the ginger before using) and can be chopped, minced, or simply added straight to hot oil to add fragrance and flavor.
Use frozen ginger in:
- Poached Chicken with Ginger Scallion Sauce
- Ginger Scallion Hokkien Noodles
- Ginger Garlic Shrimp Fried Rice
- Ginger Scallion Oil with Chilies
How to Freeze Scallions
Can you freeze scallions? You betcha. My mom started freezing them when there was a big sale on scallions one weekend at our Asian grocery, and she bought a TON.
They freeze very well, and can be used in any cooked recipe. It’s best not to defrost them before using, so when cleaning and preparing scallions for the freezer you should dice/chop them into whatever shapes or configurations you think you’ll need before freezing.
Here’s how to freeze scallions:
- Wash the scallions and dry them thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel.
- Trim off the very ends of the scallions (where the roots are) and
- Dice, julienne, or slice the scallions however you like, put in freezer bags, press out any air, and seal before transferring to the freezer.
When it comes to deciding how to process the scallions, I like to think about how I most often use them. Many of our recipes call for diced or chopped scallions, and for the white parts of the scallions to be added separately from the green parts. For that reason, I like to dice them and freeze the white and green parts separately.
Other recipes call for scallions to be cut into 2-inch lengths, so I like to process some of them that way as well, and keep them in separate bags.
Use frozen scallions in:
How to Freeze Chilies & Peppers
Freezing peppers and chilies is a great way to make sure you always have some on hand to add a kick of heat to recipes. It’s especially relevant now, when my parents’ garden is positively bursting with all kinds of peppers.
We use Thai bird chilies in our cooking relatively often, especially for Southeast Asian dishes. But while any given recipe calls for just one chili (maybe up to three, max), those little chilies often come in packs of 30-40 peppers! There’s no way we’d use that many in one month, let alone 1-2 weeks (which is how long they’d last in the fridge).
The solution? Freezing them of course! I have a bag full of fiery peppers in my freezer as I type this, ready to be chopped up and added to my Green Papaya Salad or Chicken with Basil & Mint.
Here’s how to freeze chilies:
- Keeping the chilies whole, wash them under cool running water.
- Dry them thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel.
- Transfer to freezer bags and freeze.
Use your frozen chilies to make:
How to Freeze Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a specialty ingredient that isn’t often available in regular grocery stores.
Even though I have relatively easy access to an Asian grocery store, I like to buy lemongrass when it looks fresh and keep it in my freezer, because there are times when even the Asian market doesn’t have high quality fresh lemongrass! Either they’ve run out, or the lemongrass they do have looks like it’s been languishing in the produce section for way too long.
It’s great in marinades for meat, curries, and soups, and it’s so easy to freeze.
Here’s how to freeze lemongrass:
- Trim off the ends and woody tops, and pull away any tough or old outer leaves.
- Cut the remaining stalk into 4-inch lengths.
- Transfer to freezer bags and freeze.
If the lemongrass is to be added whole to a recipe, such as in our Vietnamese Bo Kho (spicy beef stew), there is no need to thaw in advance. If, however, you need to chop the lemongrass or add it to a food processor to make a marinade, you can thaw it beforehand.
Use lemongrass to make:
Any other questions about how to freeze herbs and fresh aromatics? Or have your own freezer tips to share? Let us know in the comments!
How to Freeze Herbs & Aromatics
Instructions
To freeze cilantro:
- Trim the bottom stems of the cilantro and soak in a bowl of cold water to rid the herbs of any dirt or sand. Wash in a bowl of fresh water a couple more times to ensure it's clean.
- Thoroughly dry the cilantro leaves and stems using a salad spinner and/or clean kitchen towel.
- Put in a freezer bag (preferably reusable!) with any air pressed out of it and freeze.
- Do not defrost; just add directly to cooked dishes.
To freeze ginger:
- Use a vegetable peeler, paring knife, or spoon to peel the entire piece of ginger.
- Slice the ginger into discs.
- Place the ginger slices into a freezer bag, press out any air, seal, and freeze!
- No need to defrost before chopping, mincing, and adding to cooked dishes. Can also be used in raw applications.
To freeze scallions:
- Wash the scallions and dry them thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel.
- Trim off the very ends of the scallions (where the roots are).
- Dice, julienne, or slice the scallions however you like, put in freezer bags, press out any air, and seal before transferring to the freezer.
- Do not defrost; just add directly to cooked dishes.
To freeze chilies or peppers:
- Keeping the chilies whole, wash them under cool running water.
- Dry them thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel.
- Transfer to freezer bags and freeze.
- Only Thai bird chilies are small enough to be defrosted and added to raw dishes. For larger chilies, thaw slightly (enough to cut through them), before chopping and adding to cooked dishes.
To freeze lemongrass:
- Trim off the ends and woody tops, and pull away any tough or old outer leaves.
- Cut the remaining stalk into 4-inch lengths.
- Transfer to freezer bags and freeze.
- If the lemongrass is to be added whole to a recipe, there is no need to thaw in advance. If, however, you need to chop the lemongrass or add it to a food processor to make a marinade, you can thaw it beforehand.
