3 best methods to freeze eggplants for the winter

Roasted, blanched and baked vegetables will remain delicious and last forever.

8 fundamental rules

Eggplants must be heat-treated before freezing. Otherwise they will become rubbery and tasteless.
If you fry vegetables before freezing, cut them into circles, small or large bars, cubes and thin strips. The first three types of tenderloin are also suitable for blanching. And you can bake any eggplants, including whole ones.
Before cutting, also think about what you will cook with frozen eggplants. For example, from the plates you can create rolls with entrails or lasagna. Whole vegetables can be cut in half and stuffed, cubes or sticks can be put in a stew, and circles can be baked.
After cutting, taste the vegetables. If you find bitter eggplants, sprinkle them generously with salt, stir and leave for half an hour. Drain off any liquid that appears, thoroughly wash the eggplants, squeeze lightly and dry.
You can freeze vegetables in plastic containers or bags. It is very important that the packaging is sealed and does not allow air to pass through.
It is not necessary to defrost the eggplants ahead of time. But if you still need this (for example, you need to cut the pieces into the smallest), put them in the refrigerator for several hours. Then keep them at room temperature until completely defrosted.
You can cook the same dishes from frozen eggplants as from new ones. If you fried or baked them before freezing, the cooking time will decrease slightly. In general, rolls can be made simply from defrosted strips.
Frozen eggplants can be stored for no more than one year.

1. How to freeze fried eggplants

Place the eggplants in one layer in a frying pan with heated vegetable oil. If there are a lot of vegetables, cook them in batches.

Fry over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side until the cuts turn golden.

Place the fried vegetables on a paper towel to drain excess fat.

Cool slightly and spread the eggplants in a single layer on a tray, flat dish or cutting board. Place in the freezer for an hour until the vegetables are slightly frozen.

Then place the eggplants in bags or containers and put them in the freezer for storage. If you place vegetables without first freezing them for an hour, they may stick together.

2. How to freeze blanched eggplants

Place the sliced eggplants in a colander and place in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes. If the eggplants float, press them down with a spoon or slotted spoon.

Transfer the eggplants to ice water and cool one hundred percent. Then drain in a colander to drain excess liquid. To speed up the process, you can press the vegetables with a weight.

Place the cooled eggplants in containers or bags. It is not necessary to freeze them beforehand.

3. How to freeze baked eggplants

What to do with sliced eggplants

Grease a baking sheet or baking dish with vegetable oil. Place the eggplants in a single layer and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C.

Spread the vegetables on a cardboard towel and pat dry. Then place the eggplants on a tray, flat dish or cutting board. Place in the freezer for an hour to freeze the vegetables. After this, they can be sorted into bags or containers.

What to do with whole eggplants

If you bake the eggplants completely, make several punctures in them with a toothpick or knife in advance.

Place whole vegetables on a parchment-lined baking sheet or wire rack. Bake at 190°C for 40–50 minutes depending on the size of the vegetables. Then cut off the stems, make longitudinal cuts and slightly open the eggplants.

Place the vegetables cut side down in a colander, press down with a weight and cool one hundred percent. Whole eggplants can be placed in bags or containers or wrapped in any cling film. There is no need to freeze them in advance.

The best recipes for frozen eggplants for the winter

Eggplants can be used to create tasty salads and other winter snacks. Now in stores you can find frozen vegetable mixtures, including those with eggplants.

Only 60% of the necessary substances are retained in canned vegetables, and up to 80% in frozen vegetables.

It is important to freeze it, otherwise the beneficial substances will not be preserved.

Let's figure out how eggplants are frozen for the winter at home.

How to choose correctly?

It is recommended to take eggplants from mid-August to the end of September. It is during this period of time that the vegetable appears in a mature form and at a low cost.

So, what aspects do you need to know in order to choose the right vegetable:

First you need to pay attention to the appearance. Large ones contain a lot of seeds. It is for this reason that we recommend choosing small or medium-sized specimens. They are tender and tasty.
The skin must be clean and even. The presence of spots indicates disease. Such fruits are not allowed to be used for preparations.
The greenish tail of the eggplant is the freshest vegetable, harvested not so long ago. Dry - has been sitting on the counter for a long time.
Large ones are very bitter, so it will take a lot of time to soak. Young ones contain less solanine, and their taste is more tender and pleasant. The extreme ones do not need to be soaked in salt water.

Eggplants frozen for the winter: the best recipes

Having dealt with the question of whether it is possible to freeze eggplants and which ones should be chosen, let’s talk about their usefulness. The vegetable contains the largest amount of vitamins and natural substances:

coarse fiber;
vitamins (a group of low molecular weight organic compounds of relatively simple structure and diverse chemical nature) of group B;
ascorbic, nicotinic acids;
pectin.

The last substance restores the functioning of the digestive system, improves the outflow of bile, cleanses the blood (the internal environment of the body formed by liquid connective tissue. Consists of plasma and formed elements: leukocyte cells and postcellular structures: erythrocytes and platelets) from harmful cholesterol (Insoluble in water, soluble in fats and organic solvents) . Blue ones are especially recommended to be included in the diet of people with pathologies of the cardiovascular system. Potassium strengthens the heart muscle (Designed to perform various actions: body movements, contraction of the vocal cords, breathing) , capillaries. Vegetables also remove excess water from the body, prevent the development of atherosclerosis (atherosclerosis is a chronic disease of elastic and muscular-elastic arteries) , anemia, gout, and osteochondrosis.

Several options on how to properly freeze eggplants for the winter in the freezer for your attention:

In the freshest form

There are a huge number of methods for freezing blueberries, but the most common is considered to be in their freshest form. These can be either whole vegetables, but not huge in size, or cut into pieces. In this case, let's look at how to freeze eggplants fresh for the winter.

Wash and dry the main ingredient. Remove unedible parts. Cut into cubes of similar size and sprinkle generously with salt. Stir, cover and leave for a quarter of an hour. After the time has passed, drain the acquired vegetable juice and place the cubes themselves on a clean towel. Dry the vegetable, otherwise the cubes will stick to each other in the freezer.

Spread the product in a thin layer on a cutting board, previously covering it with cling film. After complete freezing, place in plastic bags or special plastic containers.

Blanched

The manufacturing process is as follows:

Wash the vegetables, cut off areas unsuitable for eating. Cut into slices, cubes, cubes, as you prefer. Place in a saucepan and pour in the salty substance. Leave for 2-3 hours, then wash.

Advice! Before cutting the vegetable, it is recommended to think about the dishes you will prepare. The plates will help create a savory and fragrant appetizer in the form of rolls; whole ones are suitable for stuffing; cubes and cubes are suitable for stews.

Place the cooked eggplants in a colander and place in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. When the slices float, they need to be pressed down with a slotted spoon.
Cool the finished eggplants in ice water. Place on a sieve to drain excess water. To speed up the process, it is recommended to place a plate on top of the vegetables and a heavy weight on it.
Pack the eggplants in plastic containers and bags. Place in the freezer.

Fully baked and sliced

Baked eggplants can be frozen whole or sliced. Let's take a closer look at both options:

Sliced

The manufacturing process is as follows:

Wash the vegetables, cut into cubes and soak in salted water for 2 hours. Wash and dry. Grease a baking dish with vegetable oil. Place the main ingredient in one layer and bake for half an hour, setting the temperature to 180 degrees.
Place the eggplants on baking paper, cool and dry. Then find it for food distribution and put it in the freezer. After freezing, place in special bags, seal tightly and put in the freezer.
It is recommended to use several bags for the finished product in order to obtain the most airtight packaging.

In one piece

The manufacturing process is as follows:

Rinse the eggplants and dry. Using a toothpick, create several punctures on any fruit.
Place whole vegetables on a baking sheet, covering it with baking paper. You can also place it on a baking grid.
Turn on the oven, setting the temperature to 190 degrees. Place the baking tray with the contents in it. Baking time takes 35-55 minutes depending on the size of the vegetables.
Then remove the stem and cut it lengthwise with a knife, slightly opening the eggplant. Place cut side down in a colander, place a heavy object on top and leave it like that until it cools completely.
Then pack the whole eggplants into bags or containers. Additionally, wrap each one in cling film or a bag. They are not subjected to preparatory freezing.

Fried

The manufacturing process is as follows:

Wash the eggplants, dry them and chop them into rings 5-7 mm wide. Place in a saucepan, add salted, cool water and leave for 2-3 hours. After washing, place in a sieve and wait for excess water to drain.
Grease the surface of the frying pan with vegetable oil. Heat it up, add the cooked vegetable and fry at medium temperature on both sides until golden brown.
Cover the food tray with cardboard towels. Place the fried slices and wait until the excess fat drips off.
Cool. Carefully place the eggplants in a single layer on a cutting board. Place in the freezer until the vegetables are slightly frozen.

Fundamentally! The shelf life of frozen eggplants should not exceed 12 months. It is worth keeping in mind that vegetables quickly absorb foreign odors. Therefore, to store them in the freezer, it is recommended to choose a separate shelf, where, apart from vegetables, nothing else will be stored.

Then pack into food jars or freezer bags. Refrigerate.

Sure defrost

In order to preserve all the taste properties of the vegetable during the defrosting process, you need to know how to properly defrost eggplants. There are several options:

in the microwave. The modern kitchen assistant has a function called “Defrost”. This technique is considered the fastest. It is enough to place the product in a suitable plate, install it in the device, and turn on the required mode. A beep indicates readiness. Check and repeat the process if necessary;
The natural method is the best and most common, but it takes a lot of time. Place the required amount of vegetables in a colander. Place on the kitchen table, placing a deep plate under it. Defrosting occurs at room temperature for 2-3 hours. You can leave it overnight (that is, in the dark) , making sure to place the product in a cold space;
Take it out of the freezer and start making it right away. During cooking, stewing or baking, frozen vegetables will defrost.

The extreme method is more popular because it does not require a lot of personal time or the introduction of additional kitchen equipment and tools.

Housewives also dip vegetables in warm water for the fastest defrosting. Despite its speed, experienced chefs do not often recommend using it, because the vegetable loses all its beneficial vitamins (a group of low-molecular organic compounds of relatively simple structure and varied chemical nature) , natural compounds.

Preparing eggplants for the winter in the form of freezing is a labor-intensive task that requires time and effort. Despite this, it’s nice to get a few new vegetables in the winter and enjoy the pleasant taste and smell of a tasty stew or salad.

Freezing eggplants at home for the winter

Ingredients

Eggplants – 0.5 kg

Salt – 2 tbsp. with top

24 kcal
30 min.
30 min.

Photo of the finished dish

Step-by-step recipe with photos

Freezing eggplants at home for the winter is not at all troublesome and common; even a novice cook can handle it. This kind of preparation is especially important if you do not have a pantry or closet where you can store preserved food. In this case, frozen semi-finished products are an ideal solution for preparing almost all dishes in the winter. From frozen eggplants you can make eggplant caviar, ratatouille, casseroles, salads, etc., etc.

The only thing that almost everyone remembers when harvesting is the bitterness contained inside the fruit. It definitely needs to be removed; otherwise, after defrosting, all your supplies will simply have to be disposed of - they will be bitter.

You will learn how to create this in this recipe as you read on. To freeze fresh eggplants in the freezer for the winter, you will need about 0.5 kg of eggplants for 1-2 servings. Vegetable cutting can be whatever you want - from small cubes to whole halves - be guided by your own taste.

Wash the eggplants in water and remove the stems from the fruit. Cut them into circles and pour into a deep bowl.

Let's add table salt, but not iodized salt!

Pour boiling water over the entire tenderloin, cover it with a plate and place pressure on it. Leave for 25 minutes. Thanks to salt and boiling water, the tenderloin will quickly release all its bitterness.

After the designated time, be sure to rinse the eggplant slices a couple of times with cool water. Place in a colander, removing excess water, and let cool.

Then pour it into a bag or container for freezing.

Carefully tie it up or seal the container with a lid and place the freshest eggplants in the freezer.

The shelf life of eggplants frozen for the winter is about 1 year. Remember about the proximity of goods in the freezer - eggplants can “pull” the smell of bell peppers, onions, garlic and parsley, so store them separately.

When preparing dishes, frozen eggplants do not need to be defrosted, unless, of course, the dish itself is cooked within a few minutes. Now you literally understand how to freeze the freshest eggplants in the freezer for the winter - cook with pleasure!

How to freeze eggplants

When freezing eggplants, it is worth considering several fundamental rules in order to get a tasty vegetable after defrosting. Now I have about 2 kg of correctly prepared blue ones stored in my freezer. And even on New Year’s Eve and Christmas, when the cost of eggplants is simply sky-high, there are certainly dishes with them on my table. How to properly freeze eggplants?

Total cooking time – 2 hours 40 minutes
Active cooking time – 1 hour
Cost – very economical
Calories per 100 g – 24 kcal
Number of servings – 10

How to freeze eggplants

Ingredients :
Eggplants – 2 kg or random amount
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp.
Vegetable oil - to taste for frying

3 best methods to freeze eggplants for the winter