How to Freeze Pesto

Опубликовал Admin

27-11-2020, 20:40

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Freezing your pesto can significantly increase its shelf life, letting you enjoy it with snacks and meals for months to come. You can use either an ice cube tray or a baking sheet to freeze your pesto initially. Then you can transfer it to a freezer bag for easy storage. When you’re ready to add your pesto to a dish, all you have to do is grab a piece from the freezer and defrost it in cold water!

Using an Ice Cube Tray

Scoop your pesto into an ice cube tray using a spoon. Fill each cell in the ice cube tray evenly. Don’t put so much pesto in that the cells overflow into each other. If you fill the whole ice cube tray and you still have more pesto, grab a second tray to use.
- The pesto may stain light-colored ice cube trays, so use trays you don’t mind getting discolored.
Put the ice cube tray in the freezer for 3 hours. After 3 hours, remove the tray and check to see if the pesto is frozen solid. If it’s not, put the tray back in the freezer and check back in another hour.
Remove the frozen cubes of pesto from the ice cube tray. Bend the sides of the tray to help pop out the cubes. You can also hold the tray upside down and gently hit the sides over a counter or table to make the cubes come out.
Store the frozen pesto cubes in the freezer in a plastic freezer bag. Write the date you made the pesto on the side of the bag so you’ll know how long it's been stored in the freezer for.

Freezing on a Baking Sheet

Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a baking sheet that’s small enough to fit in your freezer.
- If you don’t have parchment paper, use wax paper instead.
Spread your pesto out onto the lined baking sheet with a spoon. Try to spread the pesto out as evenly as possible. The pesto shouldn’t be thicker than a ¼ inch (0.64 cm) on the baking sheet.
- If you have more pesto than you can fit on the baking sheet, use a second baking sheet. Depending on the size of your freezer, you may only be able to freeze one sheet at a time.
Place a second piece of parchment paper over the pesto. Make the sheet the same size as the piece of parchment paper you used to line the baking sheet. Lay the parchment paper over the sheet so all the pesto is covered, and gently press it down into the pesto with your hands.
Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 3 hours. Take the sheet out of the freezer after 3 hours and feel the pesto to see if it’s frozen. If it’s not frozen solid, place the baking sheet back in the freezer for another hour.
Remove the frozen sheet of pesto from the baking sheet. Take off the top piece of parchment paper and pick up the frozen sheet of pesto with your hands. It should easily come off the parchment paper lining the baking sheet. If you’re having trouble, use a spatula to lift the pesto off the baking sheet.
Put the frozen pesto in a plastic freezer bag and store it in the freezer. Make sure you label the bag with the date you made the pesto so you don’t forget.

Using Your Frozen Pesto

Use your frozen pesto within 2 months of making it. After 2 months, discard any leftover pesto in your freezer. Always check your frozen pesto before using it. If you notice discoloration or a bad odor, it's probably gone bad.
Drizzle olive oil over your frozen pesto every few days to keep it green. Pull the freezer bag filled with pesto out of the freezer and open it. Pour the olive oil directly into the bag so it covers the surface of the frozen pesto. Reseal the bag and put it back in the freezer.
Defrost your pesto in cold water if you're in a hurry. Put the piece of pesto you want to defrost in a sealable plastic bag. Place the bag in a bowl of cold water and leave it there until the pesto defrosts.
Let your pesto defrost in the fridge overnight if you're not in a rush. Grab some of your frozen pesto from the freezer and place it in a sealable plastic bag. Place the bag in the refrigerator before you go to bed. It should be all defrosted when you wake up in the morning.