How Can I Blanch Beans?

To blanch beans, you only need a pot, boiling water and salt in addition to the vegetables. First wash the vegetables under hot water, then remove the ends and place the beans in boiling, well-salted water. There you give them about three to four minutes to then put them directly into ice water with a skimmer and scare them off there. This step is important because it stops the cooking process. This way you can blanch beans and then freeze them. This is particularly useful because the legumes only last about three days fresh in the refrigerator. Blanched beans, on the other hand, can be stored in the freezer for a year. It is best to pack them in a suitable box or a sealable bag. Proceed in the same way if you want to blanch yellow beans for freezing. In any case, a freezer is a good option for stocking up on different foods. Our EDEKA expert also knows the answer to the question: “Can any vegetable be frozen?”

Blanch and prepare beans

Trimming and blanching green beans isn’t enough if you intend to consume them straight away. The reason is the toxin phasin contained in raw vegetables, which can cause red blood cells to stick together and trigger side effects such as headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. However, cooking breaks down phasin, so you can safely enjoy green beans afterward. It should be 10 to 20 minutes. Be aware that phasin remains in the water – even when you blanch beans. It is, therefore, best to always cook them separately before you prepare green beans with other foods. This also applies to our green bean soup. Our expert Reiner Ley explains the best way to store fresh vegetables and other types of beans.

By the way: The hot water bath is not your only option. You can also use the steamer to blanch green beans. This is even gentler and therefore preserves a large part of the many valuable nutrients it contains. The same applies if you blanch beans in the steamer.