Can You Freeze Pesto?: Pesto is one of the easiest yet commonly used as dip and sauce to enhance the taste of the dish you are preparing. Making pesto takes some prep and cooking time so everyone prepares or buys their favorite flavored pesto in bulk and stores it for next time.
It cuts the time while cooking a dish with pesto and gives the taste of the original. Storing pesto can be done in many ways but the best way is freezing pesto. Did you know how you can freeze pesto? If not, then this guide is the perfect option to learn and preserve pesto for a long time.
It covers how to freeze fresh pesto, how to use frozen pesto, ways to thaw frozen pesto, whether refreezing pesto is safe or not, how long pesto lasts in the freezer, etc. Also, check Can Pesto Go Bad from the available link and store it properly without any spoilage.
- Can You Freeze Pesto Both Homemade and Store-bought?
- How To Freeze Pesto?
- Tips for Freezing Pesto
- How To Defrost Pesto?
- How To Use Frozen Pesto?
- FAQs on How To Preserve Pesto in the Freezer? – Can Freeze Pesto?
Can You Freeze Pesto Both Homemade and Store-bought?
Yes, both homemade and store-bought pesto freezes well in no time. The freezing process is also simple and quick when you have the required things right away like jars, containers, bags, and ice-cube trays. As per the need of the dish, you can select any of the pesto freezing methods and extend its lifespan.
Are you wondering is any difference between freezing homemade and store-bought pesto? If yes, then see the below points for better quality.
Store-bought Pesto Freezing:
Freezing store-bought pesto works great like the homemade one. But the difference here is the shelf life of unopened canned pesto, it lasts upto a year or more which is very good compared to homemade pesto. So, you can go to freeze the leftover pesto and stop food wastage.
Freezing Homemade Pesto:
If you left with some basil leaves then the best sauce you can make out of it is surely a classic pesto. In case, you want pesto with other ingredients then take the help of the internet and search for a variety of pesto recipes. Use the fresh pesto for 3-4 days and store the rest in the freezer. Freezing pesto works well for a long time and is also easy to do. If you are the one don’t like to consume canned foods can try homemade pesto for a prolonged period.
Now, you know that both homemade and store-bought pesto can freeze well so check the below modules as they talk about how to freeze pesto in containers or jars and in ice-cube trays.
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How To Freeze Pesto?
Let pesto get frozen easily by using the two methods listed below.
- Using containers or jars to freeze pesto
- Using an ice cube tray to freeze pesto
By using any of the ways you can freeze pesto quite faster:
Freezing Pesto in Containers or Jars
How to freeze pesto in a plastic container or jar is explained here in simple steps so follow them carefully:
- Firstly, divide the pesto into single-servings or small portions into containers or jars as you like.
- Make sure to leave a bit of headspace at the top of the jar or containers to expand while freezing.
- Seal the container very tightly and then write the name and date for understanding its shelf life. Also, it helps to use a particular portion of pesto in the dish.
- Finally, keep them in the freezer for 6 months.
Freezing Pesto in an Ice Cube Tray
An alternative approach to freezing pesto in the freezer is using an ice cube tray. The steps included in this method are as follows:
- After resting the pesto at room temperature, pour the pesto into an ice cube tray.
- Leave some space at the top and drizzle olive oil to prevent the oxidation process.
- Now, keep the tray slowly in the freezer and leave for some time like 3-4 hours to freeze solid.
- If they get frozen then transfer the cubes into a freezer bag or freezer-safe containers.
- Label the date, time, name, size, and whatever you require on the bag with a marker.
- Now, toss the bag in the freezer.
Whenever you need one or two cubes of pesto then take them from the bag without thawing the whole pesto cubes. This is the major advantage of this method and the only downside is flash freezing. Without the completion of freezing pesto cubes, you can’t do anything further in the process of freezing pesto.
Tips for Freezing Pesto
There can be many tips to freeze pesto fresh and better but the most common ones are as discussed:
Mixing the methods:
This is nothing but a fusion of the two described methods that gives the best results when you have a large batch of pesto to freeze. Simply calculate the amount of pesto to use in two dishes and store it in one small container, if left with some then use an ice-cube tray and preserve it in the freezer.
Topping Pesto with Olive Oil:
Due to the oxidation, you will see the browning color in the pesto. When the headspace in the container or jar or bag is a bit small the oxidation process slows down. If you have frozen the pesto in an ice tray then leave the space and drizzle olive oil on top of the pesto to help you more to prevent browning.
How To Defrost Pesto?
To defrost frozen pesto, you have two choices and they are as follows:
- Skip Thawing & Use Frozen Directly
- Defrosting in the Fridge
Let’s start by knowing both methods in detail from below. Later, select the one that fits your dish.
Using Pesto without Defrosting
One of the best & easiest ways to thaw frozen pesto is tossing it directly into your cooking dish which is going to be made on the stove. The dishes like pasta are the best example to use frozen pesto Without thawing. Simply take out the required amount of frozen pesto and put it into the pan whenever you feel and stir properly till it blends well in the dish.
One more advantage/alternative to using pesto without thawing is defrosting the frozen pesto in a non-stick pan on low heat by adding a few drops of olive oil. Stir slowly to melt and to prevent the frozen pesto from burning.
Defrosting Pesto in the Fridge
If you want the best quality pesto in taste and texture after thawing then choosing this method is perfect. When keeping the frozen pesto in the fridge from the freezer for more than 8 hours or overnight or until it thaws very properly. In the next minute, it’s ready to use.
The time it takes to thaw frozen pesto completely depends on the portion of it or the item you used to freeze it like jars, containers, and bags. Need to thaw the frozen once very quickly then take the bowl of warm water and place the container or bag or jar in it for some time. The thawing process will be faster compared to leaving it in the fridge. After thawing, take a spoon and stir properly to mix all the ingredients and enjoy the fresh pesto in your dishes or as toppings or as salad dressings.
How To Use Frozen Pesto?
Frozen pesto usage is very similar to fresh pesto. You can see the slight difference between fresh and frozen and thawed pesto, thus, there are no specific dishes that can only be used with frozen pesto.
So, the dishes that you can use for frozen pesto are pasta, salad dressings, dips, pizza toppings, and many more that can go with. At last, enjoy every dish that you love with pesto, either frozen or fresh.
FAQs on How To Preserve Pesto in the Freezer? – Can Freeze Pesto?
1. What are the different types of pesto?
Classic pesto is classic basil pesto that is made of basil leaves. Instead of basil leaves, you can replace or substitute with another food for tasting different types of pesto. Check the list of 10 different pesto types and choose the one that you like most:
- Classic Basil Pesto
- Spinach Pesto
- Sundried Tomato Pesto
- Radish Leaf Pesto
- Arugula Pesto
- Parsley Pesto
- Beat Pesto
- Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto
- Red Pepper Pesto
- Tuscan Kale Pesto
2. How long can you freeze pesto sauce?
Homemade basil pesto can be frozen for about 6 months and it can be varied based on the freezer conditions. Also, the shelf life of non-basil pesto is slightly different between 3-6 months. When it comes to frozen pesto mason jars can stay last for 9 to 12 months.
A direct answer on refreezing pesto is yes but if it is defrosted in the fridge. Whatever portion or storage technique you use finally it should be thawed in the refrigerator to allow refreezing further. But remember the taste and texture are not be same after refreezing the product so take a risk and go for it if necessary else don’t refreeze the pesto.
4. Should You Freeze Pesto With or Without Cheese?
No matter what recipe you use to make pesto with or without the cheese. All types of pesto can freeze well but in terms of cheese, it depends on what type of cheese you choose. If cheeses like parmesan or any other hard ones can go well in the freezer. If the cheese you used in pesto doesn’t freeze well then the taste of it goes worse. So, try freezing pesto with cheese in some quantity before you cook then check the results.
Key Takeaways
We hope the most commonly used dips and sauces food related Can you freeze pesto information assist you a lot while freezing & thawing? If you need extra information on the same then visit our website canyoupreserve.com and get it in no time. Do leave your suggestions or feedback in the comment section below to upgrade ourselves and help others too.