Mastering Vegetable Preservation: 36+ Essential Recipes for Year-Round Garden Goodness

Transform your kitchen into a year-round harvest haven with these incredible recipes for preserving vegetables. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or simply love fresh produce, learning the art of vegetable preservation means your pantry and freezer can become your very own gourmet store, stocked with a dazzling array of delicious, homegrown goodness. From the satisfying crunch of tangy pickles to the rich flavors of savory relishes, this guide will empower you to capture the peak freshness of every season, ensuring you can savor nature’s bounty throughout the entire year.

Preserving vegetables is a rewarding practice that allows you to enjoy the literal fruits (and vegetables!) of your labor long after the growing season has ended. Beyond extending the life of your fresh produce, it’s a fantastic way to save money, reduce food waste, and ensure you always have healthy, flavorful ingredients on hand for your meals. From traditional canning and freezing techniques to the exciting worlds of pickling and fermenting, there are numerous simple yet effective methods to store your vegetables, keeping them fresh and flavorful for months.

This comprehensive article brings together some of the best and easiest recipes for preserving vegetables. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to keep your pantry consistently full and ready for any culinary adventure. You’ll discover that preserving doesn’t have to be difficult or intimidating; these carefully selected recipes and techniques are straightforward, cost-effective, and will undoubtedly elevate your everyday meals with vibrant, seasonal tastes.

Over the years, we’ve published many preserving recipes that have become tried-and-true favorites, made repeatedly each season. In this collection, you’ll find these trusted recipes alongside a few invaluable contributions from other sites, covering a broader range of produce (especially for things we might not personally preserve, like certain pumpkin recipes).

Our hope is that this resource becomes your go-to guide for preserving, covering essential methods like freezing, drying, refrigeration, water-bath canning, and fermenting. Feel confident in transforming your fresh vegetables from the garden, farmers’ market, or grocery store into delicious, long-lasting provisions you can enjoy all year long.

Freezing Vegetables for Easy Meals

Freezing is arguably the simplest and most accessible method for preserving many vegetables, locking in their fresh flavor and nutritional value with minimal effort. It’s perfect for busy home cooks who want to enjoy garden produce year-round without extensive processing. Below, you’ll find our top freezing recipes, many of which challenge conventional wisdom for even better results.

1. How to Freeze Green Beans without Blanching

After trying traditional canning (which often left us with mushy beans) and blanching-and-freezing (resulting in an undesirable squeaky texture), we ventured against standard advice and tested freezing green beans without blanching them first. The results were truly superior, yielding the best-preserved beans we’d ever tasted. This method is now our go-to for preserving the green bean harvest each year, ensuring a fresh, firm texture that’s perfect for side dishes or casseroles.

2. How to Freeze Snap Peas & Snow Peas without Blanching

Once we discovered the benefits of skipping blanching for certain vegetables, we applied the same test to snap peas and snow peas. The outcome was just as delightful – we found we preferred them unblanched for freezing. You’ll appreciate how incredibly quick and easy it is to prepare these crisp, sweet peas for your freezer, making them readily available for stir-fries, salads, and countless other recipes all year long.

3. Easily Freeze Chopped Sweet & Hot Peppers

Peppers are one of those versatile vegetables that typically freeze beautifully without the need for blanching, making this an incredibly straightforward preservation method. For maximum convenience in your cooking, the best approach is to chop them first and then flash freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen solid, they can be transferred to bags, allowing you to easily measure out the exact amount you need and add them directly to your recipes without thawing.

4. How to Roast & Freeze Beets

Unlike some other vegetables, beets definitely benefit from being cooked before freezing. A simple oven roast is by far the easiest, most hands-off way to prepare them. You’ll be amazed at how delicious and vibrant these beets remain, even months after freezing. Simply thaw them, add to a fresh salad for a pop of color and earthy sweetness, warm them as a flavorful side dish, or mix them with other roasted vegetables for a hearty meal.

5. How to Freeze Corn Three Ways

In our quest for the absolute best way to freeze corn, we made some interesting discoveries. While you can freeze it unblanched, we found it’s often easiest to use for side dishes if it’s cooked for a few minutes first. However, the truly revolutionary method we uncovered is freezing whole cobs uncooked! This means we now freeze corn in three distinct ways: shucked and blanched for cooked recipes, shucked and unblanched for salads, and whole cobs (uncooked) which are perfect for quick microwave cooking directly from frozen – hands down the best way to enjoy summer corn in winter.

6. Easy, Amazing Roasted Tomato Sauce

This recipe is an absolute game-changer, offering the best way to utilize a large harvest of slightly blemished or over-ripe tomatoes, along with any other garden veggies you wish to incorporate. This roasted tomato sauce is so incredibly delicious, you’ll be tempted to eat it straight from the spoon! Because it’s not a tested canning recipe, it’s safely preserved by freezing, which offers the fantastic freedom to add as much garlic, onion, peppers, and other flavorful vegetables as your heart desires. Healthy, versatile, and undeniably delicious – this is a freezer staple you’ll find yourself making year after year.

7. Plain Roasted Tomato Sauce to Freeze

This recipe is perfect for handling the very last of the season’s tomatoes, especially those that might not be suitable for canning or once you’ve made all the seasoned sauce you need. Simply roast all your remaining tomatoes, process them into a smooth sauce, and freeze. In just over an hour, you’ll have a fantastic stash of plain roasted tomato sauce that can be used as a base in any recipe calling for canned tomato sauce, providing a burst of fresh flavor even in the dead of winter.

8. Lemon Garlic Roasted Vegetables

This delightful recipe is an excellent way to use up an abundance of end-of-season garden produce. The vegetables are roasted with bright lemon and pungent garlic, then frozen in convenient quart-sized containers. These frozen portions can be transformed into a super flavorful soup (with the recipe included!) or simply heated and served as a delicious side dish alongside baked chicken or fish. It’s a quick and healthy meal solution for busy weeknights.

9. Homemade Frugal Pesto to Freeze with The BEST Pine Nut Substitution

This homemade pesto recipe is so easy to make and utterly delicious that our freezer hasn’t been without it for years. A key benefit is that you don’t have to shell out a lot of money for expensive pine nuts, thanks to a fantastic seed substitution that we actually prefer for its flavor and texture! Basil grows so readily in most gardens or containers, making it simple to keep a steady supply of this vibrant pesto. We use it frequently in creamy pasta dishes and as a flavorful spread on crusty artisan bread.

10. How to Freeze Broccoli Blanched & Unblanched

Here’s another common garden vegetable where we put the standard blanching technique to the test against simply freezing it raw. Can you guess which method we ultimately preferred? That’s right, we now typically freeze broccoli unblanched, though the article provides a detailed comparison of the differences between the two methods, allowing you to choose the best approach for your preferences and cooking needs.

11. Easy Homemade Tomato Paste To Freeze

This method presents the easiest and least labor-intensive way we’ve discovered to make rich, concentrated tomato paste from fresh tomatoes. While it yields smaller batches, we find it perfect for freezing in small 4-ounce jars. These portions are just the right size for most recipes, ensuring you always have a vibrant burst of tomato flavor on hand whenever you need it.

12. How to Make Pumpkin Puree to Freeze

This comprehensive tutorial and recipe, titled “how to make a pumpkin puree from a whole pumpkin and what to make with it,” guides you through all the necessary steps. You’ll learn how to cook your whole pumpkin and process it to achieve the smooth consistency of commercially canned pumpkin, perfect for use in all your favorite recipes. It’s important to note that due to its density, pumpkin puree is not safe for water-bath or pressure canning; therefore, freezing is the recommended method to preserve this delicious fall staple for year-round enjoyment.

Drying Vegetables: A Compact & Flavorful Approach

Drying is an ancient and effective method for preserving vegetables, concentrating their flavors and creating unique textures. Dehydrated vegetables are lightweight, space-saving, and offer versatile culinary uses, from adding intensity to stews to creating healthy snacks. Discover how to dry tomatoes, beets, and zucchini for your pantry.

13. How to Dry Tomatoes and Store Safely in Olive Oil

This technique offers a perfect way to keep dried tomatoes on hand for 6-12 months, ready to elevate any recipe. Simply slice your tomatoes, dry them, and then store them safely in olive oil. These flavorful gems can be used in salads, pasta dishes, baked chicken, and much more. The detailed guide also addresses crucial safety considerations for storing dried tomatoes in oil on your shelf and includes a helpful video illustrating all the steps, ensuring your preserved tomatoes are both delicious and safe.

14. Dry Tomato Powder from Skins

Don’t let those flavorful tomato skins go to waste! This ingenious recipe allows you to save the skins from any tomato-based dish and transform them into a potent, concentrated tomato powder using your microwave. Be sure to read the comments for essential tips on using parchment paper and alternative oven methods. We love having this tomato powder readily available to amp up the rich tomato flavor in various recipes – simply sprinkle it in – or mix it with a little water to create small portions of instant tomato paste.

15. Dried Beet Chips

This recipe provides a simple, healthy way to create thin, crispy beet chips, which can be either dehydrated or baked to perfection. You can store them plain to rehydrate later for use in recipes, or lightly salt and bake them for a surprisingly healthy and satisfying snack. The choice is yours, offering versatility for your culinary needs.

16. Dehydrated Zucchini & Zucchini Flour

When your zucchini plants are overflowing with abundance, drying is an excellent way to manage the harvest. Not only can you reconstitute the dried zucchini and use it for cooking and baking, but you can also go a step further and transform it into zucchini flour! Try mixing it half and half with regular flour in your baked goods for a nutritious veggie boost without compromising texture or taste.

Refrigeration Preserving Recipes: Quick Pickles & Fresh Flavors

Refrigerator preservation methods are ideal for those who prefer quick, minimal-fuss techniques to extend the life of their fresh vegetables for several weeks or even months. These recipes often involve pickling, resulting in crisp, tangy additions to your meals that are ready to eat much sooner than traditional canned goods.

 17. Easy Refrigerator Dill Pickles (& Why It’s Better Than Canned)

Prepare to make the easiest, crispiest dill pickles you’ve ever tasted! While we personally love them with a spicy kick from red pepper flakes, you can easily adjust or omit the spice to suit your preference. There are numerous compelling reasons to make and store these fridge pickles – not least of which is their incredible texture compared to often-soggy canned versions – and they’ll keep wonderfully in your refrigerator for up to a year!

18. Quick & Crisp Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños

Much like their cucumber counterparts, these pickled jalapeños boast a significantly crisper texture than their canned versions. They also maintain their quality for up to a year when stored in the refrigerator. We find them incredibly versatile, adding a zesty kick to pizza, salads, burgers, tacos, and countless other dishes. They’re a must-have condiment for those who enjoy a little heat!

19. Easy Pickled Beets – To Refrigerate or Can

While I personally prefer to make and store these delicious pickled beets in the fridge for convenience and crispness, the recipe thoughtfully includes instructions for water-bath canning if you prefer that method. This simple recipe delivers that quintessential, perfect pickled beet flavor, making them a fantastic addition to salads, a vibrant side dish, or simply a delightful snack straight from the jar. They’re lightly sweetened and perfectly tangy.

Water-Bath Canning Recipes: Shelf-Stable Pantry Staples

Water-bath canning is a time-honored preservation method that creates shelf-stable jars of your favorite acidic vegetables, sauces, and relishes. It’s an empowering skill that turns a bountiful harvest into a year-round supply of homemade pantry staples, ensuring you always have delicious, ready-to-use ingredients. Dive into these tested and approved canning recipes.

20. Addictive Tomato Chutney

This is truly one of the standout recipes you’ll discover on this site – a delightful “adult ketchup” that you’ll want to generously apply to everything from eggs and burgers to roasted vegetables. It even makes a fantastic spread on bread before making grilled cheese! The recipe offers both a regular and a lower-sugar version, both equally delicious and incredibly versatile. Prepare to become obsessed with this flavorful condiment.

21. Nice & Thick Salsa for Canning – Recipe & Tutorial

For years, I meticulously searched for a canned salsa recipe that wasn’t overly runny or excessively vinegary, yet still met all the safety requirements for water-bath canning. This delicious salsa emerged as the clear winner! The recipe includes a fantastic, game-changing tip for making salsa preparation much easier (hint: no tedious peeling required!), making it a perfect choice for preserving your garden’s tomato and pepper harvest.

ALSO: Try this Roasted Chipotle Salsa for a different flavor profile.

22. Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde (or Green Tomatoes)

This recipe yields a wonderfully thick and intensely flavorful salsa verde that can be made using either tomatillos or those end-of-season green tomatoes. Roasting the ingredients beforehand truly enhances the depth of flavor, creating a vibrant and zesty salsa perfect for tacos, enchiladas, or simply dipping tortilla chips.

23. Home Canned Tomato Bruschetta Topping

The secret to this incredibly flavorful bruschetta topping lies in using Roma or other paste tomatoes, which hold their shape and firmness beautifully after processing. This home-canned delight creates a vibrant topping for garlic toast, a delicious accompaniment to cream cheese, or even a flavorful addition to salads when fresh, store-bought tomatoes are lacking in taste and color. It’s like bottling sunshine for your pantry.

24. Copycat Rotel – Canned Tomatoes and Chilies

This recipe was meticulously developed to replicate the popular Rotel product, using only the ingredients listed on commercial cans and adapting a safely tested recipe. The result is a homemade version that is remarkably similar to Rotel, allowing you the satisfaction of using your own garden tomatoes and chili peppers throughout the year in all your favorite recipes, from dips to casseroles.

25. Perfect Homemade Canned Pizza Sauce

Craft this perfectly seasoned pizza sauce from either fresh or frozen tomatoes. Our favorite method involves using frozen tomatoes: simply thaw them and pour off the clear juice, which significantly reduces the cooking time needed to achieve a rich, thick sauce. Having homemade pizza sauce readily available in your pantry makes pizza nights incredibly easy – especially when paired with our quick pizza dough recipe for a truly delicious, homemade experience.

26. Water-Bath Safe Canned Roasted Tomato Sauce

When I desired to roast tomatoes before creating a seasoned tomato sauce, I struggled to find a tested canning recipe. After consulting with our extension service, I received approval to adapt the classic Ball tomato sauce recipe by incorporating roasted tomatoes. This method results in a deeply flavorful sauce that becomes a fantastic, safe pantry staple, perfect for pasta dishes, soups, and countless other culinary uses throughout the year.

27. Canned Roasted Red Peppers in Wine

Imagine having jars of these exquisite roasted red peppers on your shelf, ready to add a burst of sophisticated flavor to your meals at any moment. They are perfect for tossing into salads, enriching pasta dishes, or deepening the taste of soups. Beyond that, they make a delightful appetizer when served on crackers spread with cream cheese – truly a gourmet addition to your pantry!

28. Canned Sweet & Spicy Onion Marmalade

Lightly sweetened with honey, this onion marmalade is a remarkably versatile condiment. It makes a fantastic glaze for roasted chicken, ham, or pork, adding a touch of sweetness and spice. It’s also terrific as a quick and elegant appetizer, simply spooned over cream cheese and served with crackers. This marmalade is a wonderful way to preserve the flavor of onions in a sophisticated and delicious form.

29. Honey Sweetened Jalapeño Jelly

While we adore jalapeño jelly for appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, and as a glaze for meats, we weren’t fond of the excessive sugar typically found in most recipes. This led us to create a honey-sweetened version that retains all the vibrant flavor – in fact, it offers even more of that delicious jalapeño essence since it’s not overshadowed by a mountain of sugar. (Note: In the accompanying photo, we used many red jalapeños from the end of the season; if you use mostly green ones, your jelly will have the traditional green hue.)

30. Balsamic Cherry Tomato Caramelized Onion Conserve

Safely adapted for canning from a BHG canning cookbook, this conserve offers a wonderfully flavorful way to utilize an abundance of sweet cherry tomatoes and sweet onions. Primarily sweetened with honey, this unique condiment is perfect for serving alongside crackers and cheese, or as a gourmet topping for burgers, adding a complex sweet and savory note to your dishes.

31. Old Fashioned Bread & Butter Pickles

Many people cherish the classic sweet-tangy flavor of bread and butter pickles, making them an indispensable accompaniment to burgers and sandwiches. This cherished recipe, passed down from the author’s grandmother, allows you to recreate that beloved taste with just a few simple steps and a straightforward water-bath canning process of 10 to 20 minutes, ensuring a pantry full of these nostalgic delights.

32. Canned Pickled Asparagus Recipe & Tutorial

Canning asparagus is remarkably straightforward and incredibly rewarding. You simply trim the fresh asparagus spears, pack them into jars, pour in the flavorful brine, and then process them in a water bath. This entire process takes just over an hour and results in significant savings compared to buying expensive store-bought pickled asparagus. Use these tangy spears on charcuterie boards, vegetable platters, chopped into salads, or wrapped in these delightful quick appetizers that are always a crowd-pleaser.

33. Canned Pickled Green Beans Recipe & Tutorial

Just like asparagus, preserving green beans through canning is incredibly easy and yields delicious results. Simply trim the fresh beans, pack them into jars, add a flavorful brine, and process. This method allows you to enjoy crisp, tangy pickled green beans all year long, perfect for adding to salads or creating the same popular appetizers that work so well with pickled asparagus. They’re a versatile and satisfying pantry staple.

34. Zucchini Relish

When your garden is overflowing with zucchini, making a flavorful relish is a brilliant way to utilize the abundant harvest. This versatile relish can be enjoyed on hot dogs and burgers, or for a hearty meal, simply add it to a slow cooker with chicken breasts to create delicious pulled chicken, perfect for bowls, tacos, and more. It’s a fantastic way to transform excess zucchini into a beloved pantry staple.

35. Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Canned Corn Relish

This classic corn relish, featuring sweet corn, onions, and peppers, is incredibly versatile, serving equally well as a vibrant side dish or a zesty condiment for meats and salads. You can preserve it using the provided water-bath canning instructions for long-term storage, or simply store it in the refrigerator for a few months – though, given its deliciousness, it likely won’t last that long!

Fermented Vegetables: Probiotic-Rich Delights

Fermentation is an ancient and powerful preservation technique that transforms vegetables into probiotic-rich foods with complex, tangy flavors. Beyond their unique taste, fermented vegetables offer numerous health benefits, supporting gut health and enhancing digestion. These recipes make it easy to incorporate delicious, living foods into your daily diet.

36. Best Mild Homemade Sauerkraut

Believe it or not, crafting this delicious, mild homemade sauerkraut requires only minutes of active hands-on time! After a brief preparation, it simply rests on the counter to ferment for a couple of weeks before being transferred to the fridge, where it will happily keep for months. It’s a fantastic and simple way to incorporate daily fermented foods into your diet – just add a spoonful to salads or sandwiches for a tangy, probiotic boost.

37. Bonus: More Fermented Vegetables

Expand your fermentation journey with these additional easy and flavorful recipes, perfect for beginners and seasoned fermenters alike:

• Easiest Fermented Pickled Vegetables: A simple, adaptable recipe to ferment almost any vegetable.
• Super Easy Fermented Pickled Jalapeños: Add a tangy, probiotic kick to your favorite dishes with these simple fermented peppers.
• 5-Minute Foolproof Fermented Corn Relish: A quick and easy relish that brings incredible flavor and gut-friendly benefits.

Need some ideas for preserving summer and fall fruits? Here are 31 of the best recipes for freezing, canning, and drying fruit.

This recipe guide has been thoroughly updated and expanded to provide you with the most current and useful information. It was originally published in September 2015.