Easy method for homemade mirepoix- diced onions, carrots & celery, prepped & ready! Making your own Mirepoix can help to cut down on meal prep time, particularly during Fall & Winter when soups and stews abound.
Making your own mirepoix is a kitchen hack or shortcut that you’re going to love. When you make soups, stocks or other dishes they often ask for carrots, celery or onions because those veggies are so great in practically everything. By choosing to buy veggies in winter when they go on sale for the holidays, you can prep and store them in the freezer and use whenever you want, saving you time and money later!
Making a Mirepoix
You can reduce a lot of time and energy in the kitchen by choosing to use a mandolin instead of a knife. Although you need to be careful because you can easily slice your fingers on the sharp blades, the plus side it that pieces are all the same size! So if you practice safety first techniques it’s a great tradeoff.
What is a Mirepoix?
A Mirepoix is a simple mixture of carrots, celery and onions, also known as aromatics when it comes to cooking. The three have a great flavor and smell when you’re cooking if you haven’t noticed already and can be used in many recipes. Often used as a base for soups these three are very versatile. Make a mirepoix by taking the veggies and sauteeing them in a little fat like butter or oil and you’ve successfully created a flavor base for anything.
Why Freeze Veggies on a Flat Baking Sheet?
By freezing the veggies on a flat baking sheet you are helping to freeze the pieces individually. Once frozen, the pieces of vegetables can break apart easily, making it so simple to freeze, then measure out exactly what you need for future recipes.
You’ll later transfer the frozen vegetables to a durable freezer bag, to store veggies until you’re ready to use them.
Mirepoix Ingredients
-Carrots: Most often I buy a 5-lb bag of loose carrots. If you want to spend a bit more money to save some time, you can buy bagged baby carrots. Then you don’t have to peel them or cut off the ends! I like to slice my carrots into rounds for mirepoix.
-Celery: I just buy the standard stalk of celery, as opposed to just the celery hearts.
-Onion: I love using several different kinds of onions for more enhanced flavor! I usually get 3-4 total, 1 yellow onion, 1 sweet vidalia onion, 1 white onion and maybe even a red onion!
How to Make a Mirepoix
Wash, peel and slice your vegetables.
Lay them in a flat layer on a baking sheet and freeze for several hours.
Break up pieces & assemble mirepoix by combining vegetables with a 2:1:1 ratio: 2 parts onion, to 1 part celery & carrots. I usually use cups, so I’ll add 2 cups onion to a freezer bag, followed by 1 cup carrots & 1 cup celery. Seal bag and gently shake to mix. Repeat the layers until the bag is 3/4 full. Seal bag and gently shake to mix more evenly once more.
Grab and use veggies as desired. Enjoy spending less time prepping dinner from now on!
How to Make Mirepoix
Ingredients
- 5 lbs Carrots washed, peeled & sliced into rounds
- 3 lbs Celery washed & sliced
- 4 Onions yellow, sweet, white &/or red
Instructions
- Wash, peel and slice your vegetables.
- Lay them in a flat layer on a baking sheet and freeze for several hours.
- Break up pieces & assemble mirepoix by combining vegetables with a 2:1:1 ratio: 2 parts onion, to 1 part celery & carrots. I usually use cups, so I'll add 2 cups onion to a freezer bag, followed by 1 cup carrots & 1 cup celery. Seal bag and gently shake to mix. Repeat the layers until the bag is 3/4 full. Seal bag and gently shake to mix more evenly once more.
- Grab and use veggies as desired. Enjoy spending less time prepping dinner from now on!
Notes
Nutrition
How Long Can I Keep my Mirepoix Frozen?
Depending on your freezer type you can keep it frozen for 6 months to a year! Deep chest freezers have a longer shelf life because of the way that they’re built. Any longer than that can result in freezer burn, but it’s still enough time to use it up long before any of that can happen!
Why is Mirepoix Important?
Chefs all over the world agree that a good Mirepoix is the base of so many recipes because it gives it that little something extra. An added umph, if you will. As simple as it is, it really plays a big role in flavoring soups, stews, marinades and more!
Soups & Stew Recipes that Use Mirepoix:
- CROCKPOT HAM AND BEAN SOUP
- BEST SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW
- 20-MINUTE CHICKEN STEW RECIPE
- CHEESY BROCCOLI POTATO SOUP
- CREAMY CHICKEN WILD RICE SOUP
- MULLIGATAWNY: Sweet Chicken & Vegetable Curry Stew
- CREAMY VEGETABLE SOUP
- CLASSIC CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
- LEMON CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP
By making your own mirepoix, you can cut down on time in the kitchen and save a lot of money every year! You’re going to love this simple kitchen hack!
Easy method for homemade mirepoix- diced onions, carrots & celery, prepped & ready! Making your own Mirepoix can help to cut down on meal prep time, particularly during Fall & Winter when soups and stews abound.
Lorraine says
I notice you didn't blanche your veggies. Is that not a prerequisite for freezing?
Jessica Williams says
It's not Lorraine! I do it this way every year- they always turn out great!
Gina @ MoneywiseMoms says
I do this, too. They go into almost all the soups I make, so I appreciate having all the chopping done ahead of time.
paul says
hello there so is better to freeze the veggies raw or should I saute them first
Linda says
When I have a large quantity of onions to peel, I go out side and set up on the picnic table (or have been known to work on the engine bonnet of the car). Any where that there is a nice breeze blowing. Easy Peasy!
Nellie says
Great idea!
Linda says
What a great idea. I never thought to do this, though I have purchased frozen mirepoix before!
Jessica says
Thanks Linda! Yes, it ends up saving a lot of time!
Kathy Keller says
Thank you very much. Supposed to rainy windy day tomorrow so I’ll have a lot of the time o do my veggie
judith judge says
in the fall i go to fruit markets and buy a big container of bell peppers and cut them in slices and put in baggies i have them in the winter when they are expensive .i use in all knds of dishes or sasauges and pepeprs etc anything you like