ᐅ How to Store Carrots (Raw, Cooked, Peeled) •【 2024 】

The carrot is one of the vegetables we consume the most because it is cheap and easy to get, providing several vitamins and minerals to the body and adding a ton of flavor to our food. So, based on how popular it is, I will guide you in learning how to store carrots correctly.

I recommend storing raw carrots in the fridge for 2 or 3 weeks. If they are peeled and cut, you can keep them in water for 1 to 2 weeks, and if you freeze them, they will keep for 10 to 12 months.

To learn more about how to preserve carrots, read on.

How to keep carrots in the refrigerator
How to freeze carrots
Keep carrots in water

Preserve cooked or chopped carrots
How to keep pickled carrots
How to dehydrate carrots

Keep the canned carrot.
Keep the frozen carrot bag.
How to preserve carrot juice

How do you know if carrots are bad?
Why are carrots damaged?
How long do carrots last?

What is the best way to preserve carrots?

How to keep carrots in the refrigerator

Here’s the simplest way to store carrots in the fridge:

Step 1: Clean the carrot.

Some carrots may come with soil residues, so clean the carrots with paper towels. The cloth you will use to clean must be super dry.

You should not wash the carrots as moisture would cause them to rot faster, which is not the idea. Also, remove the green stem that the carrot could have, although they usually come without this piece.

Step 2: Wrap or put the carrot inside a paper bag.

To prevent moisture from affecting carrots while they are stored, wrap them with paper towels or newspaper. A paper bag also works.

Step 3: Put the carrots inside an airtight container.

Then put the carrots wrapped in an airtight container or bag to prevent them from absorbing the smell of other foods.

Step 4: Write the storage date.

Write the date of storage of carrots on a label and paste it over the container or write that information directly on the bag.

Step 5: Store the carrots in the refrigerator.

Put the box or bag with carrots in the coolest part of your refrigerator, away from foods that give off ethylene gas, such as apples or bananas, so that carrots will remain in good condition for 2 to 3 weeks. [1]

If you do not wrap them, the carrots could last you 1 to 2 weeks, and if you keep them directly in the vegetable drawer (that is, without an airtight container), they will last a week.

How to freeze carrots

Can the carrot be frozen? Yes, you can freeze carrots but not raw. So, if you have too many carrots and don’t want to waste them, you’ll have to blanch them first.

Step 1: Wash the carrots.

Wash the carrots with plenty of water. Then, you can rub them with a clean brush or kitchen cloth once moistened.

Step 2: Peel and chop.

Remove the carrot peel as you would usually, then chop them as you want: slices, squares, or sticks.

Step 3: Blanch the carrots.

Place the carrots piece in boiling water, and let them there for 3 to 5 minutes, but no more.

Step 4: Strain and stop cooking.

After the indicated time, strain the carrots and immediately immerse them in cold water (preferably with ice) to stop cooking for 2 minutes at max.

Step 5: Remove the excess water.

Strain the carrots again, and let them dry at room temperature, or put them on paper towels to remove excess water.

Step 6: Perform first freezing.

Spread the chopped carrots on a tray with parchment paper or a nonstick sheet. Try not to pile them up too much; they must be as flat as possible.

Then put the tray in the freezer for about 4 hours or until they freeze entirely.

Step 7: Transfer the frozen carrot pieces to a bag.

You can divide the carrots into several bags to freeze with airtight closure. Although you did the pre-freeze, taking out the other portions later will be easy, in case you only have a large bag.

Step 8: Label the container.

Write down the name of the vegetable to be frozen with the storage date on the bag.

Step 9: Store the carrots in the freezer.

This way, you can freeze the carrots for 10 to 12 months. [2]

Furthermore, it is unnecessary to thaw the carrots, as you can cook them directly.

But if you want to thaw them, you can pass the frozen carrots to the fridge a day before or put the bag in cold water at room temperature for an hour.

Keep carrots in water

In case you have peeled more carrots than you needed, whether they are whole or chopped, and you want to prevent them from drying out, or you bought carrots with some cuts, you can store them in water as follows:

Step 1: Wash the carrots.

Once the carrots are peeled (and/or chopped), wash them with plenty of water.

Step 2: Put in a bowl and pour water.

Use a plastic or glass airtight container, put the carrots first, and then cover them with cold water. Then you must close the container tightly.

Step 3: Label the container.

Put a label with the date of storage of the carrot on the container.

Step 4: Store the carrot container in the fridge.

Store the container at the bottom of the fridge. Here the carrots in water can be kept in good condition for 2 to 3 weeks inside the refrigerator.

Of course, you must change the water every 24 or 48 hours to prevent bacterial growth from increasing, and always use cold water for drinking.

Preserve cooked or chopped carrots

Cooked carrots can be frozen or refrigerated. Just put them inside a container or bag (it must be airtight), and if you are going to freeze them, it has to be able to resist the freezer.

In the fridge, cooked carrots will last only 2 or 3 days, while frozen carrots will last from 6 to 8 months (they last less time because they were cooked entirely and will have a softer consistency).

In the case of raw chopped carrots, you can store them in water, as explained in the previous point or wrap the carrot pieces on wet paper and then put it in an airtight container.

This way, carrots chopped in the coldest part of the fridge could last about 5 or 7 days.

And if you want to know how long the grated carrot lasts in the refrigerator, it lasts less. If you wrap it in a damp paper towel inside an airtight bag or container, it will last 2 to 3 days or 24 hours without the towel in the same containers.

How to keep pickled carrots

Another way to take advantage of carrots is to prepare a pickle. In this way, you preserve the peeled and chopped carrots for longer, in addition to which you can enhance flavor.

There are many recipes for a pickle with carrots, but for one of the most basic, you will only need:

3/4 cup of vinegar (you can be white wine or apple).

1/2 cup of water.
1 tablespoon of sugar.
1/2 teaspoon salt.

For the preparation, you have to:

Step 1: Sterilize the jars.

To store pickled carrots, you require medium or large glass jars with an airtight or threaded lid.

To sterilize it, put the jars and lids in a pot of boiling water for 15 minutes. Then take it out with tweezers and place them on a rack to drain and dry.

Step 2: Remove the skin from the carrots and wash them.

Peel the carrots and then wash them with plenty of water.

Step 3:Chop the carrots.

Cut the carrots of your preferred form, such as sliced or julienne. You can divide it into four or even scratch it.

Step 4: Prepare the mixture.

In a pot, pour the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, and bring to the stove until it boils.

Step 5: Fill the jars.

When the jars are completely dry, add the spices you want first (such as pepper or thyme, and you can even add garlic cloves or onions), then add the carrots and finally cover it with the mixture you prepared before.

Completely cover the carrots, leaving one finger free.

Step 6: Seal the jars when emptying.

Although it is unnecessary, you can perform the emptying to extend the shelf life of the pickled onions. To do this, prepare a large pot with a lid, and put a cloth on the bottom.

Place the jars over the cloth to prevent them from colliding with each other or the pot constantly. Then add water until you cover them and boil.

Boil for 20 or 30 minutes to empty. If you have a pressure cooker, about 15 or 20 minutes over medium-low heat will be enough. After this time, turn off the heat and let the water warm before taking out the jars.

Step 7: Remove the jars from the water.

Remove the jars with tweezers and place them on a table or countertop where the sunlight does not hit until they cool down completely, which can take between 6 and 10 hours.

Step 8: Label the container.

Once the jars are completely cold and dry, stick a label on the date of preparation of the pickle.

Step 9: Store the pickled carrot.

You can leave the sealed jar of pickled carrots at room temperature for about six months. However, once you uncover the jars, you should keep them refrigerated for 3 to 4 weeks.

The sealed pickled carrot can last in the refrigerator for up to a year. And in case you did not vacuum seal the jars, you can keep them in the fridge for 3 to 4 weeks.

How to dehydrate carrots

One way to take advantage of a large number of carrots so that they do not get lost and last you a long time is to dehydrate them. You just have to:

Step 1: Remove the skin from the carrots and wash them.

Remove the skin from the carrots and wash them with plenty of water.

Step 2: Eat the carrots.

You can chop it the way you want: slices, squares, or even grate it.

Step 3: Blanch the carrots.

Put the carrot pieces in a pot with hot water and boil for 4 minutes. After this time, cut the cooking, transferring the carrots to a bowl with cold water (if it has ice, better).

Strain them again and leave them in the colander to dry.

Step 4: Prepare a tray.

If you plan to use an oven, prepare a tray with parchment paper or a nonstick sheet, although you could also put a thin rack on the tray and spread the pieces so that they do not touch each other (unless you have grated the carrot).

If you’re using a food dehydrator, spread the carrot slices over the inner grid, leaving space between them.

Step 5: Dehydrate the carrots.

If you use an oven, put it at the lowest temperature that your equipment allows, which can be about 140°F – 160°F (60° or 70 °C). Put the tray on and bake for 6 or 8 hours. The grated carrots will dry faster, so it is advisable to be aware.

If you use a food dehydrator, adjust the temperature to 125°F (52°C) and dry for about 8 or 12 hours, depending on the thickness.

Carrots will be dehydrated when hard and somewhat brittle. Leave them a few minutes at room temperature to cool down before storing them.

Step 6: Put the dehydrated carrot in airtight containers.

You can use an airtight container made of plastic, but it would be better if you use a glass jar since they should be stored for a long time, and there they will be better maintained.

Step 7: Store the dehydrated carrots.

You can store the jar with dehydrated carrots in a dry, dark, moisture-free place for a whole year.

You can also store the dehydrated carrot in the freezer, and you will only have to pass it to a bag to freeze that is airtight, from 18 to 24 months.

To rehydrate it and use it in soups and sauces, soak the dehydrated carrot in hot water for 15 minutes.

Keep the canned carrot.

The carrot can also be bought canned, chopped into squares, and combined with peas or other vegetables. Similarly, canned carrots are an easy product to store.

If you haven’t uncovered them, store them in a cool, dark, and dry place like your pantry. In this way, the canned carrot will last until the expiration date.

However, canned products usually have a much longer shelf life than indicated by the manufacturer. Once you have uncovered and leftovers, you can put them inside an airtight container.

The canned carrot leftover will last about 3 or 4 days in the fridge while frozen for about 6 to 8 months.

Keep the frozen carrot bag.

In supermarkets or stores, you can buy bags of frozen carrots, and like the canned version, they are usually mixed with other vegetables or baby carrots.

And for the fact of coming in a bag, you must be more careful with it. Therefore, try not to break the cold chain, so take it out of the frozen area when you are bound to pay, and put it in a thermal or plastic bag but well-tied.

And when you get home, store it directly in the freezer. If you have not opened it, you will keep the bag of frozen carrots until the expiration date indicated by the manufacturer.

Once you uncover the bag of frozen carrots, you must put it inside another bag to freeze airtight. This way, it will stay approximately 8 or 12 months in the freezer.

If you decide to store the carrots in the fridge, they will last 3 or 4 days. But I do not remind you to keep them in the refrigerator because they could lose consistency.

How to preserve carrot juice

If you prepared carrot juice and did not drink it all, you can leave it quietly in the fridge for about 48 hours in a container with a lid. But I advise you to add two spoons of lemon or lime juice.

Citric acid will prevent the juice from oxidizing and bacteria from growing in the short term.

You can also freeze carrot juice to extend its shelf life. However, I do not advise you to do this because many natural nutrients will be lost.

But in case you do not want to waste carrot juice and you are sure that you will not take it soon, you can do the following:

Step 1: Pour the liquid into an airtight bag or ice cube mold.

Pour the juice into an airtight bag without filling it since the fluid expands when it is freezing. You can also pour it into an ice cube mold or directly into an airtight container suitable for freezing.

Step 2: Perform first freezing.

Put the juice bags on a tray and keep them flattened to freeze quickly. If you used the ice cube mold, just put it in the freezer. In case you have used an airtight container, skip this step.

Step 3: Bag the frozen juice.

Once the cubes are frozen, unmold them and transfer them to an airtight freezer bag.

Step 4: Label the container.

Write down the date of storage of the juice on the bag, or stick a label on the container.

Step 5: Store the carrot juice in the freezer.

So you may freeze the juice for about six months, but the longer it passes, it will lose flavor. It is also normal for water and carrot to separate when frozen, so when you go to thaw it, let it in the fridge overnight and liquefy it again before taking it.

How do you know if carrots are bad?

You’ll know when carrots are in poor shape because of their appearance, so when you see that they have black, green, or white spots or lint on their sweet potato skin, it means that they have developed mold, and you should no longer eat them because you could get sick.

It is also a bad sign if they are watery or have areas where your finger sinks easily when you touch them.

If it gives off a rotten or weird smell, they are spoiled. Also, if the carrot tastes terrible or strange, do not eat it.

Why are carrots damaged?

Like most vegetables, carrots, a natural product containing raw sugar and fructose, are usually the main target of microorganisms, insects, and other vermin that seek to feed on them, contaminating and damaging them. Moisture is another enemy of carrots.

This external agent accelerates their natural process of decomposition and promotes the appearance of fungi and bacteria.

Also, the ripening process does not stop once they are harvested. Therefore, it will continue to be produced until it rots this vegetable.

How long do carrots last?

Product	Duration
Refrigerated carrots (wrapped inside an airtight container)	2 – 3 weeks
Refrigerated carrots (inside an airtight container)	1 – 2 weeks
Refrigerated carrots (without airtight container)	1 week
Frozen carrots	10 – 12 months
Carrots in water in the fridge	2 – 3 weeks
Cooked carrots in the fridge	2 – 3 days
Cooked carrots in the freezer	6 – 8 months
Chopped carrots in the fridge	5 – 7 days
Grated carrots in the fridge	2 – 3 days
Pickled carrots at room temperature (sealed)	6 months
Pickled carrots in the fridge (sealed)	1 year
Pickled carrots in the fridge (unsealed)	3 – 4 weeks
Dehydrated carrots at room temperature	1 year
Dehydrated carrots in the freezer	18 – 24 months
Sealed canned carrot	Until the expiration date
Canned carrots in the fridge (opened)	3 – 4 days
Canned carrots in the freezer	6 – 8 months
Unopened frozen carrot bag	Until the expiration date
Opened frozen carrot bag	8 – 12 months
Frozen carrot bag in the fridge	3 – 4 days
Refrigerated carrot juice	48 hours
Frozen carrot juice	6 months

What is the best way to preserve carrots?

With total security, I can say that the raw carrot is preserved very well inside the fridge since it can maintain its freshness for weeks. Also, once cooked, it can last a few days without losing flavor or consistency in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, when you freeze them, there is a risk that the taste will be affected, although their shelf life is much longer. In addition, you can take advantage of carrots to make a pickle that adds flavor and keeps it longer.

If you want to know how to store some other products, you can find many topics related to food preservation.