Trying to grow a massive batch of garden cress just to stock up your freezer for winter is, honestly, a bit of a waste of time. The beauty of cress is that it’s so incredibly fast and easy to grow from scratch—even on a chilly windowsill in the middle of January. But what if you already have a surplus you don’t want to waste? Can you freeze it? Well, the answer is a bit “meh.”
Frozen cress loses its punch
Here’s the deal: frozen cress just doesn’t have that same peppery kick as the fresh stuff. It can actually turn a bit bitter and get pretty mushy once it thaws. Because of that texture change, it’s really only good for tossing into soups. Think of freezing as a last resort—maybe you planted it as a cover crop and suddenly have to harvest the whole patch at once. And don’t even bother drying it; that’s an even bigger flavor thief than the freezer!
Pro Tip:
The best way to handle cress is to sow small amounts every few days or weeks. This “succession planting” ensures a steady supply of fresh sprouts so you never have to worry about leftovers in the first place.
Harvesting and prepping for the freezer
If you do decide to freeze some, timing is everything. Harvest your cress in the early morning when those flavorful essential oils are at their peak. Give them a quick snip and only wash them if they’re actually dirty; otherwise, it’s best to freeze cress sprouts dry. If you have larger stems, give them a quick chop first.
How to make handy cress cubes
Using an ice cube tray is a classic gardener’s hack for herbs, and it works great for cress too. It makes portioning a breeze—you can just pop a cube straight into a simmering pot of soup. Here’s how to do it:
- Wash (if needed), pat dry, and finely chop your cress.
- Make sure your ice cube tray is nice and clean.
- Distribute the cress evenly among the compartments.
- Fill with just enough water to cover the greens completely.
- Cover the tray with wrap or slide it into a freezer bag and pop it in the freezer.
- Once they’re frozen solid, pop the cubes out.
- Store the finished cubes in a freezer bag so you can grab them whenever you need a flavor boost.
Better ways to save your cress
If you have a little extra time on your hands, there are much tastier ways to preserve that harvest. Try turning your extra cress into:
- Cress butter
- Cress-infused oil
- A zesty pesto
These will stay fresh in the fridge for several weeks, and both the butter and pesto freeze much better than plain cress. If you just need to keep it fresh for a few extra days, you can store harvested cress in a plastic bag in your fridge’s crisper drawer.
