Can You Freeze Eggs? | How To Best Freeze Eggs and What NOT To Do

Eggs are a healthy and versatile food that can be used in many ways. But did you know that you can freeze eggs? This post has tips on how to freeze raw and cooked eggs, and also tells you how NOT to.

I love eggs. 

They’re good for you, taste great, and are an economical way to boost your nutritional intake. 

They’re natural and not processed, of course, and that’s a good thing. I’m all about eating clean, and I am happy to say that eggs are included in a clean-eating diet.

The cool thing is that you can eat eggs every day (in moderation, folks!) and know that you are benefiting your health. Eggs are full of nutrients like zinc and folate, and contain vitamins, including D and E. They are packed with protein, too.

Eggs increase good cholesterol and are good for brain health. I tell you all about the superpowers of this delicious food in my post, 10 Benefits of Eggs and Why You Should Eat Them More Often!, so let's answer the question now, can you freeze eggs?

CAN YOU FREEZE EGGS?

You can definitely freeze eggs. There may be slight texture changes when freezing raw eggs, but if you prep the eggs first, it’s entirely doable. I’ll look more at that a little further down in the post. Right now, I want to talk about freezing cooked eggs.

Think about it – no more wasting eggs<--Yay!

You know I’m all about meal prep and having nutritious food ready ahead of time. My family keeps me super busy, and yet, I know that I've got to put healthy food on the table, right?

So, that's where meal prep works so well! It helps me keep my healthy lifestyle on track, and when I can accomplish this, I feel so much better.

If you look at my meal prep post, you’ll see all kinds of nutritious meals to prepare ahead of time and place in the fridge or freezer, to grab when you are hungry. Meal prep is also good for when you are on your way out the door and need to bring food along. 

This is where freezing cooked eggs comes in. I’ve got a few egg recipes that can be frozen and are the ideal choice for a protein-filled meal on the go or for after a long day at work:

• Healthy Egg Muffin Cups (Perfect for Meal Prep!) These are excellent if you are on a weight loss regimen – and of course, even if you are not! Wrap them in single portions in plastic wrap and freeze for a month.
• Frozen Breakfast Burritos  These absolutely yummy burritos are full of protein and fiber. Fiber is fantastic for your body, by the way. These burritos can be placed in an airtight container frozen for 3 months.
• Make Ahead Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches Freeze these nutritious and filling sandwiches in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Not only are make-ahead meals like these good to have on hand, but you can also freeze scrambled eggs and omelets. Here’s how:

• Scrambled eggs: Cook the scrambled eggs as you normally would. Let them cool completely. Wrap them in plastic wrap, being careful to make sure there is no air left in the plastic. Place them in a freezer bag and label with the date. The scrambled eggs will keep up to one year, although the longest I keep them is 6 months. 
• Omelets: Prepare your omelet, let cool, and lay flat in plastic wrap. Cover with foil. Place in a freezer bag and store on a level shelf in the freezer. For optimal freshness and palatability, use within 3 to 6 months. I reheat them for 20 minutes in the oven, covered in foil.

WHY FREEZE EGGS?

Some of you may wonder, why even freeze eggs? 

• Freezing eggs, either in cooked or raw form, will save you space. I know organizing my fridge can take time, especially when it’s full of make-ahead smoothies and things like that.
• When you have eggs in the freezer, you’ve got them whenever you need them!
• Buying eggs when they are on sale is a smart, cost-effective measure – always a bonus.
• Time saver! Having eggs prepped in the freezer, whether as a make-ahead meal or for baking, saves valuable time.

CAN YOU FREEZE EGGS IN THE SHELL?

Right off the bat, let’s get this one out of the way. Never freeze eggs in the shell. The contents will expand, and the shell will crack. Then the egg is not safe to use.

Not only that, but the texture of the yolk will change and be basically unusable. When a yolk freezes, it will either solidify or turn to a gel. The texture will be such that it won’t blend with the white. To leave both the white and the yolk usable after freezing, you have to prep them first.

HOW DO YOU FREEZE RAW EGGS?

There are a few simple steps to freezing raw eggs, but yes, it can be successfully done. I recommend that you add either salt or sugar to the eggs so that the yolks don’t turn thick and gelatinous.

• Blend the eggs with a fork, but try not to add a bunch of air, So, just blend – don’t whisk.
• If you are freezing the raw eggs to use later in a souffle or omelet, add 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 cup of eggs.
• Planning to bake with the eggs you’re about to freeze? Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to 1 cup of eggs.
• If you are freezing just one egg at a time, add ⅛ teaspoon per egg.
• I then put the eggs into muffin tins and cover. Freeze them for 4 to 6 hours and transfer to labeled freezer bags. Make a note on the bag the amount of salt or sugar added so that you can adjust your recipe if needed when it comes time to thaw and use the eggs.
• Use within a year. 

HOW TO FREEZE EGG WHITES ON THEIR OWN

Separate the whites from the yolks and stir to blend. Transfer to a freezer bag, label and keep in the freezer for up to a year. Thaw in the fridge and use within 2-3 days. There does not seem to be a change in texture when you freeze an egg white. And it’s been my experience that previously frozen egg whites whip up nicely, so don’t hesitate to freeze the whites!

HOW TO FREEZE JUST THE EGG YOLKS

When you freeze egg yolks, the texture does change somewhat. Lightly beat the yolks, adding the sugar or salt as per your quantity of eggs. Then, freeze in the muffin tins and transfer to a freezer bag for about one year. Once thawed, use them right away. And you cannot refreeze eggs! Note that using egg yolks that have been previously frozen can be used in soufflés, quiches, and other egg dishes.

CAN YOU FREEZE HARD-BOILED EGGS?

Freezing a hard-boiled egg is not ideal. Why? The whites become chewy, and there is a watery consistency, too. Cooking a hard or soft-boiled egg is super easy, so I just cook them as I need them. Hard-boiled eggs are one of my favorite high protein snacks, so I always keep a batch in the fridge. Want to know how to cook the perfect fried egg? I’ve written a post on frying an egg, too!

HOW TO STORE EGGS IN THE FRIDGE

I know a lot of refrigerators have little egg cups on the door or an egg caddy that sits on the shelf. The thing is, neither one of these places is where you want to store your eggs.

You see, the carton is the best place to store them, and that’s because the carton protects your eggs from odors in the fridge. Eggs can even absorb flavors of other foods through the pores in the shell. When you buy your eggs – you may not have ever noticed this:) – but eggs in the carton are stored with the large end up. It keeps the yolk centered and the egg fresh.

Always check the best before date on eggs, too, for maximum freshness.

Storing leftover whites or yolks? Put them in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftover yolks should be covered with a bit of cold water to keep them from drying out. Then, before using, you just drain off the water.

This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.