Use a cheese grater to turn the zucchini into fine shreds.If you have large overgrown squash, I recommend grating those monster types (or stuffing them!) since they tend to be more tough, and saving your average size squash for either enjoying fresh or freezing in cut pieces – though of course you can grate smaller ones too! Start by washing your chosen zucchini to freeze, and trim off of the stem and blossom end.Okay, let’s freeze these suckers already! Finally, dry the zucchini before freezing it – following the directions below. Next, immediately drain (or scoop out) the zucchini using a strainer or slotted spoon and transfer it to the ice bath. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, toss in the zucchini and allow it to cook for one minute. Also get a large bowl of ice water ready. If you do choose to blanch zucchini before freezing it (again, this is totally optional!), follow these easy directions: while you prep the zucchini, bring a pot of water to a boil. I don’t find it unappealing though! Especially if it’s just going to end up in soup, chili, stew, bread, or a smoothie anyways. As frozen zucchini defrosts, it becomes soft and watery (whether you blanch it first or not). Zucchini has a very high water content, so it won’t retain a crisp fresh-like texture after being frozen. Either way, it will soften after being frozen… which leads us to our next question:ĭoes frozen zucchini retain it’s texture? ![]() So, it’s not a bad thing to blanch zucchini before freezing it if you wish to! However, we don’t find the extra step of blanching to be really worth it for squash. In turn, it can help food retain slightly better color, texture, and quality over time. The purpose of blanching food, or the act of quickly submerging it in boiling water and then ice water, is to halt certain enzyme activity within the food. Nope! We do not blanch zucchini before freezing it, and you don’t “have to” either. Because they will become soft and watery after they defrost, frozen zoodles aren’t ideal to enjoy as a fresh pasta substitute – though they’re a great addition to soup, chili, or stew!ĭo I have to blanch zucchini before freezing it? You can even freeze zoodles, also known as zucchini noodles – made with a spiralizer like this. In this particular post I show examples of freezing shredded or grated zucchini as well as in chunks, though you can also cut them into round slices. To use frozen zucchini in smoothies or sauce, you could go either way. We always store a little of both! To freeze zucchini for use in bread, muffins, or other baked goods, I suggest grating it before freezing – since that is how it will be added to the recipe later. ![]() You also won’t want to wait until it fully defrosts, as it will become quite soft by then.ĭo you want to freeze zucchini for soup? Then cut and freeze it in bite-size pieces or slices. When it first comes out of the freezer, it will be too hard to cut. Meaning, it isn’t a good idea to freeze zucchini whole. That depends! Before freezing, it’s best to prepare the zucchini how you plan to use it later. The Best Way to Freeze Zucchini: Grated, Slices, or Pieces? We love to toss ours with homemade “ besto pesto“, fresh summer tomatoes from the garden, black beans or chickpeas for a pop of protein, and a slice of homemade sourdough bread or herbed focaccia to sop up the saucy juices. One of our favorite ways to use fresh zucchini (and a lot of it!) is by making zoodles. Fiesta-Style Wild Rice & Veggie Stuffed Summer Squash (Zucchini Boats).Rustic Zucchini and Walnut Sourdough Bread.Easy Parmesan Zucchini Fritters with Healthy Yogurt Garlic Dill Sauce.How to Make Perfect Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles) with Pesto Sauce.Need some ideas to use zucchini fresh? Don’t miss these delectable recipes: As much as we grow tired of squash during the summer, we’re always happy to have the freezer stocked for the off-season! In this post, I’ll provide some tips to get the best results possible, reduce waste, and how to use frozen zucchini later. ![]() Freezing zucchini is one of the quick-and-easiest ways to preserve excess zucchini. Read along to learn two different ways to freeze zucchini and summer squash: grated or in pieces. Either way, don’t let the extras go to waste! Instead, let’s talk about how to freeze zucchini and squash – so you can save it for a rainy day. ![]() Or maybe you don’t grow your own, but suddenly have an abundance of squash to use. We’ve all been there: you’ve been anxiously awaiting zucchini season, perhaps patiently hand-pollinating their blossoms, the fruit starts to come along, then all of the sudden… BAM! You have mountains of squash on your hands! You’re already getting sick of it, and the growing season has just begun.
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