Zucchini are among the most popular summertime vegetables since they taste both cold and heated and are light and fresh. If you’re thinking of stocking up, zucchini can be frozen, raw, and cooked.
So you always have them on hand in the kitchen. An innovative and highly useful way to preserve zucchini for a long time without losing their flavor or nutritional value and enjoy them later is to store them in the freezer.
The low-carb, hydrating qualities of zucchini make it ideal for summer meals that are light and refreshing.
However, if you cultivate it in your garden, you are aware that sometimes you may have more than you can consume. Naturally, you don’t want it to be wasted. When it happens, freeze it! Let me demonstrate how simple it is.
Can You Freeze Zucchini?
Many people are unclear if zucchini can be frozen. The answer is: absolutely! Others ask if it can be frozen without being blanched. Again, the answer is yes!
However, zucchini and squash frozen in this manner won’t keep as long and will be mushy when thawed.
There are two ways to freeze zucchini successfully without blanching it:
- Shredded zucchini will probably be used in baking; however, it will be mushy after thawing and is still suitable for baking.
- Whole zucchini – It won’t matter whether it feels spongy or overly soft when you use it because you’ll need to combine it into a soup or sauce.
Is It Safe To Freeze Zucchini?
Slice the zucchini. Put the chopped zucchini in a sizable gallon-sized Ziploc bag after they have firmed up and been frozen.
Before zipping it up tightly, squeeze out as much air as possible. Before putting the bag in the freezer, write the date on it.
The shelf life of frozen zucchini is three to four months. After this point, the zucchini will start to develop freezer burn and lose a significant amount of taste. Trust your senses; if it has gone bad, just throw it away.
How To Freeze Zucchini?
You can freeze zucchini whole or in ready-to-cook forms. The entire zucchini can be frozen if it is put in an airtight container. If you don’t have a large enough container, you can safely cover it in cling film.
Slice, chip, or zoodle the zucchini into the desired form before freezing. Lay the zucchini pieces out on a baking sheet that has been lined with an airtight container after they appear to be dry.
The pieces should be spread out on a big tray and blotted with paper towels. Before placing all the zucchini pieces in a freezer bag, allow the container to remain in the freezer for about two hours.
Relevant content:
What Is The Best Way To Freeze Zucchini?
Although freezing zucchini is an excellent strategy to increase its shelf life, you can’t just throw a few squashes in the freezer and call it a day.
It lasts longer and helps to set the texture and color. After defrosting, raw zucchini becomes wet and weepy. You should chop and blanch it first to save it effectively.
Cutting zucchini crosswise into thick slices at least 1/2 an inch thick and maintaining their shape while being blanched and frozen is our preferred method for freezing zucchini that thaws nicely.
How To Thaw Frozen Zucchini?
Zoodles used in cooked meals such as soups, stews, and stir-fries don’t require defrosting. Zoodles or zucchini pieces that have been frozen should be taken right out of the freezer and either boiled on the stovetop or added to a pan to be pan-fried.
It is advisable to thaw zucchini before using it in a recipe so that the liquid generated during thawing won’t affect the batter’s consistency.
To catch the water while it is thawing, place the bag of frozen zucchini in a dish. Put it in the fridge to thaw for a few hours.
Alternatively, you can submerge the bag of zoodles in water to defrost them immediately. The defrosted zucchini should be drained and squeezed to remove any extra liquid before adding it to the batter.
How Long Does Frozen Zucchini Last?
Now that you know how to preserve and freeze zucchini, you might wonder how long you can use it.
Up to two weeks of fresh zucchini can be stored in the refrigerator or for around three to four days at room temperature. Cut or sliced zucchini keeps when stored in a tightly-closed container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
You can always freeze zucchini if those storage times are too brief for your requirements.
Summer squash, like zucchini, only lasts up to two weeks when prepared properly and doesn’t keep nearly as long as winter squash (like butternut or spaghetti squash).
Does Zucchini Freeze Well?
Although freezing zucchini is an excellent strategy to increase its shelf life, you can’t just throw a few squashes in the freezer and call it a day.
It lasts longer and helps to set the texture and color. After defrosting, raw zucchini becomes wet and weepy. You should chop and blanch it first to save it effectively.
If you have more zucchini than you can use shortly, freezing it is your best option because it will keep for about three months.
What Can You Use Frozen Zucchini For?
You may use frozen zucchini in many ways, but I’ve listed a few of my favorites below.
- Add it to a smoothie made with zucchini.
- Thaw it beforehand and use it in zucchini hummus.
- Oatmeal with it added (it can thaw as you heat the oatmeal)
- Use pureed zucchini in the chimichurri sauce rather than oil (thaw first)
- Include it in your go-to soup recipe.
Zucchini can be used as an additional vegetable in almost any prepared dish. The texture won’t be as robust as fresh zucchini, so I advise putting it in a container with other vegetables rather than on its own.
Final Verdict:
Zucchini noodles are an excellent, healthy alternative to pasta. They go well with Pad Thai, pho, and stir-fries and are a terrific substitute for spaghetti or lasagna. In addition, zucchini can be served as a side vegetable dish or added to cold salads with a vinaigrette.
Whether you intend to use your zucchini as noodles, in baking, or as a stew ingredient, freezing is a helpful strategy to extend the vegetable’s short shelf life and save time during preparation.
The best part is that it does not require thawing before cooking; you can simply remove it from the freezer and cook it on the stovetop for an easy-to-make, wholesome, and delectable supper! It has never been so easy to eat healthily.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Freeze Zucchini Halves?
Absolutely! Just as you would before filling the zucchini up, scoop out the seeds. They are then prepared.
To freeze zucchini in halves, the trick is to quickly freeze them on a baking sheet before putting them in a freezer container.
This will ensure that they maintain their shape and make it simple for you to fill them with your preferred vegetable mixture.
Can You Freeze Zucchini Slices?
Better than freezing whole zucchini is freezing them in slices. In this manner, they will take up less room in the freezer and, once thawed, be prepared for cooking.
However, zucchini possesses enzymes that will gradually rob it of its nutrients over time, much like many other vegetables. The veggie will also get softer and lose its color. The zucchini should therefore be blanched first.
In reality, blanching is nothing more than a brief immersion in hot water, followed by a plunge into freezing water.
The enzymes and any more bacteria on your zucchini will be eliminated throughout the blanching procedure. After blanching, you’re ready to freeze the vegetables.
Freeze them after portioning them out into pint- or quart-sized freezer baggies. Simply put, it makes them simpler to store, and when positioned correctly in the freezer, they take up less room.
Can You Freeze Shredded Zucchini?
Without a doubt, you can freeze shredded zucchini. The zucchini should be divided into small bags after shredding and then stacked in the freezer.
Consider your intended use for the frozen, shredded zucchini before selecting the appropriate container size.
When shredded vegetables are frozen, they tend to clump together, making it challenging, if not impossible, to extract the precise amount you need from a frozen piece.
