How to freeze zucchini so you have supply all winter long!
I saw a saying the other day that read, “Give a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a woman to garden and the whole neighborhood gets zucchini.” That couldn’t be more true. When I plan my garden, I always plan on planting more of a plant than I’ll need, so that I can choose the most prolific plant and weed the rest. Well, this year I didn’t get around to weeding the weaker plants so I’m now stuck with six zucchini plants!
When I harvested my first zucchini of the year, I quickly rushed it inside, full of excitement and inspiration, ready to bake some muffins or brownies. But now, I have around 20 pounds of zucchini sitting on my counter, staring at me and begging me to do something with it. Rather than giving all my zucchini away this year, I’m going to keep more for myself this year so that we have some ready to use when the squash is scarce during the winter months.
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO FREEZE ZUCCHINI?
This all depends on what you’ll be using it for later on. If you’re planning on using it for baking, it’s best to grate it. However, if you’re planning on using it in stir fry, then perhaps chunks or slices is best. Either way, freezing zucchini whole isn’t recommended since it will be too difficult to hard to cut while it’s still frozen. You won’t want to wait until it defrosts because it’s quite soft at that point and will just turn to mush as you try and run a knife through it.
The process of freezing zucchini is the same, whether it’s in chunks, grated, or in zoodles. I don’t typically like the texture of frozen zoodles when used as a pasta substitute, but it is a great addition when used in a soup or stew.
HOW TO FREEZE ZUCCHINI
Choose the zucchinis you wish to freeze and wash them well. You can leave the skins on or take them off. I choose to leave them on since it’s just one less step that I have to do.
Cut the zucchini into the desired size; grate, chunks, or slices. You can also put zucchini into a food processor if you’re looking to really cut down on the time invested.
Blanch the zucchini:
Add processed zucchini to boiling water and allow it to cook for one minute.
Immediately scoop out the zucchini and add it to an iced water bath to stop the cooking process.
Once the zucchini has cooled, allow it to dry on a baking sheet or flat towel before freezing.
4. Fill freezer bags with zucchini. You can use Ziploc bags and such the air out or use an actual vacuum sealer, either way, try and get as much air out as possible to prevent freezer burn. The more air you can remove, the longer your veggies will last in the freezer. Make sure you write the quantity and the date on the bag before you plop it in the freezer!
DO I HAVE TO BLANCH THE ZUCCHINI?
No, that step is totally optional. I do it because it helps to preserve the colour and texture of the vegetable, which gives it a crisper, fresher taste after being thawed. Zucchini, and other vegetables that have a high water content, tend to become soft and watery after being frozen. But, if you’re going to be using it in soups, stews, or chills you probably won’t notice the difference!
HOW TO USE FROZEN ZUCCHINI
As I mentioned, zucchini can get extra watery after being frozen. If you’re having a hard time getting rid of the moisture, use this simple trick:
After allowing the zucchini to completely thaw, empty the contents of the bag into a bowl. Salt the zucchini and cover with a paper towel. Then let it sit in the fridge for about 12 hours. This should help pull the moisture out of the zucchini (yay science!). Whatever liquid is in the bowl can then be removed using a strainer.
I generally opt to use my thawed zucchini in baking as a way to hide vegetables from my toddler, but it works great in almost any one-pot recipe!
Let me know in the comment section some of your favourite zucchini recipes! Follow along for more tips!
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