How to Freeze Zucchini - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

FAQs

How do you freeze zucchini without it getting soggy? ›

Blanch Before Freezing

Blanching — giving the zucchini a quick dunk in boiling water — deactivates the enzymes that would otherwise cause the zucchini to become mushy and discolored.

Portion the grated zucchini into an amount that's convenient for you (say, 1- or 2-cup servings) and pack into resealable freezer bags or airtight containers. Put the amount and that day's date on the label. Use within 3 to 4 months.

p*rnsriniyom doesn't advise freezing a whole zucchini as it requires a great amount of time to thaw and can become dull in color and mushy in texture.

Frozen zucchini will be mushy when it thaws, so it's best used in recipes where the texture isn't essential-- like in soups, curries, and frozen smoothies. It also can be thawed and used in a blended recipe, like my Zucchini Hummus.

While freezing zucchini is a great way to extend its life, it's not as simple as just popping a few squash into your freezer. Raw zucchini gets weepy and watery after thawing. To effectively save it, you should chop and blanch it first. This helps set the texture and color and makes it last longer.

Because of the high water content in zucchini, it won't keep its firm texture through the freezing and thawing process, blanched or not.

However, instead of popping the breaded zucchini chips in the air fryer, you're going to put them in the freezer instead. I like to lay the breaded zucchini chips out on a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet while they freeze. You can line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set them on that too.

Place your zoodles in small, freezer-safe bags.

If your zoodles seem dry enough, place them inside a number of small, freezer-safe bags. Though you can keep your zoodles in a single, large bag, smaller storage portions are more likely to keep their form and texture once thawed.

Seal the vegetables in bags using a vacuum sealing system or by removing as much air as possible from a freezer bag before sealing. Label the containers or bags with the name of the vegetable, the cut, and date. Once sealed and frozen, it can be stored for up to 3 months or up to a year or more if vacuum sealed.

On the other hand, they may simply be waterlogging if your garden is poorly drained. Another possibility is squash bugs have damaged them and rot has set in as a result. In the meantime, keep removing the infected fruit as soon as you see signs of the problem.

How do you cook zucchini so it doesn't get mushy? ›

The secret to zucchini with the best flavor and texture is roasting it in a 450°F oven. Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy.

Mushy veggies are also often the result of overcooking. When the interior is loaded with moisture, you have to cook it for much longer to evaporate all of the water and avoid the interior having the unappealing, spongy, raw texture that eggplant and zucchini are notorious for.

Pre-freeze the zucchini by laying the slices out on a tray using a baking sheet. Place it in the freezer for 1-2 hours, or until it's frozen. This ensure you don't end up with one big clump of frozen zucchini. Package your zucchini in freezer bags and store it away for up to one year!

Shredded zucchini doesn't require blanching before freezing. Shredded zucchini packs well in freezer bags or rigid containers. Note that vegetables that are not blanched have about a 6 month storage life in the freezer.

You can add frozen zucchini directly to soup without thawing, but if you're making bread, cookies or cake, you should thaw it and blot it dry.

Slice and salt zucchini in advance of cooking to draw out some of the vegetable's excess moisture (while also seasoning it more thoroughly). To do this, cut up a pound of zucchini and toss it with ½ teaspoon of table salt. Let it drain in a colander for about 30 minutes before patting it dry and cooking it.

But when zucchini freezes additional moisture builds up in the bag so when you thaw it, there is more moisture than the equivalent amount of fresh zucchini would have. Therefore, yes you should drain thawed, frozen zucchini – but you don't need to wring it out completely. Hope that makes sense.

Line a dry baking sheet with parchment paper and place the squash cubes or slices on it in a single layer. Freeze for one hour, or until solid. Once the squash has frozen solid, you can slide if off the parchment paper and transfer it to zip-top freezer bags to store for the long haul.

If freezing in zip-close storage bags or if you're using a vacuum sealing system, first freeze slices or cubes on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Seal the vegetables in bags using a vacuum sealing system or by removing as much air as possible from a freezer bag before sealing.