For the best quality, blanch zucchini pieces slices, chunks, and halves first before freezing. However, if you are pressed for time and need to get an abundance of zucchini preserved in the freezer quickly, go ahead and skip the blanching.
Just be sure to use it up within 2 months and understand that it may get soft or mushy during the freezing process. I sometimes even skip blanching diced and sliced zucchini. Freezing zucchini is the easiest way to preserve a bumper crop and uses common equipment you probably have in your kitchen.
Keep the zucchini slices frozen until you are ready to use and just toss them in. The skin gets chewy and the Consider shredding larger zucchinis instead. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. While the pot is heating up, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Use freshly harvested, small to medium size zucchini with no blemishes or soft spots. Wash well to remove any residue and soil. Trim off ends. There is no need to peel zucchini, but if you choose to, use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.
Think about how you use zucchini and cut it accordingly. You can slice it into thick rounds, chunks, or dices. Drop your zucchini pieces into the boiling water and boil for 3-minutes. Remove the zucchini and plunge into the bowl of ice water to cool for about 10 minutes. Once the zucchini pieces are cool, remove them from the ice water and dry well with a clean kitchen towel.
Pre-freezing the zucchini pieces before placing them into a freezer bag will help prevent the zucchini from sticking together and allow you to grab a handful when needed. Add the parchment paper to the baking sheet to prevent the zucchini from sticking to the pan.
Spread out the zucchini pieces so they are not touching. Place the baking sheets in the freezer until the zucchini is solid. Add the frozen zucchini to freezer bags, remove air by sucking out with a straw, and seal the bag.
Label and date and store the frozen zucchini in the freezer until you are ready to use. Use within months. Thawed shredded zucchini can be used to make frittatas, quiche, and baked goods such as zucchini bread and muffins. Choose fresh small, medium, or large zucchinis.
Wash the zucchini well under running water to remove any residue and soil. Trim off the ends and cut large zucchini into manageable pieces. If the seeds are large, scoop them out with a spoon. If there are spongy areas in the center, go ahead and scoop that out as well.
Fill your freezer bags with the shredded zucchini. The shredded zucchini will stick together, so measure it out and package it up the way you will use it. I like to measure it out into 2-cup increments because that is the amount my favorite zucchini bread and muffin recipes need.
Remove as much air as you can from the bag, label, and freeze flat for easy storage. Thaw before using. Keep the liquid if you are using the shredded zucchini in baked goods, but drain it if you are making frittatas or quiche. Frozen zucchini noodles are a great addition to soups, stir frys, and as a substitute for pasta topped with your favorite sauce. Use a vegetable spiralizer and turn the zucchini into noodles. For casseroles or other places where extra liquid might be problematic, thaw the zucchini first, and then toss in the solid pieces without the juice from defrosting.
When you go to make your favorite zucchini bread or muffin recipe, just swap out the fresh shredded zucchini for your frozen shredded zucchini—no need to thaw. Since you squeezed out the majority of the moisture before freezing, this frozen zucchini is perfect for adding moisture to your favorite quick breads. You can do this with any amount of zucchini, as long as spiralized or sliced zucchini are kept in a single layer during the initial freeze.
At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Some great tips, thank you. I do this all the time. At Wholefully, we believe vibrant, glowing health is your birthright. The free Living Wholefully Starter Guide is packed full of tips, tricks, recipes, and a day meal plan to get you started on the road to vibrant health.
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In this totally free yup! Free Starter Guide. Only Search Recipes. Recipe At-A-Glance. Yes, you can freeze zucchini! Let us show you how to freeze zucchini noodles, shreds, and slices for use in your kitchen all year long.
Jump Directly to Recipe. Bring the water to a full boil and toss in the zucchini. Let the zucchini cook for just one minute. Side note, do not add any salt as this will cause it to become mushy before freezing! Remove the zucchini from the water with a slotted spoon or skimmer and transfer to an ice water bath.
Let the zucchini chill for 2 minutes in the ice water bath, then drain. Blot the zucchini dry with a paper towel and place on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Freeze the zucchini for hours. Once they're frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe storage bag and freeze for several months.
Lisa's Tips To avoid freezer burn, it's best to use your frozen zucchini within 6 months. Course: Side Dish. Cuisine: American. Keyword: frozen zucchini, How to freeze zucchini. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag downshiftology and hashtag it downshiftology. You May Also Like Leave a Comment Cancel reply All comments are moderated before appearing on the site.
Recipe Rating Recipe Rating. Gaby — July 28, am Reply. Downshiftology — July 29, pm Reply. Fleurdelys Strongoli — June 18, pm Reply. Thank you! Downshiftology — June 22, pm Reply. Brittany — August 7, am Reply. Downshiftology — August 7, am Reply. Rejeanne Martin — August 3, am Reply. Downshiftology — August 3, pm Reply. Jana — August 2, pm Reply. Downshiftology — August 3, am Reply. Freezing zucchini noodles is not ideal as it retains a lot of moisture!
Wendy — August 26, pm Reply. Joyce L Becker — August 1, pm Reply. Instructions for using IP? Lisa Bryan — August 1, pm Reply. Denis — July 10, am Reply. Maribel Holtz — July 1, am Reply. Downshiftology — July 6, pm Reply.
Gene Love Sr. Lisa Bryan — June 27, pm Reply. Great — hope you enjoy the frozen zucchini in many recipes! Teresa Murley — May 27, am Reply. Downshiftology — May 28, am Reply. Marilyn Kaye — March 21, am Reply. Downshiftology — March 21, pm Reply. Hi Marilyn — Always good to know how to blanch veggies for freezing :. Kim D — February 18, pm Reply.
Lisa Bryan — February 20, pm Reply. Catherine Vettese — February 11, am Reply.
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