Table of Contents
What to do with too Much Zucchini Add it to Your Salads. Sliced or diced, zucchini is a nice addition to any salad. Put it in Spaghetti. Freeze It. Make Butter out of It. Enjoy Zucchini Bites. Try Greta’s Zucchini Bread Recipe. Add Zucchini to Turkey Burgers. Zucchini Soup is a Must.
Can you freeze zucchini?
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.
What is the best way to preserve zucchini?
Preserving zucchini Choose young squash with tender skin. Wash and cut in half-inch slices. Water blanch for three minutes. Cool promptly, drain and package, leaving half-inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.
Can you freeze zucchini slices without blanching?
Can I freeze zucchini without blanching it? Yes, you absolutely can freeze zucchini without boiling or cooking it! Instead of cutting it into slices, you will need to grate or shred the zucchini before freezing. Storing it like this will save you quite a bit of time.
How do you store zucchini long term?
To store zucchini in the fridge, keep the squash whole, dry and unwashed. Store them in a plastic or paper bag with one end open to encourage air circulation, and pop them in the refrigerator crisper drawer. They’ll keep there for 1 to 2 weeks, though you’ll probably see the skin start to shrivel over time.
How do you preserve zucchini to harvest?
Blot the zucchini dry with a paper towel and place on a baking sheet and place in the freezer. Freeze the zucchini for 1-2 hours. Once they’re frozen, transfer them to a freezer safe storage bag and freeze for several months.
What happens if you freeze vegetables without blanching?
It’s an extra step, but well worth it. Blanching helps vegetables keep their vibrant colors and retain nutrients, and stops the enzymes that would otherwise lead to spoilage. Freezing vegetables without blanching them first results in faded or dulled coloring, as well as off flavors and textures.
How big can zucchini get and still be good?
Zucchini are their best when they are between 6 to 8 inches long. When they are this size, they are perfect for creating zoodles, stir-frying, or just chopped and eaten raw with a nice salad. When they get larger than this size, they can become tough.
What is the best way to preserve squash and zucchini?
We recommend preserving summer squash or zucchini by pickling or freezing. Summer squash is good for you. It is low in calories and many varieties provide vitamin C, potassium and, if the skin is eaten, beta carotene. Preserve summer squash by freezing, pickle them for canning or dry them.
Can zucchini be safely canned?
We have currently no recommendations for canning summer squash or zucchini. For now, we recommend preserving summer squash and zucchini by pickling or freezing. The USDA has withdrawn recommendations for canning zucchini and summer squash, which appeared in former editions of So Easy to Preserve and in USDA bulletins.
How do you freeze cored zucchini?
Simply cut up your squash, place it on a tray with a little oil and bake until cooked through. This will take about 20 to 25 minutes to do, at which point remove from the oven and cool completely. Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then once frozen transfer to freezer bags.
What happens if you don’t blanch zucchini before freezing?
Yes, you can freeze zucchini without blanching it! Blanching vegetables before you freeze them is thought to deactivate their enzymes, which could potentially cause discoloration or make vegetables mushy. Keep in mind that frozen zucchini adds almost NO flavor or color to most smoothie recipes.
Does grated zucchini freeze well?
Wash and cut off ends of zucchini. Using either a box grater or food processor grate zucchini. Place zucchini shreds in a mason jar (pack it pretty tight) or a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3-4 months.
How do I freeze shredded zucchini with Foodsaver?
Freeze before vacuum packing! – If you seal before freezing then you will have zucchini juice all over the counter and inside your vacuum packing machine (and the bag will not seal properly). Place the bag in the freezer for no less than 8 hours. Sealed after zucchini was frozen.
How long will zucchini last in the freezer?
Now that you know how to store zucchini and how to freeze zucchini, you’re probably wondering how long you have to use it. Whole zucchini in the fridge can last up to a week and cut zucchini in the freezer can last up to three months.
Can you store zucchini in water?
Bring a pot of water to a boil, and transfer the veggie into the water. Try to keep the water boiling at all times. Keep the zucchini in the water for 3 minutes, then quickly cool it by plunging it into a pot of cold water (possibly with some ice cubes) for another 3 minutes.
Can you freeze cooked zucchini?
How to freeze cooked zucchini. Once cold, spread the zucchini on a tray or container where they can be well spaced. Freeze them for a couple of hours, then put them into a single freezer bag. For faster cooking, when you are going to defrost them, you can slightly blanch the zucchini before putting them in the freezer.
