Can you freeze zucchini?
Can you freeze zucchini? Yes, you can freeze zucchini for about 10-12 months. You can freeze them raw or cooked.
Frozen zucchini will not have the same texture or flavor as fresh zucchini. If you want to freeze raw zucchini for several months, it is best to blanch them beforehand to limit changes in texture and flavor.
How to freeze raw zucchini?
The benefit of blanching your zucchini before freezing them is that you’re more likely that they won’t be soft or discolored when thawed. This operation is very simple and practically does not take time, which is why it is worth carrying out.
- Start by cutting your zucchini into pieces, such as slices or cubes. The size and shape of the pieces don’t matter; just make sure they all have a similar build.
- Next, boil water in a saucepan and fill a basin with cold water. Keep the basin close to the stove because you will need to have it close at hand. Once the water is boiling, put the zucchini pieces in a metal colander and plunge them into the boiling water. Leave the zucchini pieces in the boiling water for 60 seconds, then remove the colander and immediately plunge the zucchini pieces into the basin filled with cold water.
- Wash and let the zucchini pieces dry. You can pat them with paper towel to save time.
- Once the zucchini pieces are dry, spread them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure the pieces don’t touch each other. The idea is to pre-freeze each piece individually so that they don’t stick together afterwards. This will make it easier to defrost small portions. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for several hours.
- Once the zucchini pieces are completely frozen, remove the baking sheet from the freezer then transfer the pieces to a resealable freezer bag. You can use multiple freezer bags if you want to freeze individual portions.
- Seal the freezer bag tightly, pushing out as much air as possible.
- Label the freezer bag with the date and contents, then return the zucchini to the freezer.
How to freeze cooked zucchini?
- Cook your zucchini as usual following your favorite recipe.
- Then let your zucchini cool before freezing them.
- Spread the zucchini pieces out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure the pieces don’t touch each other. The idea is to pre-freeze each piece individually so they don’t stick together later. This will make it easier to defrost small portions. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for several hours.
- Once the zucchini pieces are completely frozen, remove the baking sheet from the freezer and transfer the pieces to a freezer bag or an airtight container. You can use multiple freezer bags or multiple containers if you want to freeze individual portions.
- Seal the freezer bag or container tightly, pushing out as much air as possible.
- Label the freezer bag or container with the date and contents, then return the zucchini to the freezer.
What is the shelf life of zucchini in the freezer?
Raw zucchini, blanched beforehand, will keep for about 10 to 12 months in the freezer . After this time, they may suffer from freezer burn; their flavor and texture may deteriorate.
Likewise, cooked zucchini will keep for about 10 to 12 months in the freezer .
How to defrost zucchini?
In many cases, you don’t need to thaw your zucchini. You can cook them as they are without defrosting them or add them directly to your hot dishes, for example in your vegetable stews, stews or soups.
If you want to thaw your zucchini beforehand, take them out of the freezer and put them in a bowl in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Can you refreeze zucchini?
We strongly advise against refreezing zucchini. Although safe, the texture and flavor of your zucchini will suffer significantly.
Can you freeze grated zucchini?
Yes, you can freeze grated zucchini. However, grated zucchini tends to form a clump, which makes it difficult to thaw small portions later.
We recommend instead that you freeze large pieces of zucchini, then grate them afterwards after defrosting.
Can you freeze zucchini flowers?
Although it is possible to freeze zucchini flowers, we advise you not to try.
Unfortunately, when you freeze something delicate like zucchini flowers, there is a good chance that the texture will suffer. The texture being important for zucchini flowers, we do not recommend freezing them because you risk severely denaturing them.
