Step by step instructions on how to freeze zucchini - a way to deal with at least a small portion of the kilos from the garden!
If you have ever grown zucchini and been able to keep up with it, I'd like to hear about it. If you have 20 kids, it doesn't count. We are just lucky we have pigs for when we get the inevitable "left it to grow for 30 minutes too long and now I have a marrow" situation!
We had 2 zucchini plants this year. And we grew approximately 60,000 zucchinis. Now I'm not great at maths, but I'm pretty sure if I ate all that zucchini I would turn into a zucchini.
So after eating fried zucchini, barbequed zucchini, boiled zucchini, zucchini with eggs, zucchini loaf I was ready to do something else with it and what is my go to when it comes to preserving extra food? Freeze it of course! I sliced some up to freeze so that we could have them all winter - as they are so full of water though I'm not sure how they will go - I'll let you know!
But something I know that works for sure is to grate it and freeze it. Then you have zucchini that you can pull out of the freezer and use in just about anything over winter. I particularly like it in zucchini loaf or muffins but I'm sure you could throw it in a stirfry too.
Chop of the ends and grate away until you have a mountain of the stuff.
This step is SUPER IMPORTANT. Seriously, don't miss it out. All zucchini, especially if you are using monsters that have been left in the garden about 5 days longer than they should have been, are mostly made up of water. You'll be able to tell with the grated zucchini that there is a LOT of liquid. So you squeeze it out.
Lay out a clean tea towel.
Put a pile of grated zucchini in the middle
And wrap it up tight.
Now you will have your arm work out for the day. Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze until you can't squeeze anymore. Don't be scared of hurting the zucchini - it'll be fine. Be as rough as you like. But seriously, squeeze the heck out of it.
Look how much water came out of this little bunch. You don't wanna be freezing that - way too watery.
Once you have got as much liquid out as you can, measure it into portions (I use 1 or 2 cups) and put in labeled ziplock bags to go in the freezer.
Now we will be sick of zucchini all year round instead of just in summer!
Christine says
For some stupid reason,my zuchinni plants don't produce female flowers, hence, no zucks. Had 5 plants , only 1 flourished, with about 5 zucks. The rest either didn't produce or had 1. What's your secret?
Laura says
Hi Christine, that is so strange! I've never had this problem and all the solutions I can find online are based on it being a pollination issue, not a complete lack of female flowers completely! But I would maybe try planting a couple of different varieties and seeing how they go together - that might help with pollination on the female flowers you do get - and I would also plant flowers and other bee friendly things nearby to help with this!
Monica says
I just have a question if I need to strain them. I have an amazing zucchini brownie that calls for shredded without taking any moisture out of it when I use it. And 3 cups. Would I be alright freezing for this particular recipe? (Look for the gal that has the blog “Iambaker ) Would highly recommend it!!!
Laura says
Hi Monica! Yes, thawed zucchini would work fine, just make sure you squeeze it out really well before adding it to the recipe as it can hold quite a lot of water when frozen!
Heidi Wruck says
Love it when I get to sit and cackle away at your writing!
Question: have you got any hints for grating in the food processor? I'm so new to using this thing I don't know what half the attachments are!
<3 your work!
Karen says
hahaha All-year-round instead of just summer !!
Zahia says
Your blog is great ..
Laura says
Thank you Zahia! 🙂
BreAnna @ Crafty Coin says
Haha! This post made me smile! I think this is a good problem to have 😉
BreAnna | Crafty Coin
Real Food on a Real Budget
Laura says
Thanks BreAnna! I agree! Zucchini is definitely one of my favourite veges!
A Home Cook says
Zucchini gluts. Aren't they great.
We dry zucchini for use in winter. It's fantastic for stews and the like. We also preserve it for an antipasto style dish. We had a great recipe for zucchini chutney, but I'm the only one here who likes it, and I've lost the recipe anyway.
For immediate use, we've got zuccanoes (moosewood style) and kabak mucveri and more.
Laura says
Wow turns out there are so many things you can do with zucchini!
Barb says
We make faux apple crisp from our excess. So good!
quarteracrelifestyle says
We are like that here too, it is handy in the freezer though. I make a delicious chutney with zucchini, it takes 1.5 kg at a time and I make about 5 batches for the year as it's my husbands favourite. It tastes like a sweet fruit chutney.
Laura says
I love chutney! You'll have to share the recipe 🙂
quarteracrelifestyle says
🙂 https://quarteracrelifestyle.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/the-yummiest-sweet-zucchini-chutney/
Laura says
Oh yum that looks great! Thanks for sharing!
The Happy Healthy Kiwi says
Love zucchini and I always buy too much but never thought to do this! I'm planning to grow it next season too. Thanks for the great inspo ☺
Laura says
It's so easy to grow, you should for sure!
Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says
I will also make zucchini noodles with a spiral tool, drain and freeze too! Zucchini and Quinoa muffins are good. Zucchini and banana bread with nuts.
Laura says
What great ideas!