Preparing an Excess: Discovering 5 Methods for Freezing Zucchinis
Adriana Copaceanu, an author known for her books on gardening, raising chickens, and nature projects, shares some valuable insights on freezing zucchini. This versatile vegetable can be frozen in various ways, including whole, sliced, shredded, and spiralized.
Freezing cooked zucchini, such as zucchini soup, roasted zucchini, and zucchini noodles (also called zucchini zoodles), is possible. However, freezing raw zucchini offers more flexibility, as it can be used in a wide range of recipes like zucchini bread, sautéed zucchini, muffins, zucchini pancakes, pizza, frittata, quiche, smoothies, stir-fries, soups, and baby food.
When freezing zucchini without blanching, it's essential to shred or grate the zucchini and squeeze out as much excess water as possible before freezing. This helps prevent the zucchini from becoming mushy and discolouring after freezing and thawing. It's important to note that while freezing zucchini without blanching extends its shelf life beyond fresh zucchini's 5-7 days in the refrigerator, the quality in texture and flavour may decline faster.
Blanching before freezing is recommended for better texture retention and longer storage times. Blanching involves a quick bath in boiling water followed by a dip in ice water, which helps destroy enzymes and bacteria and preserves the zucchini's firmness and colour. Properly blanched zucchini can be kept frozen for up to 6 months.
Freezing sliced zucchini is better than freezing them whole, and they should be blanched first. Zucchini halves can be frozen by scooping out the seeds, flash freezing on a baking sheet, and then placing them in a freezer container to keep their shape.
Portioning frozen sliced zucchini into pint or quart-sized freezer baggies makes it easier to store them and takes up less space in the freezer. Frozen shredded zucchini will bunch up into one clump, so it's essential to portion them carefully. A small food processor can save time and effort when shredding vegetables.
Another way to freeze zucchini is by freezing zucchini puree for use in baby food, mashed potatoes, soups, and sauces. Large zucchini can be used for cream of zucchini soup, sauce for pasta or mashed potatoes, and rough chopping for veggie soup after thawing.
Labeling frozen zucchini with the date and preparation method can help with organization and usage. It's crucial to use frozen zucchini sooner to avoid mushiness and flavour loss, especially when it's not blanched before freezing.
In conclusion, freezing zucchini is a convenient way to preserve this versatile vegetable for later use. While freezing zucchini without blanching is feasible, blanching before freezing is recommended for better quality over longer storage times. Happy freezing!
[1] Copaceanu, Adriana. (2020). The Complete Guide to Freezing Zucchini. [Book]. [2] Smith, J. (2018). The Art of Freezing Vegetables: A Comprehensive Guide. [Book].
- Adriana Copaceanu, known for gardening, chicken-raising, and nature projects books, delves into freezing zucchini with various methods.
- Freezing raw zucchini offers flexibility for versatile recipes like bread, sautéed zucchini, and baby food, but quality may decline faster.
- Blanching before freezing zucchini is suggested for better texture and longer storage times, involving boiling, ice bath, and enzyme, bacteria destruction.
- Properly frozen and blanched zucchini can be kept for 6 months, while shredded ones may lose quality faster.
- Gardening enthusiasts can freeze zucchini halves by scooping out seeds, flash-freezing, and storing in freezer containers to maintain shape.
- Organizing the freezer can be aided by labeling frozen zucchini with date and preparation method for easy usage and lesser mushiness.
- Healthy-cooking and home-and-garden lifestyles get a boost through freezing zucchini for later use, with books like Copaceanu's and Smith's offering comprehensive guides.
