Zucchini noodles pack best in freezer bags. Drain as much water from the zoodles as possible, then transfer to a towel-lined pan to dry.įreeze. Steam blanch the zucchini noodles for 3 minutes, tossing them around at the 90-second mark. A straight, medium-sized zucchini works best for turning into noodles.īlanch. There are different options available for this the brand I use is called Spiralizer. Making zoodles requires a gadget that will “noodle” them. Zucchini isn’t the only summer squash you can make into noodles-try using yellow varieties too! Use zucchini noodles as a vegetable alternative to traditional pasta.
Zoodles freeze perfectly, and I think they are better frozen-thawed than fresh! The process of blanching wilts and softens the zucchini, and once thawed, all they need is a quick sauté. Photo © Crystal Schmidt Freezing Zucchini Noodles, or “Zoodles” Consider flash freezing squash to use in smaller quantities. Drain as much water as possible, then spread out the warm squash on a towel-lined pan to cool and dry.įreeze. Steam blanch for 4 minutes, tossing the squash around at the 2-minute mark. If the squash is more than 2½ inches in diameter, scoop out the soft, spongy center before slicing.īlanch. Cut squash in half lengthwise, then slice into 1-inch pieces. Use smaller, tender summer squash if the intention is to cook with it, and large, overgrown ones for smoothies. When blended with bold flavors such as strawberries, blueberries, or chocolate, the squash all but disappears. Use chunks of frozen squash instead of ice cubes. Hint: soup!Ī hidden talent of frozen summer squash is adding bulk and nutrients to smoothies.
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I used to be in the latter camp until I figured out how to freeze these ingredients properly and which dishes they work best in. It seems like either you love frozen zucchini and other summer squash or you don’t. There are some instances where draining away all of the liquid is beneficial, as with meatballs, meatloaf, fritters, and quiche. Liquid from thawed zucchini does contain nutrients, so in recipes where a little extra liquid won’t hurt, I don’t drain the zucchini before adding it. I find that draining some of the liquid-up to half of it- works well for most baking recipes.
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Whether or not to drain this extra liquid depends on what you’re making, and finding the best approach might require trial and error.īaked goods. I wish there were a straightforward answer on how to deal with this issue. Thawed zucchini will release a lot of liquid, which can affect how your recipe turns out. Photo © Crystal Schmidt Cooking & Baking with Frozen Shredded Zucchini
If you have a favorite zucchini recipe, freeze shredded zucchini in the amount that it calls for to make baking easier. Once thawed, it will be difficult to accurately measure. It’s a good practice to measure shredded zucchini before freezing it and to write the amount on the freezer container.
Consider freezing ½-cup portions in a silicone muffin pan. Shredded zucchini packs well in freezer bags or rigid containers. Shredded zucchini does not require blanching.įreeze. If the zucchini is more than 2½ inches in diameter, cut it in half and scoop out the soft, spongy center before shredding. Use a box grater or food processor with a shredding disc attachment to shred zucchini. You can apply this technique to other types of summer squash too. Of course, there are classic baked goods such as zucchini bread, but shredded zucchini is also useful for adding extra veg to dishes like chili, meatloaf, eggs, oatmeal, blended soups, and even pancakes. Shredded zucchini is versatile and can be added to just about anything you can dream up. Shredding is a handy way to use up large or overgrown zucchini. Photo © Robert Olding/Studio Eight Freezing Shredded Zucchini
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