Ah zucchini… It’s the crop that just keeps on giving. Here are five ways to freeze zucchini so you can enjoy the harvest bounty well into winter.

bowl of frozen zucchini pieces on a table

If you grow zucchini in your garden, you understand how prolific it can be. It is easy to go from nothing to basketfuls of zucchini in a matter of a few days.

Luckily, there are many ways to use zucchini and you have options of preserving the harvest bounty to enjoy well after the garden is finished for the season. Below are five ways to freeze zucchini.

Tips for Freezing Zucchini

When selecting zucchini for freezing as slices, noodles, or halves, choose firm slender young zucchini about 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long. The zucchini should be bright colored and free of blemishes, soft spots, and wrinkled skin.

As zucchini grows larger, it becomes tough and develops more seeds. Large zucchini are best preserved shredded or puréed. Scoop out seeds and spongy areas with the tip of a spoon.

Ideally, harvest just before freezing for the best quality, or up to three days. Store unwashed zucchini in the refrigerator crisper draw. Wash the zucchini well in cool running water before preparing it for the freezer.

Do you have to blanch zucchini before freezing?

Blanching is the process of partially cooking vegetables in boiling water for a short time to slow the enzymes that causes lost flavor, color and texture. The process of blanching also washes off any bacteria that might be on the surface.

Properly blanched, packaged, and frozen zucchini should maintain high quality for approximately 10 months. For the best quality, blanch zucchini pieces (slices, chunks, and halves) first before freezing.

However, if you are pressed for time and need to get an abundance of zucchini preserved in the freezer quickly, go ahead and skip the blanching. Just be sure to use it up within 2 months and understand that it may get soft or mushy during the freezing process.

I usually skip blanching shredded and noodled zucchini because the quality loss doesn’t matter when adding the thawed zucchini to baked goods. I sometimes even skip blanching diced and sliced zucchini.

How to Preserve Zucchini by Freezing

Freezing zucchini is the easiest way to preserve a bumper crop and uses common equipment you probably have in your kitchen.

Equipment Needed to Freeze Zucchini:

Large pot of water
Large bowl of ice water
Box grater (for grating zucchini)
Food processor (for grating lots of zucchini or purée)
Vegetable Spiralizer (if freezing zucchini noodles)
Knife
Cutting Board
Baking sheets
Parchment paper
Zipper type freezer bags
Measuring cup (to measure grated zucchini)

How to Freeze Zucchini Slices

Zucchini slices come in handy for sautés, soups, stir fries, and casseroles. Keep the zucchini slices frozen until you are ready to use and just toss them in.

Large zucchinis don’t work well for this method of freezing. The skin gets chewy and the Consider shredding larger zucchinis instead.

Step 1: Prepare your blanching equipment

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. While the pot is heating up, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.

Step 2: Prepare the zucchini

Use freshly harvested, small to medium size zucchini with no blemishes or soft spots. Wash well to remove any residue and soil. Trim off ends. There is no need to peel zucchini, but if you choose to, use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.

Think about how you use zucchini and cut it accordingly. You can slice it into thick rounds, chunks, or dices.

Step 3: Blanch the zucchini

Drop your zucchini pieces into the boiling water and boil for 3-minutes. Remove the zucchini and plunge into the bowl of ice water to cool for about 10 minutes.

Once the zucchini pieces are cool, remove them from the ice water and dry well with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 4: Freeze the zucchini pieces on baking sheets

Pre-freezing the zucchini pieces before placing them into a freezer bag will help prevent the zucchini from sticking together and allow you to grab a handful when needed.

Add the parchment paper to the baking sheet to prevent the zucchini from sticking to the pan. Spread out the zucchini pieces so they are not touching. Place the baking sheets in the freezer until the zucchini is solid.

Step 5: Package the frozen zucchini pieces into freezer bags

Add the frozen zucchini to freezer bags, remove air by sucking out with a straw, and seal the bag. Label and date and store the frozen zucchini in the freezer until you are ready to use. Use within 8-10 months.

How to Freeze Shredded Zucchini

Thawed shredded zucchini can be used to make frittatas, quiche, and baked goods such as zucchini bread and muffins.

Step 1: Prepare the zucchini

Choose fresh small, medium, or large zucchinis. Wash the zucchini well under running water to remove any residue and soil.

Trim off the ends and cut large zucchini into manageable pieces. If the seeds are large, scoop them out with a spoon. If there are spongy areas in the center, go ahead and scoop that out as well.

Step 2: Shred the zucchini

Use a box grater or food processor with shredding blade and shred the zucchini.

Step 3: Package the shredded zucchini into freezer bags

Fill your freezer bags with the shredded zucchini. The shredded zucchini will stick together, so measure it out and package it up the way you will use it.

I like to measure it out into 2-cup increments because that is the amount my favorite zucchini bread and muffin recipes need. Remove as much air as you can from the bag, label, and freeze flat for easy storage. Use within 8-10 months.

Thaw before using. Keep the liquid if you are using the shredded zucchini in baked goods, but drain it if you are making frittatas or quiche.

How to Freeze Zucchini Noodles

Frozen zucchini noodles are a great addition to soups, stir frys, and as a substitute for pasta topped with your favorite sauce.

Step 1: Prepare the zucchini

Choose fresh small, medium, or large zucchinis. Wash the zucchini well under running water to remove any residue and soil.

Trim off the ends and cut large zucchini into manageable pieces. If the seeds are large, scoop them out with a spoon. If there are spongy areas in the center, go ahead and scoop that out as well.

Step 2: Spiralize the zucchini into noodles

Use a vegetable spiralizer and turn the zucchini into noodles. If you don’t have a spirilizer, use a vegetable peeler and a knife. Slide the peeler down the length of the zucchini to make long strips. Cut the strips into noodle sizes.

Step 3: Pat the noodles dry

Spread the zucchini noodles out on a clean kitchen towel and blot gently to remove extra moisture.

Step 4: Package the zucchini noodles into freezer bags

Fill your freezer bags with the zucchini noodles.

Remove as much air as you can from the bag, label, and freeze flat for easy storage. Use within 3-5 months. Use frozen and cook briefly, only about a minute.

How to Freeze Zucchini Halves

Blanched and frozen zucchini halves are ready for filling with you favorite stuffing and baking in the oven. You can also cut them into smaller pieces while frozen and add to your favorite recipes.