Make the most of fresh zucchini and summer squash with all the tips you need for how to freeze zucchini. Learn how to freeze zucchini for baking, freeze it without cooking, and the best way to freeze it for soups, sauces, and more.
How to Freeze Zucchini
Three are three basic ways to freeze zucchini that I plan to share in this post. Each one varies in the amount of prep time involved and are best suited to specific uses after freezing.
We’ll cover how to freeze zucchini without cooking it, how to freeze shredded zucchini, and how to freeze blanched zucchini—and how to use each of them once frozen.
Plus, there are tips for our favorite zucchini recipes to make whenever you’re ready.
(You may also like How to Freeze Tomatoes or Baked Zucchini Fritters.)
Table of Contents
- How to Freeze Zucchini
- Ingredients You Need
- How to Freeze Zucchini for Baking
- Recipes to Try with Frozen Grated Zucchini
- How to Freeze Raw Zucchini
- Recipes to Try with Frozen Raw Zucchini
- How to Blanch Zucchini for Soups, Stir Fries, and More
- Recipes to Try with Frozen Blanched Zucchini
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Store
- Best Tips for Success
- How to Freeze Zucchini Recipe
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Ingredients You Need
To freeze zucchini, all you need is zucchini. Any traditional or heirloom variety of green zucchini will work with these methods, as well yellow summer squash.
If working with a very large zucchini, you may find very large seeds inside. You can skip grating that part of the interior of the zucchini if you prefer.
How to Freeze Zucchini for Baking
If you primarily want to preserve zucchini to have it on hand for baked goods like Zucchini Bread, Zucchini Carrot Muffins, and Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, freezing shredded zucchini in the amounts you typically use in your recipes is the easiest option.
The main goal with this method is to remove the water in the zucchini to prevent the baked goods from being too wet on the inside.
Step 2. Place it into a clean kitchen towel, wrap up, and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
Step 3. Discard the liquid (or use it in cocktails or to flavor water), and measure out the shredded zucchini in ½ or 1 cup amounts.
Step 4. Add to freezer bags, press flat, and remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 1 year.
Recipes to Try with Frozen Grated Zucchini
How to Freeze Raw Zucchini
If you want to do as little work as possible, freezing sliced zucchini without cooking it is my go-to method.
Step 1. Slice raw zucchini.
Step 2. Add a single layer to a freezer safe bag. Freeze.
Once frozen, you can add zucchini to smoothies—any kind is fine, though it’s great in this Chocolate Smoothie or Blueberry Smoothie. Or, you can add directly to a pan to cook into Zucchini Pasta Sauce. Since that sauce is pureed at the end, the texture of the zucchini doesn’t matter.
(Raw zucchini that is frozen and then cooked can be a little mushy or squeaky.)
Recipes to Try with Frozen Raw Zucchini
Below are some of our favorite zucchini recipes that you can make with frozen zucchini.
How to Blanch Zucchini for Soups, Stir Fries, and More
If you want to use frozen zucchini in Ratatouille, Veggie Soup, Zucchini Stir Fry, or any recipe where it will not be blended, this is your best bet. To blanch and freeze zucchini, here’s what you’ll do:
- Dice the zucchini.
- Add it to a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Lift out with a big slotted spoon and drain. Place onto a clean kitchen towel to dry and cool completely.
- Transfer to a freezer bag in one flat later. Remove as much air as possible with a straw and seal. Freeze for up to 1 year.
- To use, add frozen zucchini right into your recipe.
Recipes to Try with Frozen Blanched Zucchini
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, though it is best used in recipes where it will be blended such as smoothies, soups, or sauces. You can also freeze raw shredded zucchini to use in future baking.
You can freeze raw shredded zucchini without blanching to use in baked goods or you can freeze raw zucchini to use in smoothies, sauces, or soups that are blended smooth.
Blanching zucchini, or cooking it for one minute in boiling water, then cooling completely before freezing, will reduce the potential for mushiness when the frozen zucchini is cooked and warmed through.
How to Store
Add the prepped zucchini to a freezer bag in a flat layer. Seal almost all the way, then remove the air with your mouth or a straw. Seal. This creates a sort of DIY vacuum seal. Freeze for up to 1 year.
Best Tips for Success
- Discard the stems of the zucchini before preparing.
- Use yellow summer squash or green zucchini.
- Remove as much liquid as you can from the shredded zucchini before freezing. This will make it ready to use in your baked goods.
- Let frozen shredded zucchini thaw and remove any moisture you see before adding to a baked good recipe.
- Add frozen raw or blanched zucchini directly to recipes still frozen.
Related Recipes
Breakfast
Banana Baked Oatmeal with Zucchini
Preserving
How to Freeze Tomatoes
Muffins
Easy Zucchini Carrot Muffins
I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please comment and rate it below!
How to Freeze Zucchini
Ingredients
- 1 (or more) zucchini (or summer squash)
Instructions
To Freeze Raw Zucchini for Smoothies, Soups, and Sauces
- Wash and dry the zucchini. Slice into ½-1 inch slices, discarding the ends.
- Place into a freezer bag in a flat layer. Seal the bag almost all the way, remove the air with a straw, then seal. Freeze.
- Add directly to your recipe while frozen.
To Freeze Shredded Zucchini for Baking
- Wash and dry the zucchini. Discard the ends. Grate the zucchini on a box grater or in a food processor.
- Place the shredded zucchini onto a clean kitchen towel, wrap up, and squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Discard the liquid (or use it in cocktails or to flavor water).
- Measure out the shredded zucchini in 1½ or 1 cup amounts and add to freezer bags.
- Press flat, and remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 1 year.
- To use, thaw, remove any excess moisture, and add to your recipe.
To Blanch and Freeze Zucchini for Stir Fries, Soups, and More
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, wash and dry the zucchini. Discard the ends. Dice the zucchini into small pieces or into half-moons. I usually do ¼-½-inch thick.
- Add the zucchini to a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Lift out with a big slotted spoon and drain. Place onto a clean kitchen towel to dry and cool completely.
- Transfer to a freezer bag in one flat later. Remove as much air as possible with a straw and seal. Freeze for up to 1 year.
- To use, add frozen zucchini right into your recipe.
Equipment
- Quart-size plastic storage bag
Notes
- Add the prepped zucchini to a freezer bag in a flat layer. Seal almost all the way, then remove the air with your mouth or a straw. Seal. This creates a sort of DIY vacuum seal. Freeze for up to 1 year.
- Discard the stems of the zucchini before preparing.
- Use yellow summer squash or green zucchini.
- Remove as much liquid as you can from the shredded zucchini before freezing. This will make it ready to use in your baked goods.
- Let frozen shredded zucchini thaw and remove any moisture you see before adding to a baked good recipe.
- Add frozen raw or blanched zucchini directly to recipes still frozen.
Hi! I shredded my zucchini into 1 cup increments but didn’t squeeze them out before freezing. Will it work to let them thaw and then throughly squeeze all moisture out before using in baked goods?
Hope I didn’t mess it up!
That should be totally fine!