Freezing zucchini? No problem! Find out here what you should pay attention to and how long the summer vegetables can be kept frozen.
The zucchini is healthy, tasty, versatile and should not be missing in any kitchen. We'll tell you how you can store your favorite summer vegetables in the freezer and enjoy tasty zucchini all year round.
Freeze zucchini raw
The harvest in the home garden was productive over the summer and you don't know what to do with all the zucchinis? No problem, you can just freeze the vegetables raw.
- Small zucchini are best for freezing. The large specimens contain a lot of water, which can make them mushy after thawing.
- Wash and dry the zucchinis.
- Now cut the vegetables into slices or cubes. You can also grate the zucchini if you want to conjure up a soup from the pumpkin plant after thawing.
- Put the zucchini pieces in a colander and sprinkle some salt over them. The salt removes liquid from the vegetables so that they are still crisp after thawing. After about five to ten minutes, you can either drain the water or use it as a base for a zucchini soup.
- You can now fill the zucchinis in freezer bags or Tupperware containers suitable for freezing.
- Don't forget to write the date on the bag or jar.
- Now freeze the zucchini.
- The zucchini is raw and untreated in the freezer Shelf life up to 12 months.
Freeze blanched zucchini
If you want to be on the safe side, you can blanch your zucchini before freezing, because heating kills microorganisms.
- After you've washed the vegetables, cut them into small pieces.
- Place the zucchini pieces in boiling salted water for about two to four minutes.
- If they are blanched, frighten the zucchini in a bowl of ice water. The ice water stops the cooking process immediately and ensures crispness.
- Carefully pat the pieces of vegetables until they are completely dry.
- Now fill them in a freezer bag or in a container suitable for freezing, note the current date and freeze them.
- Pre-cooked zucchini are frozen Can be kept for up to eight months.
Freeze prepared zucchini
Did you cook too much again? No problem, because you can also freeze entire dishes with zucchini. However, because the summer pumpkin tends to become mushy after defrosting, only some recipes and preparations are suitable for freezing.
- Grilled courgettes or zucchini fried in oil are particularly good for freezing, as they have already lost a lot of water.
- Soup made from zucchinis also does not suffer from the freezing and thawing process.
- You can also freeze a ratatouille. Make sure, however, that the zucchini haven't cooked too long beforehand, otherwise they could muddy after defrosting.
- Depending on the container and how cold it is, zucchini are cooked Can be kept for up to six months.
Thaw frozen zucchini
- To prevent the zucchinis from becoming mushy, they should be gently thawed at room temperature.
- You should process defrosted zucchini as soon as possible.
- If you have frozen your zucchini grated, you can add them directly to your dish while still frozen. Stay away from that microwave! The zucchini lose their taste and texture.
- You wanted to make a vegetable pan and your defrosted zucchinis are just slush? Instead, just cook a delicious soup or stew.
- Rely on your senses: If the color of the zucchini has changed a lot after it has thawed or if it smells bad, it probably didn't work out with the delicious preservation. With a heavy heart, you'd better dispose of the vegetables.
Try tarte flambée with zucchini, fried vegetables, stuffed zucchini from the oven.
By the way: It's not just easy to freeze zucchini, you can also freeze gooseberries, freeze strawberries, freeze currants, freeze kale and freeze mushrooms.
Video tips: The tastiest zucchini carbonara on earth!