Whether you shop at the farmer’s market or grocery story, both zucchini and yellow squash should be plentiful, inexpensive and at their flavorful best in mid- to late-summer and early fall. In fact, they get so commonplace that they’re easy to overlook.
But in the middle of winter good summer squash is hard to find, which is why I preserve some for the cold months. Preserving these summer fruits is not easy, however, because they are so water logged. You might have frozen some for zucchini bread and found it to be a sodden mess when thawed.
My solution: Cook it down before freezing.
Step 1: Shred zucchini using the large hole (not the fine hole) of a shredder. When I’m putting up big batches, it’s worthwhile to use my food processor, but a simple box grater also works.
Step 2: Saute in a little oil to release as much of the water as possible, stopping just short of dark browning. I use a big skillet with a large surface area and flared sides that make it easy for the moisture to evaporate. Flip frequently to dry out evenly.
Step 3: Pack into 1- or 2-cup Mason jars and allow to cool before freezing. I left mine in the frig overnight to cool completely.
This year I also plopped portions of the sauteed squash onto a cookie sheet and used a spoon to form them roughly into patties. Once frozen I stored in a space-saving resealable freezer bag.
Step 4: Label! Your squash might look easily identifiable at this point, but once frozen, it becomes white and indistinguishable. I keep a roll of masking tape and marking pen handy for labeling.
Step 5: Be Strategic When Using Your Summer Gold Most frozen vegetables aren’t ideal as stand-alone vegetable sides. Generally, they are best mixed into a soup, stew, scramble, casserole, etc. Summer squash is no exception.
Step 6: Enjoy the Convenience of Pre-Prepped Veggies! Who says we need fast food?!
- I love my ready-to-go zucchini in quick breakfast egg scrambles with a little brown rice or other whole grain.
- Add to a marinara sauce for an easy way to weave more veggies into your diet.
- Similarly, add to taco fillings and curries or just fry with burger meat and some Italian or French seasonings.
Have any other ideas? Post in the comments!