Is it possible to freeze zucchini for the winter and how to do it correctly: instructions for harvesting and advice from experienced housewives

Oh, these summer residents! A small crop is bad, a lot - they don't know what to do with it. A familiar situation, agree? It is good that household appliances allow you to freeze certain types of food. Leave the freezer drawer under the frozen zucchini. You will be surprised how many delicious dishes you can make with them.

Is it possible to freeze zucchini for the winter

Sorting the crop, housewives have a lot of questions. For example, is it possible to freeze zucchini for the winter, and how to do it right.

Points for and against

Are the beneficial properties lost

Let's figure out what useful properties are found in fresh zucchini, then compare with frozen ones.

Zucchini is known to be a dietary vegetable. Most of it is water. But there are also many beneficial substances.

Young zucchini contains:

As for microelements and macronutrients, the list here is impressive:

• calcium;
• magnesium;
• a nicotinic acid;
• folic acid;
• Apple acid;
• copper;
• selenium;
• vanadium;
• Selena;
• phosphorus.

And this is not the whole list. The question now is how is the qualitative composition of frozen zucchini changing?

Virtually nothing if storage conditions are met. Do not keep zucchini in the freezer for a long time. You need to eat them in the first season, preferably before April. This will save 75-80% of useful properties.

Taste qualities

The taste of zucchini is also preserved when frozen.

With proper defrosting, your household won't even notice the difference. Unlike eggplant, zucchini does not taste bitter and does not turn into a mushy mass.

Suitable varieties for freezing

If you know the name of the variety you are growing, look carefully at the list below. Found yours? Great, your zucchini is winter-safe.

• Pear-shaped;
• Gold Cup;
• Festival;
• Yellow-fruited;
• Negro child;
• Genovese;
• Aeronaut;
• Aral F1;
• Arlika F1;
• Gribovsky.

These varieties are most suitable for long-term freezing. They preserve taste, appearance and useful properties as much as possible.

Choosing the right vegetables

There are few rules, but it is imperative to follow them:

1. Choose young fruits for freezing. Those that are overripe will have a dense skin.
2. By color: give preference to the lightest fruits. Their middle will not boil down during cooking.
3. Vegetables should be healthy - no blackheads or dents. Choose fruit with smooth skin only.

How to properly freeze zucchini

Well, the vegetables are harvested, all the fruits are smooth, light and young. What's next? You need to know how to properly freeze zucchini. We are happy to share our knowledge with you.

Vegetable preparation

Proper preparation of zucchini is the key to delicious dishes in the winter cold.

Those who have frozen eggplants at least once already know that preliminary soaking in salt water is necessary. It is also advisable to leave zucchini in water for 30-50 minutes. There is no bitterness in them anyway, but such a procedure will make the skin soft.

If you did not manage to collect young zucchini, did not have time or decided to ignore our advice, then take the trouble to remove the seeds from the vegetable.

You do not need to pierce the zucchini.

Make sure vegetables are dry before freezing.

Correct freezing:

• vegetables must be dry;
• zucchini should not be frozen along with fish and meat. Over a long period, odors will still be absorbed, no matter how tightly you pack the zucchini. For the neighborhood, choose eggplants or greens;
• it is better not to store zucchini in a container - give preference to plastic bags;
• do not store frozen vegetables for more than nine months.

Freezing options

There is wide scope for your imagination. We will tell you about the most popular options.

Puree

The word itself implies cooking vegetables. So:

1. We wash, dry, cut.
2. Place in boiling water, cook until almost cooked.
3. Grind the cooled vegetables in a blender.
4. Pack mashed potatoes in portions. This is one of the rare occasions when it is better to choose a container over a plastic bag.

Freezing in this form is convenient for families with small children. In winter, you will save time on cooking.

In circles

1. We wash, dry.
2. Cut the vegetables into slices no more than one and a half centimeters thick.
3. Prepare a flat dish or cutting boards in advance, cover them with cling film.
4. Place the chopped vegetables on the prepared kitchen utensils, send the vegetables to the freezer for a couple of hours.
5. After two hours, transfer the vegetables to a bag, tie tightly and put away for long-term storage.

This form of freezing is convenient for preparing vegetable stews or zucchini with meat in winter. They keep their shape perfectly, and the taste is indistinguishable from fresh ones.

Cubes

1. Rinse fresh vegetables well.
2. Cut the courgettes into small cubes.
3. Take advantage of stress freezing. Without storing in a bag, put the vegetables in the freezer for two hours.
4. After two hours, fill in bags and put in the freezer.

Advice:Do not freeze in large portions. Cubes tend to stick to each other when frozen. Therefore, it is optimal to store frozen vegetables in portions.

Rubbed

The preparation method is similar to mashed potatoes:

1. Wash the vegetables.
2. Peel the fruit.
3. Grate on a medium grater.
4. Don't forget to squeeze out the juice.
5. Divide the pulp into bags or airtight containers.

Reference: Stress freezing is not needed in this case.

Fried

Do fried zucchini freeze? Of course yes!

1. Rinse and dry the fruit.
2. Cut into circles.
3. Dip in flour.
4. Fry on both sides in vegetable oil.
5. Blot any remaining oil with a tissue.
6. Pack the cooled zucchini in bags and put in the refrigerator.

Important! Don't forget to add salt to the vegetables!

Optimal storage conditions and periods

Let's go over the storage conditions again:

• the best storage option is a plastic bag, with the exception of mashed potatoes or grated vegetables;
• do not store zucchini next to meat, fish, mushrooms;
• the optimal shelf life is 6-9 months.

How to defrost properly

Zucchini may not be defrosted before cooking. This is especially valuable if you are short on time and guests are just around the corner.

If you have enough time, defrost the fruit at room temperature.

Note! Do not defrost vegetables in the microwave or hot water.

Further application

You can make everything from frozen zucchini as from fresh ones. Here are some delicious and simple recipes as an example.

Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 0.5 kg of frozen zucchini;
• 2 chicken eggs;
• a tablespoon of sour cream;
• a pinch of salt;
• 4 tbsp. l. flour.

Cooking method:

1. Defrost the zucchini. For the pancakes, use grated frozen zucchini.
2. Remove excess liquid.
3. Add eggs.
4. Add sour cream, salt and flour.
5. Stir. If it comes out thin, add flour. Zucchini can give off water.
6. Spoon the pancakes into a hot skillet with a tablespoon. Fry on both sides.

Best served with sour cream and herbs.

For feeding babies

Frozen zucchini is good for toddlers. Take care of your baby by freezing zucchini in summer. If you have frozen ready-made puree, then you just need to reheat it in a saucepan under the lid.

If the zucchini is frozen raw, then the grated zucchini must be stewed and the excess water squeezed out.

The third option is for you if you have frozen in circles or cubes. We also simmer the zucchini in a small saucepan. Once the vegetables are ready, grind with a blender.

Freezing fried zucchini

The freezing rules are described above; such zucchini can be simply heated in the microwave. Serve the fried courgettes with toasted bread and garlic.

Vegetable stew

Ingredients:

• 0.5 kg of frozen zucchini in circles or cubes;
• 0.5 kg of potatoes;
• 1 carrot;
• 2 onions;
• salt;
• 3 tomatoes;
• greenery;
• bell pepper.

Cooking method:

1. Fry onions and carrots in a pan.
2. Add the courgettes.
3. Stew.
4. Add the chopped potatoes. Fill with two glasses of water.
5. Add chopped bell pepper and a tomato.
6. We do not cut the garlic, put the whole clove on top.
7. Simmer until tender.
8. Sprinkle the finished stew with chopped herbs.

Tips & Tricks

1. Remove all air from the freezer bags.
2. When freezing in puree, squeeze out all the moisture.
3. Stress freezing will help preserve the beneficial properties as much as possible.
4. Remove the stalks.

Housewives reviews

Kiseleva Lyudmila, Kazan: “I've been freezing zucchini for several years now. It's so convenient, I don't understand why not everyone does it. I have my own rule: I wash the zucchini in three waters before freezing. The skin becomes soft, it is completely invisible when cooking. "

Olga Evtunaeva, Nizhnekamsk: “I froze zucchini for the first time this summer. We live as a big family, we need to cook several times a day. Plus we have a lot of kids. Frozen zucchini is an excellent complementary food for babies. "

Christina Shemakhina, Yekaterinburg: “My grandmother taught me how to freeze zucchini. I never freeze them in plastic containers. There is no way to remove air from them. And zucchini do not like him. Therefore, I use double plastic bags. Most often I ice them in circles, because I cook them with potatoes in the oven or just fry them. You know, in winter so often you want a piece of summer. "

Elena Mironenko, Cheboksary: “I love zucchini in any form. We plant different varieties.My advice to summer residents: do not postpone freezing until the end of the season when you are already tired of the harvest. Do the opposite. The first fruits have gone - we will immediately freeze. The first vegetables are stored much longer, they contain many useful substances. And as you have prepared supplies for the winter, eat fresh zucchini for your health. "

Read also:

The benefits and harms of pumpkin seeds for women: therapeutic effect and rules for using pumpkin seeds.

The benefits and harms of beets for the human body: how, how much and in what form it is better to eat a vegetable.

The harm and benefits of pumpkin seeds for men.

Let's sum up

Zucchini can and should be frozen. Not all varieties are suitable for freezer storage. For freezing, choose young fruits of medium and small size. If necessary, remove the skin or soak in cold water. Taste qualities and useful properties are preserved. There are several ways to freeze zucchini. They can be stewed, fried, combined with meat, herbs, and other vegetables. Zucchini puree is especially useful for babies. It is best to store vegetables in plastic bags, and eat the stock until the next season.

Rich harvest and bon appetit!