Don't be afraid to overbuy these wonderful versatile vegetables, you can use them all year long!
I have lots of ideal recipes for you using zucchini all different ways!
Shredded for fritters, or bread, cubed for toppings and stews, keep sliced in half for stuffing, zucchini is so versatile, I even make a zucchini pizza crust with it!
Here are some great tips to store zucchini and many ways to use it in recipes from sweet to savory.
Just a little prep and you're on your way to a great winter of amazing recipes to try to see below!
I love the ease of preparation to use this anytime I want all through the year!
Recipes All Year Long
Summer, fresh vegetables in abundance and you can't use them all fast enough?
Here are some suggestions I have done for years that work great.
Easy to keep summer alive all year long, waste not want not my mom always said!
Prepare Away
Whatever you will use more of during the winter months, cubed, sliced or grated, just
prepare your squash how you will use it in your favorite recipes.
I grate more than I would slice it plus I like to freeze mine in cubes.
I also have a food saver machine, but freezer bags will be fine.
One cup or two cups of squash at the most per small quart size bag is what I use.
Again, go by your family size.
Garden or Farmers Market
Zucchini and other squash are one of those versatile vegetables that go famously with so many recipes.
If you are lucky enough to have a green thumb to grow your own, this will be a great checklist of ideas for you.
No garden? Not a problem, just visit a local farmers market or like we always did, on the side of the road in the country.
These tips will be economical to use for all kinds of cooking methods, slow or pressure cooking, baked, fried, stir fry and even grilled!
I have so many recipes suggestions for you also in my recipe index.
From Savory to Sweet Uses
Maybe you remember my delicious Low Carb Zucchini Cupcake Quiche or my Zucchini Tomato Tart?
Our all-time favorite dessert is chocolate zucchini bread, and our almond zucchini poppy seed cake, it's the best ever!
Slicing and Stuffing
Easy to do slice in half, hollow out each half, and freeze on a cookie sheet.
You can use parchment paper in-between for easy release.
No thawing necessary, stuff and bake or cook on the stovetop.
Suggestions
Easy to use anytime and so convenient always ready to use!
Below you will find even more links to my favorites recipes.
Always take advantage of great sale prices or homegrown abundance of this wonderous vegetable!
We just love these zucchini appetizer bites!
Tips:
- Use zucchini frozen, thawed and blotted dry for cakes, omelets, stews, fritters, stuffed
- Frozen zucchini isn't good for salads, it's too soft
- Layer it on a cookie sheet, freeze, and pop into freezer bags for easier use
- Sliced zucchini frozen works better in a single layer then layered with wax paper in between
- Shredded zucchini is fine just placed into freezer bags
- Freezing whole zucchini sliced in half, hollowed out, are perfect for stuffing them later
- Always safe a hollowed-out zucchini for any recipes that call for shredded zucchini, don't throw it away, just chop it finely and save
- Remember zucchini has high water content and to always squeeze the water out before proceeding with any recipe
- Zucchini stays fresh frozen for 8 months
- If you don't like the seeds, scrape them out with the back of a spoon first before slicing them
- Round slices can be used to bake and make zucchini appetizers
- You can do this with any kinds of summer squash that grates easily, slices easily or cubed
Zucchini Tips Tricks and Recipes Pin for later
Zucchini Tips Tricks and Recipes
prep time: cook time: total time:
How to save zucchini to use all year long in your favorite recipes with recipe links, photos, and instructions for preserving in the freezer.
ingredients:
- These instructions are for any green, yellow or fancy garden summer zucchini
- below are some suggestions and tips on preserving in the freezer for
- stews, cakes from sweet to savory ideas.
- Cookie sheets
- Paper towels to drain off liquid
- Freezer bags or containers
- parchment paper
instructions:
How to cook Zucchini Tips Tricks and Recipes
- Cube
- Grate
- Sliced thick
- Long Slices
- Whole sliced in halves and hollowed out save the middles or remove the seeds
- Sliced in Thick Rounds
- Cubed Zucchini for Stew and Soup
- Shredded Zucchini for bread and desserts and pizza crusts for vegetable style crusts IE quiche, desserts, cakes, baked muffins, bars or cookies, scrambled eggs.
- Sliced long in half Zucchini middles removed for stuffing freeze on cookie sheets and place into freezer bags
- Round slice thick for Zucchini pizza bites, frying or baked
- Grate Zucchini for quiche, desserts, cakes, baked muffins, bars or cookies
- Thinly sliced lengthwise to roll up for rollatini recipes, thawed slightly
- After cutting into various styles for future use, some need thawing, some don't just blot dry excess moisture when thawed or ice crystals, with paper towels.
- For the shredded zucchini, place in freezer bags, before using in cakes, drain on paper towels, squeeze out water.
- Cubed zucchini place on a cookie sheet first, freeze until solid, remove and place in freezer bags. You can toss these into any stews or soups frozen.
- For easier removal always place parchment paper in-between to get whole zucchini or slices out easily (or wax paper).
- Again, most all styles of squash/zucchini should be blotted dry before using in recipes for baking, except cubed for stews, soups, you can just place them in the pot.
- The whole zucchini sliced in halves can be stuffed while still frozen and baked or cooked on the stovetop, keeping them frozen makes them easier to stuff and keep their shape.
Zucchini Tips Tricks and Recipes Pin for later
More Zucchini Recipes To Try
Zucchini Pizza Crust
Zucchini Rollatini
Zucchini Fritters
Zucchini Cranberry Muffins
Zucchini Christmas Bread
Zucchini Tips and Tricks
Stuffed Zucchini
Don't Miss This Chocolate Zucchini Recipe!
I only shred and freeze mine. I never considered having it in chunks. Great tip!
ReplyDeleteI've never frozen zucchini! Great tips. Now I need someone to share their garden crop with me :)
ReplyDeleteI love cooking and eating zucchini! These are some great tips for eating it all year long! I'm going to try freezing it, thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect and timely roundup of great ideas for zucchini! We have one plant and it yields several zucchini's during the summer. So, I always need recipes. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. When the garden is literally exploding with zucchini, it's nice to have ideas for how to vary up using them.
ReplyDeleteSome great ideas on using up those summer Zucchini!
ReplyDeleteI never thought to freeze shredded zucchini, what a great idea! We have some from the garden and I usually just do rounds. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love how versatile zucchini is. You've inspired me greatly with this wonderful post! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteCan I thinly slice zucchini, fill with ricotta and freeze on a cookie sheet. This way my marinara won’t get watery when I defrost.
ReplyDeletebefore you stuff it you have to do this: slice your zucchini into thinner slices: thinner slices mean less zucchini, thus less water.
DeleteSalt your zucchini and let it sit for 15 minutes: salt draws the water out of the zucchini blot dry with paper towels, then stuff it and freeze on the cookie sheet otherwise this will still be overpowering with liquid as it bakes with sauce hope that helps