How to Freeze Shredded Zucchini
Sometimes stocking the freezer for later can seem like a lot of work. A lot of veggies require blanching before they can be frozen, which always sounds hot and steamy to me in the middle of the summer. Fortunately, shredded zucchini doesn’t require much work. Here are the simple steps…
Shred the Zucchini – Simple enough, right? When I have a lot of zucchini on hand, I like to use my food processor for this, but a box grater works just as well. I generally don’t peel the zucchini unless the skin is particularly tough. If you have giant leg-sized zucchini, just scoop out the mature seeds from the center and shred the rest of the zucchini.
Portion Out the Zucchini – It’s easiest to store the zucchini in portions that work well for recipes. My preference is to store the zucchini in 1 cup portions. Simply measure out 1 packed cup of shredded zucchini and transfer it to a zipper sandwich bag.
Seal the Individual Bags – Be sure to squeeze the air out of each sandwich bag and seal them well so that the zucchini keeps well.
Double Bag and Label – Sandwich bags aren’t really designed for freezer storage, so I like to double bag my zucchini. I put 4 of the small sandwich bag portions in a larger freezer bag. Then, be sure to label the bag so you remember what it is in a few months when you’re digging through the freezer.
Freeze It! Just put the zucchini in the freezer and you’re good to go.
Baking with Frozen Zucchini
You can use the frozen zucchini in just about any recipe that calls for shredded zucchini. Simply remove it from the freezer and thaw it in a mesh strainer or colander (to remove excess moisture) before using it in the recipe!
