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How to Freeze Summer Squash (Zucchini, Yellow Squash,
Crookneck, Pattypan, Straightneck, White Scallop, etc.)
Click here for a PDF print version
If you like frozen squash in the
winter, just imagine how good it would taste if you had picked a firm, fresh
squashes yourself and then
quickly froze them at home! It is also one of the simplest ways to put up a
vegetable for the winter. Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and
completely illustrated. The squash will taste MUCH better than anything
you've ever had from a store. And you might like this recipe, too:
How to make Grilled
Summer Squash with Feta - which you can freeze for the winter, or serve
fresh!
Directions for Freezing squash
Ingredients and Equipment
- fresh summer squash - any
quantity. I figure one medium sized squash per serving (it
does cook down)
- Vacuum food sealer or "ziploc"
type freezer bags (the freezer bag version is heavier and protects
better against freezer burn.
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- 1 Large pot of boiling water
- 2 large bowls, one filled with cold water
and ice.
- 1 sharp knife
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Instructions
Step 1 - Get the squash!
Start with fresh squash - as fresh as you can get. If there is
a delay between harvesting and freezing, put it in the refrigerator or
put ice on it. Harvest before the seeds become mature and when color is
still uniformly dark
Step 2 - Wash the squash!
I'm sure you can figure out how to rinse the squash in plain
cold or lukewarm water using your hands and possibly a gentle brush..
Step 3 - Slice the squash
Just take a sharp knife and cut of both ends (about 1/4 of an inch, or
half the width of an average woman's little finger) Slice 1/2-inch thick slices.
Prepare quickly, (if you
leave it sit out cut up for more than a half hour, it will start to discolor). Do
enough squash for one blanching at a time.
NOTE: If you want grated zucchini for later baking, instead of
slicing them, grate them. Then instead of water blanching them, steam
blanch them in small quantities 1 to 2 minutes until translucent. Pack
in measured amounts into containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Cool by
placing the containers in cold water. Seal and freeze. Step 4 - Get the pots ready
 Get the pot of boiling water ready (about
2/3 filled). Also
get a LARGE bowl of ice and cold water ready to receive the
squash after blanching.
Step 5 - Blanch the squash.
All fruits and vegetables contain enzymes and bacteria
that, over time, break down the destroy nutrients and change the color,
flavor, and texture of food during frozen storage. squash requires a brief
heat treatment, called blanching, in boiling water or steam, to
destroy the enzymes before freezing.
Cook (blanch) the squash for 3
minutes.
Begin counting the blanching time as soon as
you place the squash in the boiling water. Cover the kettle and boil at a
high temperature for the required length of time. You may use the same
blanching water several times (up to 5). Be sure to add more hot water
from the tap from time to time to keep the water level at the required
height.
Step 6 - Cool the squash
 Remove the squash from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and
place in ice water to cool for about 5 minutes (until cold).
Cooling them quickly prevents overcooking. Keep adding more ice as
needed.
 Drain thoroughly (2 or 3 minutes)
Step 7 - bag the squash
I love the FoodSavers (see
this page for more information) with their vacuum
sealing! I am not paid by them, but these things really work.
If you don't have one, ziploc bags work, too, but it is hard to get as
much air out of the bags. remove the air to prevent drying and
freezer burn. TIP: If you don't own a vacuum food sealer to
freeze foods, place food in a Ziploc bags, zip the top shut but leave
enough space to insert the tip of a soda straw. When straw is in place,
remove air by sucking the air out. To remove straw, press straw closed
where inserted and finish pressing the bag closed as you remove straw. Note:
 If the squash is very wet, after draining it, just put it in the food
saver bag and freeze it (unsealed and upright) in your freezer. THEN,
several hours later or the next day, when it is frozen, you can seal it
with no mess! Step 8 - Done!
Pop them into the freezer, on the quick
freeze shelf, if you have one! To later use the squash
Any frozen vegetable will be mushy when thawed, so obviously it's best to use
in cooking, rather than attempting to use it raw. You can let it thaw in the
refrigerator, the microwave's defrost setting or just add t frozen to cooking.
I like to use it as a sautéed vegetable, so I partially thaw it, then sautee it
in a pan with onions, red peppers and some seasoning (like Mrs. Dash or Herbes
d' Provence) Tips:
- Harvest the squash at its peak maturity (firm, not limp or old)
- Process promptly after harvesting, or keep
cooled in the fridge or with ice until then.
- If the squash is watery when thawed, discard the liquid before using.
- An alternative method is to cook the squash first - using your favorite
recipe for a zucchini casserole, or sautéed squash, etc., and then simply
freeze the cooked squash! Of course, it does take up more room in your
freezer.
I love the FoodSavers (see
this page for more information) with their vacuum sealing!
Here's an example of one model:
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FoodSaver V2840 Advanced Design
Chrome finish
About $102
 
Features
- Home vacuum-packaging system vacuums, seals, and shuts off
automatically
- 2 vacuum speeds; CrushFree Instant Seal; extra-wide nonstick
sealing strip
- Flip-up space-saving design; stainless-steel lid;
dishwasher-safe antibacterial drip tray
- Bag material, accessory hose, and instructions included
- Measures 16-3/4 by 9-3/4 by 14-1/2 inches
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How long can they be frozen?
It depends upon how cold is your freezer and how you packed them.
Colder (deep freezes) are better than frost free compartments, which
actually cycle above freezing (that's how they melt the ice). Vacuum
packing results in longer storage capability, too. Thicker bags also
help prevent freezer burn.
In general, up to 9 months in a ziploc bag in an ordinary freezer, and 14
months in a deep freeze in a vacuum packed bag. After that, they beans
won't make you sick; they just won't taste a s good.
- Hi, I have a question about yellow squash. I am a newby to growing
gardens but last year I did as said about the yellow squash (to freeze it).
I have a vacuum sealer (love it). But when I pulled a package of squash out
to eat it, it was so soggy. I also tried blanching for about a minute but it
was all the same. When I take it out of the freezer I just warm the whole
bag in water then open it. Just soggy. We like to eat it somewhat firm. I
was told to just wash it, cut the ends off and freeze it. Is this safe?
Yes, you can certainly freeze it without blanching. The purpose of blanching
prior to freezing is to stop the enzymes that degrade the flavor, it's not
for safety. As long as you eat the squash within 4 to 6 months, the flavor
should be ok. Freezing without blanching may reducing the sogginess of the
of the squash, but I doubt that it will help much. Freezing ruptures the
cell walls and that is primarily what causes the sogginess.
I blanch if I am going to store them for a long time or use it in
cooking. If I want to use a vegetable raw, and not keep it frozen for more
than a few months, then I skip the blanching, too. But it still nowhere near
as crisp as fresh.
- Why is canning summer squash or zucchini no longer
recommended by the USDA?
Recommendations for canning summer squashes, including zucchini, that
appeared in former editions of USDA guides have been withdrawn due to
uncertainty about the determination of processing times. Squashes are
low-acid vegetables and require pressure canning for a known period of time
that will destroy the bacteria that cause botulism. Documentation for the
previous processing times cannot be found, and reports that are available do
not support the old process. Slices or cubes of cooked summer squash will
get quite soft and pack tightly into the jars. The amount of squash filled
into a jar will affect the heating pattern in that jar. It is best to freeze
or pickle summer squashes, but they may also be dried.
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