To me, there’s nothing worse than letting a crop go to waste in the garden. This can happen when a few different vegetables are ready to pick all at once—or when you’re on vacation. But in the case of zucchini plants, once they start producing fruit, sometimes it’s hard to keep up with the harvest! Learning how to freeze zucchini is a helpful way to preserve your harvest to enjoy later.

Frozen zucchini can be thawed in the fall and winter and used in a whole range of recipes, from soups and stews to baked goods. Read on to choose which method might work best for you.

Harvesting zucchini to freeze

Be sure to only prepare fresh zucchini to freeze. Check out our guide to choosing the right time to harvest zucchini for the best flavor and quality. Small to medium zucchini are great to pick for using immediately. You can slice them to eat in salads or stir frys, spiralize them into zucchini noodles, or grill them in chunks on skewers with other veggies bound for the barbecue.

As a zucchini gets bigger, the flesh becomes a bit spongier. This doesn’t matter as much if you’re blending your zucchini into soups later, for example. But when it comes to freezing, small and medium zucchini tend to be firmer and easier to grate because they have less water content and seeds.

When you’re freezing, texture doesn’t matter as much because you’re going to be using that zucchini for baking or soups once it’s been defrosted.

Preparing zucchini to freeze

When you bring in your fresh zucchini from the garden, wash it well to remove any dirt and debris from the garden—or insects! If the skins are damaged or tough, you may consider peeling it using a vegetable peeler. Try to prepare it for freezing right away, if possible. This will ensure you’re freezing your veggies at the height of freshness.

Freezing shredded zucchini

While it’s a bit of a messy business in the kitchen, shredding zucchini is my favorite way to freeze this prolific summer squash. To get started, grab a cheese grater. I find the large holes of a box grater work best. Place it over a cutting board or in a casserole dish. Trim off the ends of the zucchini and choose an end to start grating.

Once you have your pile of shredded zucchini, place it in the center of a clean dish towel. Gather up the towel ends and squeeze the center to wring out the zucchini water over the sink. When you think you’re done, squeeze again. Removing the excess liquid helps prevent your zucchini from turning into a soggy pile of mush when it comes out of the freezer to thaw.

The “dry” shredded zucchini is now ready to be placed in freezer bags. I like to dole mine out measured one cup portions. That way when I take it out to use, I know exactly how much is in the bag and nothing goes to waste. Be sure to let all the excess air out of the bag before sealing. Date and label the bag and pop it in the freezer.

I use shredded zucchini in muffins and zucchini bread, as well as in pasta recipes and soups.

How to freeze zucchini in rounds or chunks

With this method, you will blanch your sliced zucchini before freezing it. Slice your zucchini into rounds or chunks. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Avoid adding salt as this can cause the zucchini to turn mushy as it draws out the water. At the same time, prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes.

Carefully drop your zucchini pieces into the pot of boiling water. Use a large slotted spoon or spider strainer to lower it in the water so you’re not splashed. Leave the zucchini in for about two to three minutes to blanch.

Use the same spoon or strainer to immediately remove the pieces of zucchini and put them immediately in the bowl of ice water. Leave it in for about two minutes. Remove the pieces and transfer them to a towel covered counter or baking sheet. Pat the tops of the pieces dry to get rid of extra moisture, as well.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay out your zucchini pieces in a single layer. Allow them to freeze for a couple of hours or overnight before transferring them into freezer bags to store. Be sure to let all the air out.

Zucchini pieces can be used in soups and stews, pasta dishes, and winter stir frys. The blanching method also works with zucchini noodles created by using a spiral slicer.

More information about growing zucchini and dealing with pest issues

• Growing zucchini in pots
• Zucchini companion plants
• 10 common zucchini growing problems
• How to prevent zucchini blossom end rot
• Growing round zucchini