Can You Freeze Courgettes?
In this brief guide, we will look at the question “Can you freeze courgettes?” as well as other information about courgettes.
Can you Freeze Courgettes?
Yes, you can freeze courgettes, and you can not only freeze them before cooking, but after cooking as well.
Courgettes are also known as zucchini, and they are the member of the Cucurbit family of vegetables, meaning they belong to the same group as cucumbers, squash and melons. This also means that courgettes have a very high volume of water and like other vegetables and fruits of this type, it lends itself very well to freezing and storing.
Courgettes are a summer vegetable that you can freeze for a later point so that you can always make your favorite courgette recipes even when it’s less easily available.
How do you freeze courgettes?
To freeze courgettes you need to first prepare it, and you can freeze it whole or diced or sliced, really whatever you prefer. Just be aware that if you cut it in any way it’ll probably lose some texture when you thaw it out eventually, whereas the uncut form might be a bit harder to prepare for freezing.
To freeze courgettes you ideally need to peel them, clean them very thoroughly, and then make sure there is no dirt on it whatsoever. Wipe them properly so that there isn’t a lot of moisture on them either.
After this, you need to either cut them into chunks, or you can just peel them slightly and blanch them, but don’t boil, and then once you are done with that, just put it in airlocked good grade bags and into the freezer they go, where you can keep it for about 4-5 months.
Can you freeze courgettes raw?
No, you shouldn’t freeze courgettes raw, as they can contain pesticides or other types of chemicals and enzymes in them that can cause health issues when you eventually cook it.
Also, when you try to freeze raw courgettes, or raw anything really, the courgette will spoil much quicker even in the freezer, and it will also start spoiling other things around it. Also, it can be extremely hard to clean it out if you don’t realise that it’s spoiled and it stays in the refrigerator.
You also need to make sure that you pick the courgettes that don’t have any spots or blemishes on them because these will also spoil much quicker and won’t be good to freeze.
How to blanch courgettes?
To blanch courgettes, you need a big pot of boiling water and a big pot of ice or ice cold water.
Start by peeling the courgette and making sure the water is boiling with big bubbles. Dunk your courgettes into the boiling water for about 3 minutes, and then take it out and put it in the ice cold water or ice for 10 minutes.
Also, pre-freeze the courgettes on a baking tray in the freezer before you transfer to bags or containers.
Other FAQs about Vegetables which you may be interested in.
Courgette Recipes
Here are some great ideas for courgette recipes that everyone will love:
Courgette Stir fry: You can mix it up with some Asian flavors like soy, mirin, or even some curry powder, and you can introduce as many other veggies you like. Eat it with rice or even healthier grains like quinoa or oats!
Courgette Cake: Surprised? Don’t be, sweet courgette recipes are pretty amazing, and you can even go the Indian route and make a sweet courgette pudding. Hint: Courgette cakes go best with cream cheese frosting!
Courgett-i Pasta: You can use courgettes in pasta as an addition to the noodles, or you can make courgettes the pasta! Just use a peeler and peel slices of the courgette or peel it in little strings, and make it with thick tomato sauce with basil or rosemary for maximum flavor.
Ratatouille: Courgettes are one of the most essential veggies in ratatouille, so you can make this amazing french dish as well.
Can you freeze roasted Courgettes?
Yes, you can freeze roasted courgettes as well, just make sure that it has gotten to room temperature before you do so, and make sure to use it up in about 2 months because longer than that can lead to bad texture or even bad flavor.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we looked at the question “Can you freeze courgettes?” as well as other information about courgettes.
Courgettes are great for your health and make for great accompaniments to all sorts of dishes, whether they’re meat based or plant based, which means that freezing them for later is always a great idea.
Don’t forget to share your courgette freezing tips with us if you have any, or leave us any questions you have about the process.
References
https://growagoodlife.com/freeze-zucchini/
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/top-10-things-do-courgettes
