Freezing vegetables makes cooking much easier in winter and spring. Frozen zucchini produces high quality dishes that are no different from those prepared from fresh zucchini.
In order for the frost to be not only beautiful but also tasty, you should choose small zucchini with smooth light skin and soft, small seeds.
Pre-zucchini should be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, this will allow you to get a frozen product of high quality. At the same time, vegetables must be clean and dry.
Which zucchini are more suitable for freezing
To preserve useful vitamins and minerals in vegetables, it is better to choose exclusively young and fresh zucchini. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that there is no rot and damage on the skin of the fruit.
If you plan to freeze zucchini for a small child, in no case use overripe or, on the contrary, unripe vegetables, with the slightest damage and traces of rot. Vegetables with very hard skins are also not suitable for harvesting for the winter, since the pulp in them is too tough and after defrosting it will not taste good.
Before carrying out the freezing procedure, each prepared vegetable must be carefully examined for damage, dark spots and rot.
Before chopping vegetables:
- The attachment point of the flower and the stalk are cut off.
- They are washed in running water.
- They are dried so that there is no excess moisture on the fruits.
- If overripe fruits are used for freezing, remove large seeds with adjoining pulp.
- If the skin on the zucchini is too tough, be sure to cut it off.
Then you need to bring the zucchini to the state in which you plan to freeze them: cut into thin rings, cubes or cubes, make mashed potatoes from the fruit or fry in a pan.
Freezing rules
Freezing zucchini for the winter is ideal for keeping fresh vegetables. They can be used to prepare various dishes, including baby food. After all, zucchini has long been considered a dietary product.
- Washed zucchini is cut in a certain way.
- Excess liquid is removed.
- Blanch if necessary.
- They are laid out in different containers - plastic containers, cellophane bags for freezing zucchini, from which excess air must be removed.
No bans - you can and should freeze!
So, first, let's decide whether it is possible to freeze zucchini for the winter, since many still do not know the answer. Despite the popularity of freezing as a cooking method, many are also interested in whether it can be used without losing the beneficial properties of the product.
So, in fact, this option for processing vegetables and fruits is able to preserve the original nutrients in them, but only if all the necessary rules are observed during the freezing process.
For example, some housewives, who first decided to try freezing vegetables, encountered their unpleasant "rubbery" taste. It is these frozen zucchini that can often be found on store shelves, because important rules were violated during their preparation.
Additional Tips
- Frozen zucchini can be used to make rolls by wrapping different fillings in them.To do this, the vegetables are cut lengthwise into long pieces and fried.
- Another option for freezing young vegetables is in halves. Excess pulp is taken out of them, forming "boats". After defrosting, such blanks can be filled with minced meat and baked in the oven. Some housewives freeze "boats" right with the minced meat.
- When blanching vegetables before freezing, use a minimum of water to preserve more vitamins.
- For long-term storage of vegetables, the temperature should not rise above -17 ° C.
- Bags and storage containers must be vacuum-sealed. The former are more suitable for finely chopped vegetables (save space in the freezer), and the latter are more suitable for large pieces (allow them to keep their shape).
Freezing methods
You can freeze zucchini for the winter in the freezer in different ways: fresh, diced, baked, mashed, with herbs and vegetables.
The freezer drawer must have free space for air circulation. Do not freeze vegetables and animal products in the same box. It is best to use special freezer bags, as they retain their shape and fit snugly around the food. There should be no air bubbles between the bag and the food.
To freeze the squash puree, boil the squash for 10 minutes, cool and drain. Then crush with a blender or rub through a sieve. Pour the well-cooled mass into molds and place in the freezer.
Such zucchini are used for feeding babies in the first year of life, as well as for making soups, mashed potatoes and vegetable sauces. To do this, the mashed potatoes are defrosted completely, beaten again and heated.
Depending on what you are going to cook, you can grate the zucchini on either a coarse grater or a fine grater.
- Wash the vegetables well. If the zucchini is young, cut the stem off. If the zucchini is ripe, it should be peeled and seed removed.
- Grate the zucchini.
- Squeeze the mixture so that the juice can drain.
- Season with pepper if desired.
- Divide into bags or containers and place in the freezer.
This is a universal method that will allow you to cook any dish from vegetables - stew, ratatouille, soup, omelet and other dishes. This recipe involves blanching vegetables before freezing, which is optional.
If you are not going to do this, just skip this step. If this option is for you, then we will tell you how to do it:
- Wash the vegetables well. If the zucchini is young, cut the stem off. If the zucchini is ripe, it should be peeled and seed removed.
- Cut the flesh into slices or cubes.
- Pour water into a large saucepan, filling about 2/3 full. Bring to a boil. Dip the courgettes and blanch for 5 minutes. Then put them in a colander to drain the water. Lay out on a board and wait for them to cool.
- Arrange zucchini in bags or containers and send to the freezer.
To freeze zucchini in the form of rings, you need:
- Rinse them thoroughly.
- Dry using a kitchen towel.
- Remove the stalk by touching 2 cm of the adjacent part of the vegetable.
- Peel if desired.
- Cut the vegetable across into dimes equal in circumference.
- Blanch.
- Dry.
- Arrange the circles in several small bags so that they do not freeze to each other.
- Send to the freezer.
Below are some of the most popular ways to freeze zucchini for the winter, preserving its good sweet taste and all the useful qualities.
In fact, there is no single option on how to properly freeze zucchini for the winter. Modern cooking knows several ways, and the choice of one of them depends on the intentions in the further preparation of frozen vegetables and, of course, on individual preferences.
This option will be convenient for further cooking dishes with zucchini (for example, fried side dishes or casseroles) and is easy to perform.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Cut the washed and well-dried vegetables into rings, the thickness of which should vary within one to one and a half centimeters.
- Lay out the rings on a previously prepared dish (it is recommended to cover it with plastic wrap or a bag to exclude the possibility of vegetables freezing to the dishes).
- If you plan to freeze a lot of zucchini, they are laid out in several layers, separated from each other by polyethylene, so that the fruits do not freeze among themselves.
- Place the dish in the freezer. It is recommended to use "stress" freezing.
- After the vegetables are frozen, they should be removed from the dish and placed in a separate bag or storage container.
Diced
Freezing zucchini in cubes is no more difficult than using rings. The main difference is only in the form of cutting vegetables - for this method they should be cut into small cubes of equal size (1.5-2 centimeters). Storage for this type of freezing is recommended in portions, because small cubes will be difficult to separate from each other for adding to dishes.
With vegetables and rice
One of the options for preparing a full-fledged zucchini dish in the freezer is to freeze the vegetable mixture with rice. Thus, a ready-made side dish is obtained that does not need additional ingredients - it is perfect for meat or as an independent dietary dish.
Cooking method:
- Prepare vegetables: onions, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes. Cut into cubes of the same size.
- Simmer the vegetable mixture in a skillet with olive oil. The extinguishing time is about half an hour, over low heat. Add salt, pepper and spices to taste.
- Mix stewed vegetables with boiled rice. Cool the stew and divide in portions into separate containers, then send to freeze.
With greens
To better preserve the taste of fresh zucchini and give it a special charm, you can freeze vegetables with fresh herbs. The cooking method is not very complicated - everything is done in the same way as for ordinary freezing with rings. The only difference is that before sending the vegetable to the freezer, you need to sprinkle it with herbs (preferably dill, this is the most successful combination for cooking).
You can prepare food for a child from zucchini for the winter - made yourself from vegetables from the garden, it will come out tastier and healthier than store counterparts. In order to prepare baby food, finely chopped zucchini is chopped in a blender and poured into ice molds.
In this form, the vegetable is sent for primary freezing, after which the resulting forms should be folded in portions and left for storage in the freezer. For one dose, two or three cubes will be enough for a child.
Another popular way is to freeze ready-made, fried zucchini. In this case, the dish will only need to be reheated in the microwave before use. Before frying, the zucchini must be treated with the necessary spices (salt, pepper) and rolled on both sides in flour. After frying, they must be cooled and after that sent to the freezer, separating each layer of vegetables with polyethylene.
Freezing grated zucchini involves the use of all fruits, regardless of the size and amount of liquid in them.
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Before cooking, it is necessary to remove all large hard seeds and peel from large fruits (it is permissible on young zucchini). Vegetables are grated on a coarse grater, and moisture is removed from all the resulting pulp before freezing.Zucchini puree is frozen in the same way, other root vegetables are added to it, for example, carrots or pumpkin.
There are many ways to prepare vegetables for freezing, so it is recommended that you first decide what kind of dishes the workpieces will be used for.
Zucchini is sent to the freezer:
- fresh;
- toasted;
- boiled.
Depending on the workpiece, there are also several types of cutting - rings, cubes, grated.
You can freeze zucchini in different ways, depending on what dishes they will be used for in the future. In any case, the vegetables must be washed and dried thoroughly - it is important that the fruits are dry, otherwise a layer of ice will form on them.
Zucchini cubes
This is the easiest and fastest freezing method and is especially good when you need to process large quantities of vegetables in a short time. The frozen fruit can be used to make soups, stews, casseroles, pies, and more. Moreover, if you choose the right vegetables and freeze them carefully, then during the cooking process they will look no less presentable than fresh ones.
To freeze you need:
- wash and dry the zucchini, peel them of the stalk;
- cut vegetables into equal cubes of the desired size;
- place the crushed fruits in small portions in plastic bags and release excess air from them;
- send the zucchini to the freezer.
It is recommended to freeze vegetables in small portions, which will make them easier to use, and they will not wrinkle as much in the freezer.
It will take a little longer to freeze the zucchini in circles than in the previous version, but the result is worth the effort. Vegetables prepared in this form are excellent for baking and frying, while their taste will not differ from fresh ones.
To freeze zucchini in circles, you need:
- wash and dry the fruits, remove the stalks;
- cut vegetables into slices approximately 1 cm thick;
- remove excess moisture from the pieces of zucchini with a "waffle" or paper towel;
- spread the circles on a cutting board or other flat surface in one layer and place in the freezer;
- after the vegetables are frozen, put them in portions in a plastic bag and send them back to the freezer.
This freezing option will appeal to lovers of vegetable pancakes and other similar dishes. It is quite simple to prepare vegetables in this way, the main thing is to remove all excess moisture from them.
To freeze you need:
- wash and dry vegetables, cut off the stalks;
- grate the fruits on a coarse or fine (optional) grater;
- add salt and pepper to taste;
- leave the mass in a colander or sieve for 20 minutes to drain the juice from it;
- squeeze vegetables slightly, removing excess moisture;
- pack the zucchini mass in plastic bags and place in the freezer.
You can freeze zucchini not only separately, but also as part of vegetable mixtures or preparations for cooking. An excellent example of such a preparation is stewed zucchini with tomatoes, onions, carrots and rice. This is a very tasty dish that contains many vitamins and other nutrients. In addition, it is dietary and is suitable for people who adhere to proper nutrition.
For the recipe you need:
- boil rice until half cooked;
- prepare zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, onions and cut them into small cubes;
- pour a little sunflower or olive oil on the bottom of a cauldron or frying pan with a thick bottom;
- simmer vegetables for 30 minutes with the addition of spices to taste;
- mix the finished stew with rice, cool and pack in small portions in plastic bags;
- send the mixture to the freezer.
Rules for defrosting zucchini
In order to be able to eat healthy and tasty in winter, you need to choose the right vegetables for freezing.When harvesting, all fruits should be divided into two categories - those that are best eaten fresh now, and those that are suitable for freezing for the winter.
For storage in the freezer, young zucchini or squash squash will be most successful. It is recommended to choose light-colored fruits of a small size - later, when cooking a frozen vegetable, they will be the best - in too large zucchini the middle will boil down, and the skin will be tough and dry.
Zucchini is not considered a very good option for freezing for the winter - such fruits contain too much liquid, which is not suitable for storage at low temperatures. Zucchini with the least amount of liquid in them is suitable for freezing - then the cooked vegetables will not be tough and retain their good taste. It is recommended to choose zucchini with a thin skin and small seeds.
In order for the workpiece to be properly defrosted, it is placed at room temperature. It is not recommended to immediately put frozen vegetables on a hot stove - the frozen ice will turn into water, which will affect the taste and quality of the dish. An exception is the vegetable stew, which is suitable for stewing until cooked right out of the freezer.
Is it possible to freeze zucchini - we found out. But in order for all the beneficial properties of zucchini to continue to be included in their composition, you should also adhere to the recommendations for the selection, preparation, freezing and storage of vegetables.
For starters, it should be noted that ripe fruits of light green color are best for freezing zucchini, and overripe fruits should be avoided.
It is also important to pay attention to the appearance of the zucchini, because they should not contain signs of the disease: dark or yellow spots, sunken soft areas, etc.
The process of preparing zucchini for freezing includes the following steps:
- Thorough rinsing;
- Wipe each fruit from moisture;
- Skin cleansing;
- Cutting off the stalk;
- Removing the core and seeds with adjacent pulp;
- Blanching.
Then you should act in accordance with the form in which you need to freeze the vegetable.
There are several types of shapes you can use when slicing zucchini. The most popular are cubes, dimes and rings. Also, some housewives prefer to freeze whole vegetables or grate them for later use in dishes.
Blanching is a step that is necessary to obtain a quality frozen product. It can be omitted if desired. However, squash that is not blanched will often get the same “rubbery” look and taste.
The blanching process itself involves placing food in boiling water for 2 minutes in order to rid them of various microorganisms and destroy enzymes.
After blanching, vegetables chopped in any way must be packed into a vacuum-sealed bag or food container. A plastic bag is not a very suitable option for freezing food, because it does not have sufficient density.
Freeze zucchini using a freezer at a temperature between 10 ° C and 20 ° C. Do not re-freeze previously defrosted food.
It is not enough to know how to properly freeze zucchini for the winter, you still need to be able to preserve them.
When storing frozen zucchini, you must follow these rules:
- Keep vegetables in the freezer;
- It is forbidden to re-freeze products after defrosting;
- The maximum shelf life of zucchini in this form is 10 months.
It is very important not to overlook such stages of using products as defrosting them. Otherwise, you can get a spoiled product that is not edible.
When defrosting vegetables, you should adhere to the following recommendations:
- Often, the defrosting process is omitted for cooking;
- You can reheat vegetables in the microwave for further use in cooking;
- When defrosting zucchini, they must be kept either in the refrigerator or in the kitchen at room temperature (this is especially true for zucchini puree);
- For the subsequent frying of zucchini in batter, they must be thawed by half.
In order for all the beneficial properties of zucchini to be preserved, you should adhere to the recommendations for the selection, preparation, freezing and storage of vegetables.
Next, proceed according to the method of freezing the vegetable.
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After blanching, vegetables chopped in any way must be packed into a vacuum-sealed bag or food container. A plastic bag is not a very suitable option for freezing food, because it does not have sufficient density.
Freeze vegetables using the freezer at a temperature between -10 ° C and -20 ° C. Do not re-freeze previously defrosted food.
It is recommended to use only unripe fruits for freezing. It is easy to check the degree of maturity - press the delicate skin with your fingernail. If it is easily pierced and clear juice appears, use the fruit to prepare semi-finished products for the winter.
You also need to make sure that there is no damage to the zucchini. If there are signs of decay or dry spots, remove them with a sharp knife to healthy tissue.
The workpiece, which is used to make soup, stew, does not require defrosting, you can simply send it to a saucepan and boil it. If additional heat treatment is required in a frying pan, oven, it is better to send the semi-finished product to the lower shelf of the refrigerator. Do not defrost at room temperature, the raw materials will become soft, the shade will change.
Zucchini are vegetables revered in many families. Having spent a little time in the summer, it is easy to stock up on valuable semi-finished products, which in winter will be a good help in preparing culinary masterpieces, rich in vitamins and nutrients.
Choose ripe and fresh vegetables for freezing for the winter. Then their appearance, form and vitamins will be preserved. If the fruits are eaten by children, then it is categorically impossible to choose overripe, rotten or damaged fruits. The peel should be slightly pierced, it should be soft.
The next step is to prepare the zucchini for freezing.
- They must be washed, dried and tails removed.
- You need to cut it in accordance with what they will be used for further.
- If you are preparing a game or stew, cut into cubes and then freeze in portions in plastic containers.
- To fry the zucchini in winter, it is better to cut into circles.
- You can freeze the halves so that they can be stuffed in winter.
How to freeze grated zucchini
How to freeze grated zucchini
Zucchini pancakes are very useful. For a winter dish, you can make a special preparation, which is very simple.
- Zucchini are washed, dried and peeled from seeds.
- The resulting pieces are grated.
- The juice that will inevitably appear in the plate must be drained, and the grated mass must be squeezed out.
- The resulting mass is leveled on the board to remove excess moisture.
- It remains only to arrange the grated zucchini in a container in portions and put in the freezer.
Important!
For harvesting zucchini at home for pancakes, you can take overripe fruits. There is not much juice in them, and they taste not much worse than young ones.
You can simply freeze grated zucchini or add herbs and spices to them, which are usually placed in pancakes. But it is important not to put salt right away, because it provokes the release of juice.
Can zucchini and eggplant be frozen
It is believed that frozen eggplants and zucchini after defrosting become watery, "rubbery" in taste.The vegetable itself loses its taste and does not look appetizing. Therefore, many housewives ask the question: is it worth then saving such products for the winter in this way? Our answer is yes. But you need to do it right.
You can freeze several types of vegetables, for example, zucchini with eggplant. This mixture is perfect for stews or soup. The safety of nutrients and vitamins directly depends on whether the vegetable is frozen correctly.
The easiest way is to cut the washed eggplants into cubes, add a little salt, dry and freeze in plastic bags. Any of the available fruits are suitable for this: yellow, white, green or blue.
Preparing the refrigerator
The refrigerator does not need particularly careful preparation before placing the zucchini in it, but, nevertheless, to preserve the best taste in vegetables, several recommendations must be followed:
- Remove from the freezer or from a separate edema where the zucchini will be stored, all foods that give off strong odors. If the flavors mix with each other for a long time, this will affect the taste, therefore, in order to preserve the pure taste of the fruits, it is recommended to store them separately from other products.
- Place the freezer on a low temperature to create a stress freeze effect (this method preserves the flavor and vitamins of the courgette). For primary freezing, marrow should be sent either to the “Fast / Super freeze” compartment, or set the lowest temperature in the common chamber, and raise it to the usual one after a certain amount of time.
- Another important point is the preparation of containers in which vegetables will be stored. The best option is considered to be plastic bags, from which it is necessary to remove air as much as possible (this will allow vegetables to survive longer).
See also
Recipes for freezing beets for the winter at home in the freezerRead
How to choose vegetables for harvesting for the winter
As noted earlier, you can use different methods of slicing the courgettes before freezing them, or you don't have to chop them at all. But how to freeze zucchini quickly and correctly?
The choice of method depends only on the purpose for which it is necessary to carry out the freezing process.
For example, zucchini is crushed into cubes in order to subsequently use them for complementary foods or cooking any dishes (soups). And in the form of circles, they are often cut for subsequent frying.
Whole vegetables
To freeze fresh zucchini for the winter as a whole, you should perform the following algorithm of actions:
- Rinse vegetables thoroughly;
- Dry them using a kitchen towel;
- Cut off the stalk with the adjacent part of the vegetable (2 cm);
- Peel (skip this step if you wish);
- The zucchini core can also be removed if a special tool is available. Otherwise, this stage must be omitted, because when using a knife, there is a possibility of damaging the whole shape of the zucchini;
- Blanch;
- Dry from excess moisture;
- Place vegetables in large vacuum sealed bags or food containers;
- Load into the freezer.
When defrosting such zucchini, you can cook them in absolutely any form, be it stews, fried or boiled vegetables, etc.
Frying rings
And how to freeze zucchini for the winter fresh for frying? In order to further fry frozen zucchini, you should prepare them as follows:
- Rinse thoroughly;
- Dry using a kitchen towel;
- Get rid of the stalk by touching 2 cm of the adjacent part of the vegetable;
- If desired, peel;
- Cut the vegetable across into dimes equal in circumference;
- Blanch;
- Dry;
- Arrange the circles in several small bags so that they do not have the opportunity to freeze to each other.
- Leave in the freezer until use.
The most popular way to use zucchini slices is to fry in oil. To add flavor and sophistication to a dish, you can dip them in flour before frying.
Little fastidious will appreciate the neutral and delicate taste of zucchini, so they can be used as an additional source of vitamins for babies.
To prepare them, you will need to perform the following steps:
- Rinse vegetables;
- Dry them with a kitchen towel;
- Cut off a small edge of the zucchini (2 cm) with a stalk;
- When freezing for complementary foods, peel (otherwise, the step can be skipped);
- Cut into small equal cubes or bars;
- Blanch;
- Dry from moisture;
- Arrange in bags or food containers so that the bars do not have the opportunity to freeze to each other;
- Place in the freezer.
Zucchini cubes are perfect not only for feeding children, but also for their further use in soups or stews.
Few would have thought, but zucchini can be frozen and already cooked. For example, by frying them.
To use this recipe, you should:
- Wash fresh vegetables;
- Dry thoroughly with a kitchen towel;
- Get rid of the stalk by touching the adjacent edge (2 cm);
- Peel (if desired, the step can be omitted);
- Rid the fruit from the core, seeds, as well as the pulp adjacent to them;
- Cut the zucchini into rings;
- Season with salt and pepper (optional);
- Breaded in flour;
- Fry the rings in a little oil until golden brown;
- Cool at room temperature;
- Thoroughly rid the zucchini of excess oil by blotting with a dry napkin;
- To complete products in packages or containers, so that they do not have the opportunity to freeze to each other;
- Load into the freezer.
We list the basic rules for freezing zucchini for the winter.
For this, vegetables with the following characteristics are suitable:
- unripe fruits;
- without signs of rot and spoilage on the peel.
Before chopping the zucchini:
- washed, freed from the stalk;
- dry thoroughly;
- if the fruits are overripe, then they are cleaned of seeds and adjacent pulp;
- in large fruits, the top layer of the peel is cut off if it is tough.
Use ripe, fresh zucchini. Vegetables should be firm, ripe and uniform, dark in color. The color of the zucchini is an indicator that the fruit is not overripe. Don't use soft or pale zucchini. Also, avoid damaged, rotten, or scratched fruit.
If you cannot freeze the zucchini right away, keep them in the refrigerator until freezing. But before freezing, make sure the vegetables are still ripe and firm.
The algorithm for preparing for freezing is as follows:
- Rinse the freezer batch thoroughly.
- Wipe each fruit dry.
- Peel large fruits from peel, seeds and chaff adjacent to them.
- Grind.
- Problanch (optional).
- Subject to heat treatment in advance: fry in circles until tender, cook sauté, caviar - as desired.
- Squeeze out the mass if crushed with a grater or blanched.
- Lightly dry by spreading a mass of cubes, sticks, circles in one thin layer on the table, baking sheet, large flat plate.
- Collect in a bag (vacuum, regular), lay out on a cutting board, the size of which is smaller than the width and depth of the freezer.
- Put the prepackaged product into the chamber.
Prepared zucchini can be packaged:
- In plastic / metal food containers.
- In ordinary plastic bags.
- In bags with a vacuum seal.
- On a flat board (suitable for making a couple of servings).
Vegetables are perfectly frozen both in a regular fridge freezer (-12 ° C; -18 ° C) and in a freezer with boxes for deep freezing of food (at a temperature: -24 ° C; -26 ° C). Frozen zucchini are stored for up to 10 months.
Most often, frozen zucchini is not defrosted before cooking. They can be heated in the microwave. If you need to defrost zucchini, this is done in the refrigerator or on the table at room temperature. The released liquid is drained.
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Puree is also thawed in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Zucchini, cut into circles, are taken out of the freezer, slightly defrosted (halfway), rolled in flour or dipped in batter and fried.
Cubes
You can buy frozen vegetables in winter to prepare a dish from them. But, in order to be sure of the quality and correctness of the freezing, it is better to make the blanks yourself. You can cook everything from frozen vegetables as from fresh ones.
- 1 kg of young zucchini should be washed, dried, peeled and diced.
- Pack in freezer bags, release excess air and send to freeze in the freezer.
In circles
- To prepare a semi-finished product, you need 1 kg of zucchini.
- They are washed, dried, peeled from the tail and stalks, and cut into rings.
- Remove excess moisture with a waffle towel and pack in freezer bags.
- Place in a freezer with a temperature not exceeding -20 degrees.
- After defrosting in winter, you will need to remove moisture from them with a towel, and then cook.
Zucchini is not specially thawed, but only as needed.
- They are added to soup and stews directly from the freezer, and fried are heated in the microwave.
- Vegetables frozen with rings for frying are not completely defrosted so as not to crumble, then they are dipped in flour and recovered in a pan.
- Defrost vegetables on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, and then drain the liquid.
- Mashed potatoes are also defrosted, before use, they are slightly warmed up to a temperature of 37 degrees.
Preparing zucchini for the winter is not difficult. This will allow you to enjoy a delicious meal in winter and saturate the body with vitamins during a deficiency. Soups, stews, caviar, pancakes are prepared, baked with meat filling. Puree is also frozen for feeding children. Bon Appetit!
Watch the video! Fried zucchini from the freezer
There are several options.
- Lovers of soups with zucchini or stews cut the fruit into 2 centimeters thick cubes. Placed in plastic containers or bags, preferably in portions. A portion of about "at a time" of using the vegetable for cooking.
- Do you like fried zucchini or casseroles? Create blanks in the form of circles, the thickness of which does not exceed a centimeter. To prevent the rings from sticking together during freezing, place them in one layer on a board (wrap with plastic wrap), which is put in the freezer for a while to freeze. The frozen pieces are then packaged in bags, plastic containers.
- Are you making preparations in order to cook vegetable pancakes in winter? Then it is recommended to store it in a grated form. Grate preferably on a medium grater. You can separate zucchini or with other vegetables that are used for pancakes. After that, you should squeeze out the moisture and place the vegetables in hermetically sealed bags.
- Fried. Fry the rings without adding spices. Take the time to cook them now to save money in the future. During defrosting by heating, add a little salt or pepper, garlic and sour cream if desired, oil.
Conclusion Use the freezing method to enjoy healthy and tasty zucchini all year round.
Zucchini can be stored in the freezer for approximately 10 months. In this case, the main thing is not to allow them to defrost during storage. If the vegetables are still thawed, for example, due to a breakdown of the freezer, then they should be eaten immediately.It is not worth re-freezing the zucchini, since this will lose their taste and the quality of the dishes with which they will be cooked will significantly decrease.
In the summer, many housewives wonder whether it is possible to freeze zucchini, because usually the harvest of these zucchini is quite rich. Experience has shown that such processing is one of the best options for storing fruits, which more and more people choose for its simplicity, economy and practicality.
Cooking a semi-finished product for zucchini pancakes
Zucchini pancakes are a type of pastry that absorbs a special taste, great benefits and an unusual aroma. The dough for such pancakes is prepared in the usual way, except that grated zucchini gruel is added to it.
I wonder how to freeze a semi-finished product for zucchini pancakes? To prepare a semi-finished product for cooking this dish, you need:
- Wash the zucchini;
- Wipe them dry;
- Cut into several large pieces to make them easier to peel;
- Remove the core and seeds, as well as the pulp adjacent to them;
- Peel off;
- Cut the zucchini again into smaller pieces, so that it is easy to hold in the hand when rubbing;
- Grate using a coarse grater;
- Pack the workpiece into bags or food containers;
- Place in freezer prior to use.
Defrost the gruel before using it in pancake dough. Such products are baked in the usual way.
Freezing process of grated vegetables
This is another great proven method of harvesting fruit. It is not at all necessary to harvest the zucchini as a whole. You can also freeze grated vegetables. This method is ideal for cooking vegetable cutlets or pancakes.
- We wash the fruits in running water and remove too hard and rough skin, if we use overripe fruits for harvesting. If the seeds in the pulp are too large, they must also be removed.
- Grind the peeled vegetables on a grater with medium holes.
- Squeeze the juice from the resulting pulp with your hands.
- We lay out the resulting pulp in bags and place in the freezer.
How to apply then
After defrosting, the cubes are stewed, baked with meat or other vegetables. Recipes for preparing cubes from frozen zucchini are varied: stew is prepared from larger cubes, caviar is prepared from smaller cubes.
Zucchini rings are an excellent base for a healthy omelet or just scrambled eggs - they don't even need to be thawed, you can immediately send them to the pan or baking sheet. You can fry frozen zucchini in slices. They are also suitable for a variety of vegetable and meat casseroles.
Grated are added to soups, stewed vegetables. Pieces of 1-1.5 cm are enough for three minutes to cook, pieces of 2-2.5 cm - five.
What can be made from frozen zucchini cubes
Vegetable caviar
Ingredients
- Zucchini - 2 pcs.
- Carrots - 1 pc.
- Bulgarian pepper (optional) - ½ pc.
- Bulb onions - 1 pc.
- Salt and sugar to taste
- Vinegar - 2 tsp
- Tomato paste 1-2 tablespoons
- Garlic - optional.
Preparation
- To prepare caviar or any other dish, in the evening we will take out the zucchini and move them to the main section of the refrigerator. In the morning they will be slightly thawed, but not completely.
- In the morning, fry the diced carrots in vegetable oil.
- Add the bow.
- Add the paste and mix. Add pepper and zucchini.
- Simmer for 20 minutes under the lid, salt, add sugar and vinegar. Simmer until vegetables are cooked.
- Then you can grind with a blender, grind with a meat grinder or leave, as it is in the form of a honeycomb.
- You can also make vegetable puree soup, add to stewed potatoes, the dish will become more tender and dietary.