How to Store Zucchini: 3 Ways to Store Zucchini

Zucchini, also known as green squash, is a summer squash from the Cucurbitaceae plant family. Though the Cucurbita genus has roots in the Americas, modern zucchini are a result of Italian cultivation in the nineteenth century; it takes its name from “zucca,” the Italian word for “squash.” (In French, it’s called a “courgette.”) Common zucchini—the dark-green variety that grocery stores sell—goes by the name “Black Beauty.”

Classified as a fruit but widely consumed as a vegetable, zucchini is easy to cook and has many applications. You can add diced zucchini to vegetable soup or coat zucchini slices in olive oil and spices and roast on a baking sheet with diced chicken thighs for a sheet-pan dinner. Slice raw zucchini and serve it as a snack or side dish alongside hummus or other dips.

The veggie is the main ingredient in zucchini bread and zucchini noodles, a common no-carb pasta substitute known as zoodles.

Choosing fresh zucchini at the grocery store or farmers market is straightforward: Look for options that are small, firm, and free of nicks and blemishes. The best zucchini is relatively small, heavy for its size, and has dark-green skin—larger options may be full of water.

While zucchini is best tasting in late summer, it is available year-round at the grocery store.

There are several methods for storing zucchini, depending on how you plan to use it in zucchini recipes. Here are a few ways to store zucchini:

1. 1. Leave fresh zucchini out at room temperature: If you plan to cook the veggie within a few days of purchase, the best way to store it is on the counter at room temperature. Lightly rinse the veggie with cold water before cooking.
2. 2. Store whole zucchini in the refrigerator: Store fresh zucchini in a paper bag in the refrigerator if you plan to use it more than a few days after purchase. The whole zucchini will remain fresh for more than a week if you store it in a crisper drawer or paper bag that allows air circulation and prevents wilting. Avoid storing zucchini in a sealed plastic bag or airtight container because the lack of airflow can impact its quality.
3. 3. Flash freeze: The flash-freezing process will ensure that your cut zucchini pieces won’t stick together when storing them in the freezer for the long haul. First, place the veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them for a couple of hours. Remove the flash-frozen slices, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag, and return the veggies to the freezer. You can store frozen zucchini for up to three months; any longer and you’ll run the risk of freezer burn. To use frozen zucchini, thaw under running cold water or let it defrost in the refrigerator.

You can freeze zucchini for later use, but you’ll need to blanch the veggies in hot water beforehand. (Blanching helps the veggie retain its nutrients). First, cut the veggies into cubes or slices, then blanch them in salted boiling water in a large pot for one or two minutes.

Stop the cooking process by placing the cooked zucchini straight into an ice-water bath in a large bowl for a minute. Let the veggies drain in a colander and pat them dry with a paper towel.

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