We all have been there – too much fresh zucchini from your garden and you are wondering what to do. Freeze dry it! You will be pleased that you did after reading this article on how to freeze dry zucchini.

What is Freeze Drying?

To demonstrate fully, this is known as the freeze-drying or lyophilisation process, by which water is drawn off from the food via sublimation. It retains the nutritional integrity of zucchini, with none of the texture, smell or taste sacrificed.

Benefits of Freeze Drying Zucchini

You'll always have zucchini at hand for any dish thanks to freeze-drying it. The process also shrinks the food, taking up less space in storage. You can munch on the freeze-dried zucchini chips as a healthy snack, or hydrate it and add it to soups, stews and casseroles.

Preparing the Zucchini for Freeze Drying

Selection of Zucchini

Careful selection of zucchini is important since it will affect the outcome of the freezedrying process. Choose firm and mature-coloured zucchini as a sign that it has not fully developed into a tricky overripe one; avoid zucchini that is pale or soft, with bruises or rotted areas. If possible, harvest the zucchini fresh if you want top results.

Cleaning the Zucchini

Before freezing the zucchini, rinse it with cold to lukewarm water first. In the rinsing water, there may be specks of soil or the occasional bit of residue, so be sure to scrub the zuchinni with your palm or fingers as you wash it. You can also use a soft vegetable brush to run over its skin, if necessary.

Slicing the Zucchini

You shall choose to slice or grate the zucchini based on your intention on making a use of it. With a sharp knife, slice both of the edges of the zucchini (the ends) to about 1/4 inch. If you’ll be slicing the zucchini, do the rest of a vegetable into 1/2 inch slices. If you want to grate that zucchini, use a box grater or a food processor and slice it into shreds.

Blanching the Zucchini

Preparation of Water for Blanching

Fill the large stockpot until it is 2/3 of the way full, then bring to boiling over high heat. Blanching the zucchini removes the enzymes that cause the zucchini to be lost over time (lose flavor, color, and nutrients).

Blanching Process

Blanch the zucchini you have sliced or shredded: Put the boiling water back on the burner and bring it to a boil. Add the sliced zucchini and cook, uncovered, for 3 or 4 minutes. If the zucchini is shredded, add it to a basket and place over the boiling water; steam, covered, for 2 minutes, until it is translucent.

Transfer to Ice Water

When the blanching is done, take the zucchini out of the boiling water and drop them into the ice bath to shock them. This causes the veggies to stop cooking almost immediately. The ice water helps lock in the freshness of the colour, texture and nutrients.

Draining the Zucchini

Cool, drain thoroughly. Scoop out the zucchini and lay it out to dry on a clean kitchen towel.

Packing the Zucchini for Freeze Drying

When drained, pack into freezer-safe storage containers or bags; if using bags, squeeze the air out as much as possible, since a sealed environment lowers the risk of freezer burn.

Freeze Drying Process

Next, stuff the zucchini with the packaged fillings and place them in the freeze dryer. The freeze drying process takes between 20 to 40 hours, depending on the quantity and type of food. It involves freezing the zucchini and reducing the surrounding# I have to finish the sentence.

Freeze Drying Process

So, pack the zucchini into the freeze dryer. For the actual freeze drying, plan 20 to 40 hours, depending on amount and kind of food. It freezes the product first, then the pressure is lowered and a little bit of heat is added to the frozen food so that its water freezes and sublimes directly from the solid phase to the gaseous phase. (Note: this can only be done if you have a freeze dryer at home).

Storing the Freeze-Dried Zucchini

Following freeze-drying, zucchini may be packed in airtight containers and stored in a cool, dark place where they will retain nutritional value for a long time. Packages should be sealed as far as possible to prevent intake of moisture, which could degrade the quality of freeze-dried zucchini. For the best long-term storage, vacuum-seal. Thus, freeze-dried zucchini will last up to a year or more.

Rehydrating the Freeze-Dried Zucchini

When you’re ready to use the zucchini, all it takes is soaking in water to get the dehydrated zucchini to expand. Re-hydrating takes a few minutes: Place the prepared, freeze-dried food into warm water. Re-hydration is complete. Now, to use them in your favourite chef recipes again, the water will immediately convert the slices or meal into its original form and texture.

Let's Sum Up

If you want to prolong the shelf life of zucchini and still enjoy its flavour, you can freeze dry it at home in your vacuum sealer. The vitamins and minerals, flavour and fibre content remain mostly intact, making it a versatile component of meals. So, if you ever find yourself with a zucchini abundance, try freeze drying half the harvest to use it at a later date.