How to Freeze Squash: Tips to Preserve Your Harvest for Recipes

I love growing squash, but there are some plants that can be rather prolific (ahem, I’m looking at you, zucchini). I don’t like anything going to waste, so learning how to freeze squash can ensure that you will enjoy this tasty vegetable well into the winter. There are different methods you can use, depending on your space and the state you’d like your squash to be in when it comes out of the freezer (i.e. cubed or puréed). And, summer squash and winter squash are require different steps. In this article, I’m going to share a few ways that I prepare squash to go into my frozen pantry—aka the freezer. This also works for squash you’ve bought at the supermarket or a farmers’ market, and don’t have time to cook right away.

The type of squash you grow will affect your freezing options. Summer squash, like zucchini, has a soft skin that you can often eat, and a higher moisture content than winter squash. Winter varieties have a hard rind, which makes squash a good storage vegetable. But it also freezes well, too.

There are a few reasons why you may want to freeze squash instead of storing it for the winter in a cold cellar. And the type of squash you grow will also dictate how you store it. Summer squash, such as zucchini and patty pan, can only be stored for about two weeks. It’s not a vegetable that you’ll be able to store in a root cellar.

Winter squash, such as pumpkin, butternut, and acorn, can be stored in a root cellar, as outlined in this article. If you don’t have a good place to properly store squash, the freezer becomes a great option. And when it comes to a single, sizable winter squash, sometimes you don’t want to eat the whole thing in one meal. Saving your squash to