10 cool ways to prepare zucchini for the winter

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Freeze, marinate, cook caviar and salads and enjoy the flavor of summer vegetables in winter.

1. Frozen zucchini

The easiest and most convenient way to prepare vegetables. Zucchini are preserved almost intact.

If the courgettes are old, peel and seed them. Wash vegetables, pat dry and cut into cubes or slices. The circles can then be baked in the oven or fried, and from the cubes you can make a vegetable stew or puree soup.

Put the zucchini in a sieve and dip in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. You can skip this step. However, frozen zucchini will retain flavor, color and texture better after blanching.

Transfer the hot zucchini to cold water to cool completely. Then spread over a clean towel and dry thoroughly.

Divide the zucchini into plastic containers or bags and close or tie them tightly. First, you need to expel excess air from the packages.

Put the blanks in the freezer.

How to properly freeze vegetables and herbs for the winter →

Frozen zucchini can be used to make the same dishes as fresh ones. Feel free to experiment. You will find many interesting ideas in these articles:

How to cook zucchini in the oven. 10 cool recipes →

14 delicious zucchini dishes →

2. Simple pickled zucchini for the winter

Another easy way to save zucchini for the winter. They are crispy and slightly sour. However, it is not felt at all in dishes.

Ingredients

• 1-2 zucchini;
• water;
• 1 tablespoon vinegar 9%.

The ingredients are designed for one ½ liter can.

Preparation

Young zucchini are best suited for pickling. They are soft and not too large. So they don't have to be peeled and seedless.

Cut the washed vegetables into long thin strips or slices. Choose a shape depending on how you will use the zucchini. You can make rolls from the strips, and simply fry the circles. The cooking methods will be described below.

Place the zucchini tightly in the jar. If you cut them into strips, stack them on top of each other and roll them up. A small jar can hold two of these rolls.

Pour boiling water over the zucchini to the very edge of the jar. Add vinegar. Line the bottom of the pot with a towel, place the jar on top of it, and cover with the lid. The tissue is needed so that the can does not move during sterilization.

Pour warm water into a saucepan. The can should be covered with it up to the point where the neck begins. Bring the water to a boil and leave the jar in the saucepan for another 5-7 minutes. Roll up the can, turn it over and cover with something warm. It should cool completely.

Using pickled zucchini

Both circles and strips can be fried in batter. To do this, roll them in flour, and then in eggs, beaten with salt, ground black pepper or other spices. You can choose a mixture of flour and spices, or use a different batter of your choice.

Pour oil into a skillet and heat it over medium heat. Fry the courgettes on both sides until they are lightly browned.

You can make rolls with all kinds of fillings from zucchini strips. The strips can be left in their original form or fried in batter.

5 recipes for delicious pickled tomatoes →

3. Zucchini caviar

This appetizer can be eaten with spoons, added to a side dish, or spread over sandwiches. Depending on the recipe, caviar can take up to three hours to cook. But in sterilized jars, it will be perfectly stored all winter and even longer, so all your efforts will pay off with interest.

4 best recipes for squash caviar →

4. Zucchini salad with carrots and soy sauce

Zucchini are juicy, spicy and aromatic. This salad can be served with a side dish or added to a stew at the end of cooking.

Ingredients

• 650 g zucchini;
• 1-2 carrots;
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• 5 black peppercorns;
• ¼ teaspoon of dill seeds;
• ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
• ⅓ teaspoon of cumin seeds;
• 1½ teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons of sugar;
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• 50 ml vinegar 9%.

The ingredients are designed for 1 can of 1 liter.

Preparation

Peel the zucchini and seeds and cut into medium cubes. Chop the peeled carrots into wedges, and chop the garlic into thin slices.

Place the pepper and dill on the bottom of the sterilized jar. Arrange the courgettes, carrots, and garlic, alternating with coriander, cumin, salt and sugar. When the jar is full, pour the soy sauce, oil and vinegar into it and let sit for 20 minutes.

Pour boiling water over the vegetables, not adding about 1 cm to the edge of the jar. Cover with a lid and place in a pot of warm water. Place the pot on the stove and sterilize the jar 30 minutes after boiling. Turn the jar over, wrap and cool.

5. Zucchini like milk mushrooms

The workpiece got its name for a reason. The zucchini tastes really like mushrooms.

Ingredients

• 1½ kg of courgettes;
• 150 g carrots;
• ½ bunch of dill;
• ½ bunch of parsley;
• 4-6 cloves of garlic;
• 3 tablespoons of sugar;
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper;
• 50 ml of vegetable oil;
• 50 ml vinegar 9%.

The ingredients are designed for 4 ½ liter cans.

Preparation

Cut the courgettes into small cubes. If the vegetables are young, the skin may not be peeled off. But the seeds must be removed from both old and young zucchini. The ingredients indicate the weight of the zucchini already peeled.

Cut the carrots into thin slices. Chop the dill and parsley finely. Chop the garlic.

Place all vegetables and herbs in a large bowl. Add sugar, salt, pepper, oil and vinegar. Stir well, cover and leave for 3 hours.

Lay out the workpiece in sterilized jars. Place them in a pot of warm water, cover and sterilize after boiling for 15 minutes. Roll up the cans, turn over, wrap and cool.

We prepare mushrooms for the winter: salt, dry, pickle (+ three amazing recipes) →

6. Zucchini lecho

Classic lecho is made from bell peppers and tomatoes. But if you add zucchini to these ingredients, the dish will sparkle with new colors.

The best recipe for zucchini lecho →

7. Zucchini in pineapple juice

An incredibly simple and original recipe. Zucchini is indistinguishable from canned pineapple!

Ingredients

• 3 kg of zucchini;
• 200 g sugar;
• 1 liter pineapple juice;
• ⅔ teaspoon of citric acid.

The ingredients are designed for 5 ½ liter cans.

Preparation

Peel the zucchini and remove the seeds. Cut vegetables into cubes or half rings and place in a saucepan.

Add sugar, juice and citric acid. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for another 15 minutes if the courgettes are young, and 20 minutes if they are old.

Distribute the zucchini and juice immediately into sterilized jars and roll up. Turn over, wrap and cool.

8. Korean zucchini salad

This appetizer will certainly appeal to those who love spicy dishes.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of zucchini;
• 1 carrot;
• 2 red bell peppers;
• 1 onion;
• 3-4 cloves of garlic;
• ½ bunch of dill;
• 1½ teaspoon Korean carrot seasoning
• 60–70 g sugar;
• 1-1½ teaspoon of salt;
• 80 ml vinegar 9%;
• 60 ml of vegetable oil.

The ingredients are designed for 3 ½ liter cans.

Preparation

Grate the zucchini and carrots with a Korean carrot grater. Cut the peeled peppers, onions and garlic into small pieces. Chop the dill.

Place vegetables and herbs in a bowl. Add carrot seasoning, sugar, salt, vinegar and oil. Stir well and leave covered for 2 hours.

Place the salad in sterilized jars, leaving some space on top. Cover and sterilize in a pot of water for 30 minutes after boiling. Roll up the cans, turn over, wrap and cool.

How to cook juicy and aromatic Korean carrots →

nine. Spicy pickled zucchini with ketchup

Zucchini are tasty, aromatic, with a piquant spice. You can add a few cloves of garlic to the vegetables if you like.

Ingredients

• 1½ kg of courgettes;
• 8 dried clove buds;
• 8 black peppercorns;
• 600 ml of water;
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons of sugar;
• 4 tablespoons hot ketchup
• 30 ml vinegar 9%.

The ingredients are designed for 4 ½ liter cans.

Preparation

Cut the zucchini into slices. Young vegetables do not need to be peeled. Put cloves and peppers in clean jars and tamp the zucchini.

Pour water into a saucepan, add salt, sugar and ketchup and stir. Bring to a boil, add vinegar and stir again.

Pour the marinade over the zucchini, cover the jars with lids and sterilize in a saucepan of water for 15 minutes after boiling. Roll up the cans, turn over and cool under a warm cloth.

4 recipes for delicious homemade fresh tomato ketchup →

10. Fried zucchini for the winter

Thanks to this preparation, in winter, fragrant fried vegetables will appear on your table without unnecessary hassle.

Ingredients

• 2 kg of zucchini;
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
• 1 dill umbrella;
• 2–4 sprigs of tarragon;
• 6 cloves of garlic;
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 40 ml vinegar 9%.

The ingredients are designed for 2 ½ liter cans.

Preparation

For cooking, it is best to take small young zucchini. Cut the washed vegetables into slices about 1 cm thick.

Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the courgettes until golden brown on both sides. Transfer them to a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Toss on the bottom of the sterilized jars, half a dill umbrella and 1-2 tarragon sprigs. Divide the fried courgettes into the jars, alternating with salt and chopped garlic. Pour vinegar into the jars.

Cover the jars with lids and sterilize in a pot of water for 25 minutes after boiling. Roll up the cans, turn over, wrap and cool.