Can You Cut Zucchini Ahead of Time? [7 Ways to Store It]

Cutting and storing vegetables makes cooking a lot easier.

However, some vegetables spoil rapidly and don’t hold up for too long after being cut.

If you like to cook with zucchini, you may wonder what the case with this vegetable is.

So, can you cut zucchini ahead of time?

Cutting Zucchini Ahead of Time

Cut zucchini holds up in the refrigerator for a few days. However, if you wish to store it for much longer, either freeze or pickle it.

Zucchini, or summer squash, is a juicy vegetable.

The high moisture content makes it delicate, and the texture changes easily.

Hence, you should be very careful about how you store zucchini after cutting it.

7 Best Ways to Store Cut Zucchini

Zucchini is one of the few vegetables that are available throughout the year.

However, they grow abundantly in summer, and you may like to buy them in bulk during this season.

When buying zucchini in bulk, choose ones that are fresh, firm, and just ripe.

If it has any bruises or is overripe, it will not keep well.

Let’s now look at the best ways to store zucchini for later use.

1. Refrigerate Cut Zucchini for Five to Seven Days

If zucchini is on your menu for the week, you can cut and refrigerate it in advance.

Cut zucchini will usually hold up in the refrigerator for five to seven days. However, if it looks overripe, use it sooner.

To store cut zucchini in the refrigerator, wash the whole vegetable and dry it thoroughly.

Then chop or slice in the desired size.

Place the cut pieces in a Ziploc bag or airtight container.

The best place to store it is in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

However, you can also place it in the other refrigerator compartments if you prefer.

2. Store Spiralized Zucchini in The Refrigerator for Two or Three Days

Zucchini pasta is a healthy alternative to flour-based noodles and pasta.

You can easily make it at home using a spiralizer.

If you like to prepare it in bulk or have leftovers, you can store it in the refrigerator for later use.

Spiralized zucchini is delicate and thin. Hence, it will deteriorate faster than a larger cut of the vegetable.

Use it within two to three days to prevent deterioration.

To store it, dry the spiralized zucchini with a paper towel.

Then, place it in an airtight bag or container in the crisper drawer.

Keep an eye on the zucchini and use it quickly because it will release moisture and become soggy over time.

Also, avoid storing zucchini pasta in the freezer since low temperature spoils the original texture and makes it soggy and inedible.

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3. Store Zucchini in The Freezer for Long-Term Storage

Zucchini doesn’t hold up for more than seven to ten days in the fridge.

The texture of the vegetable spoils by this time.

So if you have more zucchini than you can use up in a week, it’s not a good idea to refrigerate it.

However, you can freeze it safely for later use.

Cut zucchini will keep well in the freezer for several weeks when stored properly.

To freeze the zucchini, wash and dry it thoroughly. Then, slice or chop it to the desired size.

Transfer all the pieces to an airtight bag or container and place them in the freezer. It will keep for several weeks.

When you wish to use the cut zucchini, remove the bag or box from the freezer and let it thaw for a few hours.

Alternatively, you can also thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.

Once it comes to room temperature, you can remove the vegetable from the bag and use it as desired.

4. Blanch and Store Zucchini in The Freezer for Long-Term Storage

Another way to store zucchini for a long time is to blanch it and freeze the pieces.

Start by washing the zucchini and drying it with a paper towel.

Once it’s completely dry, slice it thinly or into squares as per your need.

Next, blanch the zucchini for two minutes or less.

It shouldn’t cook too much as the texture and taste will change drastically.

After cooking, immediately plunge the zucchini pieces into cold water to stop the cooking process.

Then, drain the zucchini and seal it in an airtight bag or box. Promptly place it in the freezer.

You can store it for several weeks in this manner.

You can also store zucchini noodles or shredded zucchini in the freezer after blanching, and they will not lose their original texture.

When removing the zucchini for use, it must be thawed.

You can thaw it in the refrigerator or on the countertop for a few hours.

If you have stored it properly in an airtight container, there will be no change in texture.

So it will taste and look as good as fresh zucchini.

5. Pickle Zucchini for Long-Term Use

Pickling is another good way to store zucchini for a long time.

This method will retain the nutritional benefits of the vegetable and make it usable for much longer.

To pickle zucchini, cut it into slices or chunks as desired. Place it inside a bottle.

Prepare a brine solution of vinegar, water, salt, and sugar.

Pour it over the zucchini pieces and screw on the lid of the bottle immediately.

Seal it tightly and store it for later use.

Pickled zucchini will hold up for two to three weeks when stored properly.

Once opened, transfer the pickle to the refrigerator to extend its shelf life.

Related Reading:

• 4 Main Types Of Ingredients Used In Pickles
• Can You Peel Sweet Potatoes in Advance?

6. Store It Whole in The Crisper Drawer

If the zucchini is just under-ripe and firm, it will hold up longer than ripe ones.

You can conveniently store it in the refrigerator if you plan to use it within a week or ten days.

In this case, place the zucchini in an airtight bag and put it in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

It should hold up for five to seven days.

However, continuously check the zucchini. If it wilts or becomes soft, use it quickly.

Leaving it in the refrigerator will only prolong its shelf life slightly.

It will eventually lose its texture and become soggy and unusable.

7. Store It on The Countertop for Immediate Use

Zucchini holds up at room temperature for a few days when it’s slightly under-ripe or just ripe when you buy it.

However, conditions like ambient temperature and humidity will affect the quality.

If you will be using your zucchini within a few days, store it on the countertop.

Place it away from heat and moisture to preserve it for longer.

Storing it with certain types of produce will adversely affect the quality and make it spoil faster.

So make sure that you don’t place the zucchini near other types of produce when storing it outside at room temperature.

Also, don’t wash the zucchini before putting it in storage.

Contact with moisture can speed up the deterioration process and make it spoil faster.

Instead, you can rinse the vegetable in cold water just before use. This will help to preserve it for much longer.