Once you’ve finished one section with the vegetable peeler, rotate the squash in your non-dominant hand to peel another side. With a knife, slice just beneath the skin on one side of the squash. Then, slice all the way down the length of the squash until this strip is completely removed. Continue slicing off other strips of skin in this manner until you make it all the way around the squash.
Use a cutting board whenever chopping vegetables.
Freezing the pieces this way makes it less likely that the squash will stick together in long-term frozen storage.
Tupperware and plastic bags both make good storage solutions. If using a plastic bag, push as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing it.
You can also roast butternut squash directly from the freezer without thawing it.
For bigger squash like butternut squash, move slowly and carefully with the knife. Squash roll, and you don’t want the knife to slip. If the squash is smaller, like an acorn squash, it will be easier to hold it steady.
Compost or trash the inner bits of the squash. Spoons don’t cut as well through the strings of a squash as a melon baller, due to their dull edges.
If you plan to roast the squash straight out of the freezer, adding butter and brown sugar at this stage is a good idea. Otherwise, the squash will preserve better without additives, and you can just bake it as it is.
To microwave the squash, place the squash pieces on a piece of microwave-safe plastic wrap on top of a microwavable plate. Cook them for 15 minutes on high, checking the squash at every 5 minute interval. Continue cooking until the flesh is soft enough to scoop it out of the skin with a spoon. [12] X Research source Depending on how old or hard the squash was, it may take up to 35 minutes for it to be tender.
You can also use a serrated spoon for a bit of extra help digging out the flesh.
Alternatively, you can mash the squash with a mashing tool or even a run of the mill metal fork to achieve a similar effect.
Pureed squash will freeze best if it’s frozen in small portions, but if you’re in a rush, you can skip this step and transfer the puree to long-term storage immediately.
If you’re using plastic bags, remove as much air as possible from the bags before you seal them.
Winter squash puree is a great candidate for adding to sauces, soups, dips, lasagnas, enchiladas, and baked breads or muffins.
If you are freezing zucchini to make zucchini bread in the future, you should grate it instead. Use a box grater to grate the zucchini into a bowl. There is no need to peel the squash first in this method, as you are going to blanch it.
You are not steaming the squash in this method. Instead, you are using the wire basket as a way to easily fish the squash out of the water when ready.
You can poke the squash with a fork after 3 minutes to check for tenderness. If the squash feel tender, they are ready. [21] X Research source If you are working with grated zucchini, blanch the grated pieces in small batches for 1 to 2 minutes each, until they feel tender. [22] X Research source
Dunking the squash in ice water after you have blanched it will stop the cooking process, thereby preventing the enzymes from breaking down any further. As a result, you are left with squash that retains its color, flavor, and most of its texture.
You can sandwich the squash between two paper towels for about 10 minutes to make sure they have dried completely.
Blanched summer squash will usually stay good in a freezer for up to 6 months.
Grated zucchini will work very well in risotto, soup, muffin batter, or cake batter. [27] X Research source As a totally stand alone dish, grated squash can be sautéed in brown butter with garlic and sage. [28] X Research source
