Do you have a garden or live in a town with a farmers market? If so, I bet you have access to a whole lot of cheap zucchini right about now. Before the season ends or you give away a zucchini from your garden to everyone you pass on the streets, consider freezing them for the winter. Frozen zucchini is great for baked pasta dishes, soups, sauces, calzones, and omelettes all winter long. I grill mine first to add extra flavor and keep the texture just right once it’s defrosted; the flavor of grilled summer vegetables in the middle of winter will warm your soul, trust me.
Heres how you do it:
Step 1: Fire up your grill. I turned mine to medium-high so the flames were touching the grates and I could get grill marks on the zucchini quickly.
Step 2: Cut your zucchini and pile it up on a platter. I started with 6 total squashes (3 green/3 yellow) and cut off the tips. Then, I cut them in half crosswise, and cut each half into thick strips. About a quarter inch or less is a good size for the slices, but as long as they’re all about the same thickness, don’t worry about the exact size. 
Step 3: Coat your sliced zucchini with a drizzle of olive oil and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Step 4: Lay the slices out on the grill, cooking for only 1-2 minutes per side. If you have a small grill like me, this may take 2 or 3 batches. You don’t want the zucchini to be fully cooked, just to have some grill marks and be slightly tender. Remember, you’re going to cook it again over the winter, and don’t want it to turn to mush. 
Step 5: Place grilled zucchini back onto the platter, and let it cool to room temperature. While the zucchini cools, line two sheet pans with plastic wrap. Add cooled squash to the prepared pans, in a single layer. Don’t overlap the zucchini or it will all stick together when frozen. 
Step 6: Freeze the pans until zucchini is solid, at least 3 hours or overnight. Transfer zucchini to plastic freezer bags, and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. 
I hope you find some time this week to stock your freezer with zucchini for the winter! If you do, let me know how it turns out by leaving a comment below, or tagging me #bakedgreens on Instagram. Happy Monday, Friends!