Learning how to freeze squash and prepare it for a season’s worth of meal can help you get a jumpstart on easy cooking! Preparing fall produce like squash and root vegetables is a huge time-saver— When it comes to cooking weeknight dinner or work lunch, it can be so helpful to have these vegetables already cut and prepared for you. Then, storing the cut vegetables in the freezer makes them last much longer than in the refrigerator. You can cut and freeze your favorite squash while it’s in season and store it for a good couple months.
How to Freeze Squash
If you’re not sure how to freeze squash, it’s actually quite simple! The most time consuming part of the process is probably removing the peel. That firm, exterior layer of squashes’ skin is usually too tough to eat. Depending on what type of squash you end up with, the inside may be more or less hollow. And there are usually pulp and seeds to pull out and discard. These steps can help you better understand how to freeze squash:
- Wash and scrub the outside of the squash. Pat dry.
- Use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel the skin off of the squash. Discard. (If using a delicata squash, skip this step).
- Optional, if the squash is exceptionally tough and hard to peel or cut: Use a fork to poke a dozen holes all over the squash. Microwave for 30-60 seconds to soften the squash before cutting.
- Using a large, sharp knife, carefully cut the squash in half vertically. Cut off the top part with the stem.
- Use a metal spoon to scrape the pulp out of the squash. If desired, save the seeds to roast for snacking.
- Cut the squash into your desired shapes and sizes. If preparing a large amount of squash to freeze for various uses, we recommend dicing the squash into chunks.
- Put the diced squash in a freezer-safe bag or container. Label the bag and place in the freezer for several months.
Fall Recipes
Squash and other seasonal vegetables are often the backbone to tasty fall recipes. Roasted vegetables, hearty soups, and casserole dishes are some common fall recipes. But there are many other ways to enjoy fall squash and vegetables. For one, FreezerFit’s Quinoa Veggie Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing is tasty with pre-roasted squash as the vegetable of choice. Try swapping out some vegetables for a variety of seasonal squash — Different types include:
- Butternut squash
- Acorn squash
- Delicata squash: One of the only squashes with an edible exterior, this squash is easily cut and frozen. It can then be tossed into soups and stews or directly roasted.
- Kabocha squash
- Pumpkin
- Spaghetti squash: This stringy squash is a great paleo and keto alternative to pasta.
If you’re looking for more fall recipes to try, check out FreezerFit’s Pork Chops with Apples and Sweet Potato or Roast Beef and Carrots. For side dishes, we love Honey Balsamic Brussel Sprouts or Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
Freezer Meals
Like most other vegetables, squash is simple to prepare for freezer meals. It’s helpful to cut and freeze one, two, or even more squashes to have a ton on hand. Then, you can scoop out a cup or two of diced squash when you’re ready to prepare your freezer meals. This is nice and convenient for getting ingredients ready for freezer meals that you’ll cook at a later time. Plus, this is a great time to enjoy other fall vegetables and seasonal produce with your squash and other ingredients. Depending on where you live, fall vegetables like carrots, brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes are fresh from harvest. Some popular recipes with hearty fall vegetables like these include:
- Sheet pan recipes are easy to prepare and quick to cook up. Check out this list of 30 fall sheet pan recipes for some inspiration.
- It’s soup season! This Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup is chock-full of vegetables.
- Broccoli Cheese Casserole is a great way to sneak in some greens alongside creamy cheese.
We encourage you to get started with freezer meals using basic ingredients like fresh fall squash and vegetables! Freezer meals are a great way to save time, be prepared, and eat your favorite foods at any time. For more information on how to get started, go here.
