How to Freeze Spiralized Vegetables Without Them Going Mushy

Categories
byPenny
How to Freeze Spiralized Vegetables Without Them Going Mushy

Do you love spiralized vegetables? I love them too! Since I bought my five-blade spiralizer it has been in constant use.

Lately, to save the faff of getting it out daily and having to clean it daily too. I have been doing a big spiralizing session and then storing the veg in the fridge for later and this has worked just fine. This is also something I do when I have a meal prepping session.

Sometimes I find I have made too much.

I absolutely hate wasting food! Could I just dump some of it in the freezer too? Let’s find out!

Heads up: I sometimes use affiliate links. When you click these links and make a purchase, I may get a small commission. It won’t cost you anything but it helps me to run this site.

What is spiralizing?

Spiralizing is a way of transforming healthy vegetables into a spaghetti-like shape that you can easily cook with. It’s a super quick and easy way to make veggie noodles, which are perfect for pasta dishes, soups, stir-fries or salads.

Spiralized vegetables don’t take long to make, you can buy several different kinds of veggie spiralizers ranging from simple hand-held devices to electric countertop versions that make short work of your vegetables.

If you’re looking for a new way to eat more vegetables, veggie noodles are a great option.

Which vegetables can be spiralized?

spiralized vegetables

Cucumber noodles or zoodles (made with zucchini) are the most popular veg for spiralizing.

Other perfect veggies include carrots, squash, cucumber, sweet potato and beetroot.

Related reading:

Which Vegetables Can You Spiralize?

If you have a large spiralizer you can also tackle things like red, green or white cabbage to make long strands which are great for salads and pasta alternatives.

How to select good veggies for freezing

Some vegetables are more suitable for freezing than others.

When selecting vegetables for freezing, choose the freshest produce you can find, or even better grow your own!

For best results, make sure the vegetable is crisp, with no signs of wilting. Vegetables with a little give, but are still firm are best for freezing.

Veg with low water content freezes the best, such as root veggies like sweet potato, beets, and carrots.

Before preparing the vegetables, wash them in cold water to remove any dirt or bacteria, and then dry them. It’s easiest to do this while they’re still whole.

How to spiralize vegetables

The process of spiralizing involves cutting your vegetable into thin strands. A round veggie is best suited for this technique as long as it is thick enough to spiralize without breaking apart.

Great veggies to spiralize include zucchini, squashes, and cucumber, carrots, and sweet potato. If you have a large table-top spiralizer you can tackle things like cabbages.

There are lots of different spiralizers to choose from, from manual to table-top and even electric.

Here’s mine. It’s a five-blade spiralizer for spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair, straight cut and curly fries.

my vegetable spiralizer

Can you freeze spiralized vegetables?

Yes, you absolutely can freeze spiralized vegetables! There are a few things to be aware of before you go for it and that pertains to how the veg will taste and its texture when it is thawed.

What happens to vegetables when you freeze them?

  • They lose their crunchiness and become softer.
  • They lose their colour and some of their flavour. However, frozen vegetables will retain more flavour when frozen fresh.
  • If you freeze vegetables for too long they will get freezer burn and become inedible.
  • They can retain water which causes the above. The higher the natural water content of the veg the least successful freezing will be.

If you are planning to use your thawed veg raw then I would advise against freezing them because they just won’t taste nearly as good as fresh vegetables. They will be watery and the texture will be very different.

However, if you plan to cook your veg by frying, boiling, or throwing them into a soup it is perfectly fine. There will be a difference again in taste and texture, but it is considerably better than eating defrosted veg raw.

Can I ask a little favor?
I would love it if you would like my Facebook page.
👉 Click here
Thank you so much! 💗

Which spiralized vegetables freeze the best?

The best vegetables for freezing are those with …

  • a firm texture
  • a high fibre and starch content
  • a low water content

Which veggies fit the bill? Let’s take a look.

#1 Sweet potatoes

Due to their high starch and fibre content, sweet potatoes keep their texture well so are often good for freezing from raw. When used in cooking they have a fluffy, creamy texture.

#2 Beetroot

Beets are similar to sweet potatoes in that they have a high fibre content which helps them to freeze well. When thawed you can use them raw in salads or throw them into a smoothie.

#2 Carrots

Spiralized carrot freezes well, but might be better tossed into a soup instead.

#3 Broccoli stems

Broccoli stems freeze well due to their firmness.

#4 Onions

Onions are a great candidate for freezing because they freeze well and you can toss them into a pan to begin various types of cooked dishes, like pasta sauces, casseroles, stews and more.

Zucchini and cucumber are not good candidates for freezing because of their high water content. They are best thawed and used in soups rather than for noodles or salads.

Butternut squash is another veg that might not work so well for you. However, this veg makes a great soup and cooks in no time. Frozen squash would be fine for that.

How to freeze spiralized vegetables

If the vegetable is to be used in a soup or stew, then it can be cooked first. The other option is to freeze them raw. Freezing from raw isn’t particularly hard, but it does require a little extra time and effort.

Step 1 – Spiralize

Wash, dry and then spiralize your veg as normal.

Step 2 – Prepare for freezing

If your veg has a high water content such as zucchini and squashes, then it is a good idea to remove some of the water first.

To remove excess water, put your veg on a paper towel or colander and sprinkle some cooking salt over it. Stir and gently squeeze to encourage the water to come out. You can also leave it to sit for 30 minutes to extract more water.

Step 3 – Bag up

spiralized sweet potato in a ziploc bag ready for freezing

Put your veg in an air-tight container or Ziploc freezer bag. It will be difficult to separate the veg after it’s frozen. Freeze it in serving sizes, so you can bung the whole thing into a pan at the same time.

How long can you freeze spiralized vegetables?

Once you have your veg bagged up in an air-tight container you can freeze your veg for up to a year. However, I think, the shorter the better for the taste. I prefer to regard my freezer as an extension to the fridge where I can store items that, either won’t fit in the fridge or that are likely to go bad before I get the chance to use them up.

How to thaw frozen spiralized vegetables

If you are going to cook your veg in water, you can cook from frozen.

Here I’ve thrown some frozen sweet potato into a pan with a small amount of water and then I boil it gently with the lid on until soft.

cooking frozen spiralized sweet potato

If you’re going to fry your veg, allow it to defrost at room temp (or microwave for a few seconds).

Frequently asked questions

Can you freeze cucumbers?

Generally no. Cucumbers have too much water content. They will be inedible. Only freeze them if you plan to add them to a soup.

Which spiralizer is best?

I have this one and love it. If you prefer something easy to clean go for a handheld one that you can easily put in the dishwasher.

Brieftons 5-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer: Strongest-Heaviest Spiral Slicer, Best Veggie Pasta Spaghetti Maker for Low Carb/Paleo/Gluten-Free/Vegan Meals, With Extra Blade Caddy, 4 Recipe Ebooks
Brieftons 5-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer: Strongest-Heaviest Spiral Slicer, Best Veggie Pasta Spaghetti Maker for Low Carb/Paleo/Gluten-Free/Vegan Meals, With Extra Blade Caddy, 4 Recipe Ebooks

What is the top spiralized veg to freeze?

In my experience, I think onions are the top veg because I tend to use those in most dishes. Spiralizing them in one go saves a lot of time (and tears!)

Which is best, frozen or fresh veg?

It’s a no-brainer I’m afraid. Fresh veg will always taste better than frozen.

What else can I freeze that I didn’t know about?

Did you know you can freeze yoghurt? You have to be careful which types you attempt to freeze. This post reveals all – Is it OK to Freeze Yoghurt? – Three Yoghurts On Test.

Sparkling Penny

Penny | Sparkling Penny

Penny’s expert cleaning advice has been featured repeatedly by Homes and Gardens Magazine, and also at wikiHow, The Daily Express Newspaper, and Glam Magazine to name a few! SparklingPenny.com was founded in 2019 and has since helped millions of people achieve a cleaner living space.


Share your thoughts

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *