How To Preserve Summer Squash In All Its Forms

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Explore some of the best methods in this guide, showing you How To Preserve Summer Squash. With so many varieties of summer squash, these techniques will help you preserve as much as possible of summer’s bounty!

Bright yellow squash blossom with ruffled petals and green leaves in the background. The image, perfect for learning how to preserve summer squash, features blessthismessplease.com at the bottom in an orange box.

Preserving Guide: How To Preserve Summer Squash

With so many varieties of summer squash, it lends itself to being one of the most abundant summer vegetables! You’re definitely missing out on squash’s delicious, earthy flavor for over half the year if you don’t know how to preserve it for long term storage. It’s such a versatile ingredient to have in your pantry that I recommend storing some.

Below are at least 2 simple methods to help you store up your next summer harvest, or farmers market purchase, for months of fresh, sweet flavor, as well as preservation of its many nutritious vitamins.

Types Of Summer Squash

Among the many varieties of Summer Squash, some of the most popular or well known ones are obviously the yellow and green zucchini, Crookneck squash, Tromboncino squash, Pattypan squash, and the Eight Ball squash!

Summer squash come in a myriad of bright varieties, with many differences from their winter squash siblings, such as harvest time, skin thickness, and storage length. While you harvest summer squash while they’re young and tender, lending to a shorter shelf life — winter squash are harvested when they’re more mature, with thick skin, so they can be stored for longer.

There are many more varieties of Summer Squash than the ones above, and there’s almost no end to their deliciousness. Pick whatever variety is your favorite to preserve!

Preserving Guide: How To Preserve Summer Squash
Types Of Summer Squash
When To Harvest Summer Squash
How To Store Summer Squash
Dehydrating Summer Squash
Canning Summer Squash
Freezing Summer Squash
Expert Tips
More Tips For Preserving The Harvest

When To Harvest Summer Squash

Summer squashes should be picked when young and tender. Yellow types should still be pale yellow when picked. The skin should still be soft when punctured by a fingernail; if not, the fruit is too old.

How To Store Summer Squash

Store your summer squash in the refrigerator.

Dehydrating Summer Squash

CUT: Wash, trim, and cut into 1⁄4-inch thick slices
DEHYDRATOR: 10-12 hours
APPEARANCE WHEN DRY: leathery to brittle

Canning Summer Squash

I do not recommend canning your summer squash!

A woven basket filled with assorted summer squash, tomatoes, and herbs sits on straw; below, a close-up of a squash blossom and young squash growing on a vine—perfect inspiration for learning how to preserve summer squash. Text: blessthismessplease.com.

Freezing Summer Squash

PREPARING SUMMER SQUASH:

Choose young squash with tender skin.
Wash and cut in 1/2-inch slices.

FREEZING:

Water blanch 3 minutes.
Cool promptly in cold water and drain.
Package the squash, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Seal and freeze.

🍎🫙 Get a free Preserving Guide for all the details to dehydrate, can, and freeze 42 fruits and vegetables — get the FREE GUIDE here!

Expert Tips

Storage Time: Storage life depends on the method you choose. Frozen squash lasts 8-10 months, and properly dehydrated squash keeps for 12 months. Make sure to check for signs that your squash has spoiled before consuming.
Removing Seeds: For young, tender summer squash, seeds are edible and don’t need removal. However, if your squash is mature with large, tough seeds, removing them before preservation will improve texture and appearance in your finished dishes.
Working Fast: Process summer squash within 24 hours of picking for optimal flavor and texture retention. The natural enzymes in squash continue working after harvest, potentially affecting quality if preservation is delayed too long.