How to freeze cucumbers for the winter: 7 methods with recipes

Culinary secrets

Making cucumber preparations for the winter by freezing is not difficult. But to get the expected result, it doesn’t hurt to know a few nuances.

You can freeze cucumbers either whole or chopped. After defrosting, whole fruits become soft, the skin peels off, it is almost impossible to cut or grate them neatly, all that remains is to puree them with a blender. Cucumbers cut into pieces are mixed with other products without defrosting, then they will be distributed in the dish without being crushed. You can also freeze cucumber juice and puree, which can be used to make smoothies or for cosmetic purposes.
In order for cucumbers to be stored better, they are initially frozen in small portions, spread out on a board in a thin layer, and only then are they transferred to bags or containers and put away for storage.
Using the quick freezing function will increase the shelf life of vegetables by 2-3 months and better preserve their structure.
Cucumbers cannot be re-frozen, so they are distributed into bags and containers in exactly the portions needed to prepare a particular dish.
A mark on the package of cucumbers with the date of freezing will ensure that the product does not expire.

Readers of the online magazine “New Domostroy” can freeze cucumbers for the winter in several ways. 7 recipes collected in this material will help them with this.

How to defrost cucumbers correctly

To defrost cucumbers, place them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Of course, they will no longer be as crispy and hard as fresh ones, but they will retain their aroma and some strength. The correct way to defrost is to let the cucumbers thaw slowly.

Do not heat frozen vegetables in the microwave or speed up the defrosting process with hot water. In this case, the fruits will become soft and lose their presentation.

For soup, it is not necessary to defrost the raw materials; the cucumber mass is taken out of the freezer and thrown into the dish during the cooking process.

Important! Cucumbers cannot be re-frozen.

Whole specimens are not completely defrosted; they should be slightly firm. In this form, the fruits are easier to cut and the portioned pieces will be beautiful. A half-thawed cucumber is more convenient to grate for sauce and dressing; it does not fall apart in your hands.

Pickle soup made from defrosted pickled cucumbers

Whole cucumbers frozen for the winter

What do you need:

cucumbers (no larger than 10 cm);
bags (according to the number of cucumbers).

How to freeze:

Wash and dry the gherkins.
Trim the ends of the fruits.
Arrange the vegetables on a wooden board and place it in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator.
Activate the fast freeze function if your unit has one.

After 8-12 hours, the cucumbers can be put into bags and returned to the freezer for long-term storage. Whole frozen cucumbers will not spoil within 4-6 months.

Is it possible to freeze cucumbers in the freezer for the winter?

Every housewife tries to freeze vegetables at least once in practice, as this is a simple and convenient way to preserve them for a long period of time. Not all vegetables retain their shape, consistency, color and beneficial properties equally well in the freezer.

Cucumbers belong to the category that can be frozen without losing nutrients. But often you have to make a lot of tests to understand which variety will be optimal for freezing. In any case, it is not recommended to freeze hybrid varieties and those intended for salads.

It is important to choose young, elastic cucumbers. The pulp should not be too runny. There should be no dark spots or signs of rot on the peel.

Frozen cucumber slices

What do you need:

medium-sized cucumbers (any of the late varieties);
containers with a capacity of 0.2-0.25 l.

How to freeze:

Cut the cucumbers, washed and dried with a napkin, into round slices 2-3 mm thick.
Lay them out on the board (maybe in 2-3 layers, but no more).
Place in the freezer for 3-4 hours.
Transfer the cucumbers to containers, close them and store them in the freezer.

You can safely store vegetables frozen in the described way for 6-8 months, using them for preparing salads and decorating dishes. In winter, this decor seems very attractive.

How to freeze cucumbers for the winter at home

Do you know that:

In Australia, scientists have begun experiments in cloning several varieties of grapes grown in cold regions. Climate warming, which is predicted for the next 50 years, will lead to their disappearance. Australian varieties have excellent characteristics for winemaking and are not susceptible to diseases common in Europe and America.

From varietal tomatoes you can get “your own” seeds for sowing next year (if you really like the variety). But it is useless to do this with hybrids: you will get seeds, but they will carry the hereditary material not of the plant from which they were taken, but of its numerous “ancestors”.

Natural toxins are found in many plants; Those grown in gardens and vegetable gardens are no exception. Thus, the seeds of apples, apricots, and peaches contain hydrocyanic acid, and the tops and peels of unripe nightshades (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes) contain solanine. But do not be afraid: their number is too small.

In little Denmark, any piece of land is a very expensive pleasure. Therefore, local gardeners have adapted to growing fresh vegetables in buckets, large bags, and foam boxes filled with a special earthen mixture. Such agrotechnical methods make it possible to obtain a harvest even at home.

Humus is rotted manure or bird droppings. It is prepared like this: the manure is piled up in a heap or pile, layered with sawdust, peat and garden soil. The pile is covered with film to stabilize temperature and humidity (this is necessary to increase the activity of microorganisms). The fertilizer “ripens” within 2-5 years, depending on external conditions and the composition of the feedstock. The output is a loose, homogeneous mass with a pleasant smell of fresh earth.

Compost is rotted organic remains of various origins. How to do it? They put everything in a heap, hole or large box: kitchen scraps, tops of garden crops, weeds cut before flowering, thin twigs. All this is layered with phosphate rock, sometimes straw, earth or peat. (Some summer residents add special composting accelerators.) Cover with film. During the process of overheating, the pile is periodically turned or pierced to bring in fresh air. Typically, compost “ripens” for 2 years, but with modern additives it can be ready in one summer season.

Convenient Android applications have been developed to help gardeners and gardeners. First of all, these are sowing (lunar, flower, etc.) calendars, thematic magazines, and collections of useful tips. With their help, you can choose a day favorable for planting each type of plant, determine the timing of their ripening and harvest on time.

Both humus and compost are rightfully the basis of organic farming. Their presence in the soil significantly increases the yield and improves the taste of vegetables and fruits. They are very similar in properties and appearance, but they should not be confused. Humus is rotted manure or bird droppings. Compost is rotted organic remains of various origins (spoiled food from the kitchen, tops, weeds, thin twigs). Humus is considered a higher quality fertilizer; compost is more accessible.

“Frost-resistant” varieties of garden strawberries (more often simply “strawberries”) need shelter just as much as ordinary varieties (especially in those regions where there are snowless winters or frosts alternating with thaws). All strawberries have superficial roots. This means that without shelter they freeze to death. Sellers’ assurances that strawberries are “frost-resistant,” “winter-hardy,” “tolerates frosts down to −35 ℃,” etc. are deception. Gardeners must remember that no one has yet managed to change the root system of strawberries.

Cucumbers, frozen cubes

What do you need:

late varieties of cucumbers;
freezer bags (preferably with a zipper).

How to freeze:

Wash the cucumbers and pat them dry with paper towels.
If the fruit has a rough skin, remove it with a vegetable peeler.
Cut the cucumbers into pea-sized cubes, place on a board and freeze for 4 hours.
Place the cucumbers in bags.
Pump the air out of the bags, zip them up and put them in the freezer until winter.

Frozen diced cucumbers are suitable for salads and okroshka. But for this soup you can also prepare an okroshka mixture.

Proper defrosting of cucumbers

If the cucumbers were previously cut into slices or cubes, additional defrosting is not required. In their original form, they are added during the cooking process, and they are boiled, fried or stewed to the desired state. Pre-thawing will cause the cucumber to lose its original properties, become too soft or even become mushy.

If you need to add cucumbers to the salad, you will still have to defrost them first. To do this, place the vegetables in cold water and after a few minutes drain the liquid.

If the vegetables were frozen whole, they can be placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator before eating.

The average shelf life of frozen products is 6-8 months. However, it is recommended not to store the product for longer than 6 months.

Share your home secrets for freezing and storing vegetables in the comments.

Freezing cucumbers is an excellent proven method for the winter.

Watch this video on YouTube

FREEZING CUCUMBERS AN UNUSUAL METHOD OF FREEZING

Watch this video on YouTube

Reviews from those who have cooked about freezing cucumbers (for the winter, in the freezer, for okroshka)

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Frozen cucumbers with radishes and herbs, for okroshka

What do you need:

cucumbers – 1.5 kg;
radish – 0.5 kg;
green onions – 0.25 kg;
fresh dill – 100 g;
bags for freezing – 5 pcs.

How to cook:

Wash the vegetables, dry them, cut them into small cubes.
Wash, dry the greens, chop them finely with a knife.
Mix the ingredients together.
Place the vegetable mixture on a board and place it in the freezer for 6 hours. It’s not bad if freezing occurs intensively.
Divide the mixture into prepared bags, seal them tightly and place them in the freezer for storage.

As a result, 5 times during the winter you will be able to please yourself and your loved ones with cold summer soup. Important: the shelf life of the hash mixture with radishes is only 2 months, but if this vegetable is excluded from the composition, the mixture can be stored for six months.

Using frozen cucumbers

Freezing fresh cucumbers for the winter is a fairly simple and ergonomic way to store vegetables in the freezer. We have identified the most popular of them and previously mentioned several options for eating frozen cucumbers.

For further use of frozen vegetables, it is important to understand:

What dishes will the preparations be included in?
How long are you willing to wait for food to defrost?

Vegetables, frozen in ovals or circles, are used in preparing salads, sandwiches, and for decorating dishes. For cosmetic purposes, they are used to make face masks and products for moisturizing the skin around the eyes and décolleté.

Using frozen cucumbers

For those who like to eat vinaigrette, Olivier salad or treat themselves to okroshka in winter, freezing cucumbers in cubes for the winter is perfect. Cutting vegetables into cubes is good for creating vegetable mixes from different fruits, which are later used to make soups or fried with meat in sauce.

Women often store cucumber juice in the form of ice cubes in their freezers. The explanation for choosing this form is simple: it is the basis of brightening and nourishing masks and lotions for washing.

Note! Juice, unlike frozen pulp, must be used up within six months. Frozen vegetables, of course, are inferior in appearance to fresh fruits, but they will definitely help you save your budget during the winter season and provide benefits with their vitamins, giving dishes a special, “summer” taste

Frozen vegetables, of course, are inferior in appearance to fresh fruits, but they will definitely help you save your budget during the winter season and provide benefits with their vitamins, giving dishes a special, “summer” taste.

Salads

Experts recommend making salads with frozen cucumbers. Great for options such as Olivier salad, Greek salad, vinaigrette or any other vegetable salad. In this case, it is not necessary to defrost the workpieces.

Important! It is better to immediately place the chopped cucumbers in the dish, after breaking the pieces with a fork - this way they will not lose their juice, and the oil will help to retain it inside the pieces. Frozen cucumbers will perfectly complement a vinaigrette, Olivier salad or a side dish for herring

Frozen cucumbers will perfectly complement a vinaigrette, Olivier salad or a side dish for herring

The pieces can be a good component for preparing a side dish for salted fish, such as herring. To prepare this side dish use:

peeled and chopped potatoes, boiled in their jackets;
small sour apple;
onion, diced;
several cranberries or currants;
a little mustard and salt;
frozen cucumbers in cubes.

All ingredients are mixed evenly, seasoned with mustard and salt to taste.

Okroshka and soups

Homemade frozen cucumber can be used to prepare hot vegetable soups or cold winter okroshka. To do this, it is better to prepare vegetables in cubes. There is no need to defrost frozen fruit during cooking. To use cucumber in okroshka, it is better to freeze it immediately in a small amount of whey.

Mixed vegetables frozen in whey

To make hot vegetable soup with frozen cucumbers, you need very few ingredients. This is a very simple soup recipe that will give you summer vitamins. Required ingredients:

one small bag of frozen preparations per serving;
medium onion, dill, sweet pepper, garlic clove;
meat or chicken broth;
vegetable oil for frying vegetables and sour cream or cream for serving.

Fry the onion and garlic, add to the broth, add frozen cucumbers, salt and pepper. Serve soup seasoned with cream or sour cream. This dish will delight you with its originality.

Sauces

To prepare sauces, it is better to use frozen cucumber in grated form. This cucumber mass melts quickly, which reduces the time for preparing the sauce. There are many options for preparing cucumber sauces: with mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, mustard, with added sugar and herbs. Sauces with cucumber flavor are suitable for greens and chicken salads or for oven-baked lean meat.

Cucumber sauce can be made with fresh or frozen cucumbers

Cucumbers, frozen for tarator

What do you need:

cucumbers – 1 kg;
fresh dill – 100 g;
fresh parsley – 100 g;
containers.

How to cook:

Finely chop the greens.
Coarsely grate the cucumbers.
Mix the ingredients.
Distribute the mixture into containers and place in the freezer.

The shelf life of the preparation for preparing Bulgarian cold soup is 5-6 months.

Frozen cucumber puree

What do you need:

cucumbers;
silicone muffin tins;
packages.

How to cook:

Peel and finely grate the cucumbers.
Divide the puree into muffin tins. Pour in the juice that was released when chopping the cucumbers.
Place the molds in the freezer overnight.
Remove the ice figures from the molds, put them in a bag, and put them in the freezer.

Cucumber puree is useful for making smoothies. You can also make cosmetic face masks from it.

What dishes can be prepared from thawed cucumbers?

Fresh or pickled cucumbers, once frozen, can be used to make a huge variety of treats.

Sauce

Frozen cucumber sauce goes well with fish and meat delicacies and is suitable as a salad dressing.

Ingredients:

Frozen cucumbers – 300 grams.
Sour cream – 40 grams.
Garlic – 1 clove.
Mayonnaise – 40 grams.
Lemon – 0.5 pieces.
Salt – 7 grams.
Greens – 1 bunch.
Vegetable oil – 17 grams.

Cooking plan:

Thaw diced cucumbers or cucumber pulp in the refrigerator. To get rid of excess liquid, squeeze the vegetable mass with your hands.
Peel the garlic and chop finely. Squeeze the juice from the lemon. Chop the greens as finely as possible.
Add mayonnaise (you can make it homemade) and sour cream to the crushed fruits. Throw in the garlic, add vegetable oil and lemon nectar.
Grind the sauce with a blender at minimum speed for 4-5 minutes.
Add fresh herbs to the cucumber tartar and serve the dressing.

Salad

Ingredients:

Potatoes, apple, egg - 1 piece each.
Ham – 150 grams.
Green onion – 2 sprigs.
Cucumbers – 150 grams.
Yogurt – 50 milliliters.
Salt – 3 grams.
Oil – 17 grams.

Preparation:

Chop boiled potatoes, eggs, apples and a piece of ham into cubes.
Finely chop green onions.
Mix salad ingredients in a bowl. Add diced cucumbers straight from the freezer to the bowl.
Season the delicacy with natural yogurt, olive oil and salt to taste. Stir the dish with a spoon, leave for 30 minutes and serve for lunch.

Okroshka

Components:

Potatoes – 200 grams.
Eggs – 4 pieces.
Smoked chicken ham – 300 grams.
Milk sausage – 200 grams.
Cucumbers – 200 grams.
Green onion, parsley - 1 bunch.
Radish – 100 grams.
Kefir – 1 liter.
Whey – 1 liter.
Mustard, salt, lemon - to taste.

Algorithm of actions:

Chop boiled potatoes, eggs, chicken and sausage into cubes.
Remove the chopped onion and parsley, cucumbers and radishes into cubes from the freezer.
Mix all ingredients in a deep bowl.
Season the okroshka with whey and kefir. Add spices and herbs to the treat to taste.
Let the food brew and start eating.

Olivie

Products:

Pickled cucumbers – 3 pieces.
Potatoes – 4 pieces.
Eggs – 5 pieces.
Peas, canned food – 250 grams.
Chicken fillet – 300 grams.
Mayonnaise – 30 grams.
Salt – 3 grams.
Greenery - for decoration.

Preparation procedure:

Cut boiled potatoes, eggs and chicken fillet into squares and place in a salad bowl.
Add canned peas and diced pickles straight from the freezer to the bowl.
Mix salad ingredients with mayonnaise and salt. Decorate the treat with chopped herbs.