3 Ways To Store Yellow Squash - WikiHow Life

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Terms of UseHow to Store Yellow Squash Explore this Article methods 1 Refrigerating Fresh Squash 2 Freezing Squash 3 Drying Squash Other Sections Tips and Warnings Things You'll Need Related Articles References Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 17, 2025 Tested

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Yellow squash plants often produce a large crop, which can leave you scratching your head about what to do with all of it! If you can't eat any more yellow squash at the moment, there are some easy ways to store it for later use. Yellow squash will generally spoil within 1-2 weeks after picking it, and it tastes best if you use it within 4 days of harvest. However, if you don’t think you’ll get around to eating it in that time frame, freeze or dry your yellow squash to preserve this delicious summer veggie for up to 1 year.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 3:

Refrigerating Fresh Squash

1 Pick yellow squash when it is between 6–8 in (15–20 cm) long. Any longer than 8 in (20 cm) and the squash may taste woody or bitter. Use a sharp pair of clean garden shears or a knife to cut the stem straight across. If you’re growing squash in your garden, plan to harvest every day once the first squash is ready.[1] X Research source
- If you want your squash to be even more tender, harvest it when it is between 4–6 in (10–15 cm) long.
2 Wash any visible soil off of the squash and pat it dry. Rinse the squash under cool or lukewarm running water or wipe the squash with a damp cloth or paper towel. Do not scrub the squash or apply firm pressure as you may bruise it.[2] X Research source
- If there are bits of soil or other debris stuck on the squash, you can either use a vegetable brush to gently scrub them off, or cut off the area that’s dirty.
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3 Place the squash in a sealable plastic bag or air-tight container. Place the whole or cut squash into a plastic bag that you can seal along the opening or a plastic or glass container with a tight-fitting lid. If you’re using a plastic bag, press the excess air out of the bag before sealing it. This will help to ensure that the squash retains its moisture. Otherwise, it may dry out.[3] X Research source
- If desired, you may cut the squash into recipe-ready pieces, such as 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) slices, before storing it in your refrigerator. However, the squash will spoil faster this way. Use it within 24 hours if you decide to cut it up before refrigerating it.
4 Store the squash in your refrigerator at 45–55 °F (7–13 °C). This is the ideal temperature range for storing squash. Placing the squash in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator will help to ensure that the squash remains within this range.[4]
Warning: Avoid placing the squash in a cold spot of your refrigerator or it may freeze, and this will ruin the squash.
5 Use the squash within 4 days to ensure freshness. Yellow squash may keep in your refrigerator for up to 1 week, but it’s best to use it as soon as possible. Otherwise, it may begin to spoil and lose its flavor.[5] X Research source
- If you picked the squash yourself, then it may last for up to 2 weeks when kept in your refrigerator.[6]
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Method 2 Method 2 of 3:

Freezing Squash

1 Clean and cut the squash into 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) pieces. Avoid scrubbing the squash as this may cause bruising. Instead, hold the squash under cool or lukewarm running water and rub it gently with your hands to remove any dirt or stuck on debris. Then, use a sharp kitchen knife to cut the squash. Try to cut all of the pieces to the same approximate size.[7] X Research source
- If there’s a spot on the squash that’s very dirty and still feels gritty after rubbing it with your hands, use a vegetable brush to gently scrub at it or cut off the gritty section of the squash.
- You may also grate the squash if you want to use it for baking and other recipes where grated squash may be required.
2 Blanch the cubed squash for 3 minutes in boiling water. Bring 1 US gal (3.8 L) of water to a boil, and place a wire basket or colander in the pot. Carefully add the cut squash to the boiling water. Fill a large bowl about halfway full of ice and water. After 3 minutes is up, lift the colander out of the water and dunk it in the bowl of ice water. Leave the squash in the ice water for 3 minutes or longer, then drain the excess water.[8] X Research source
- If you’re blanching grated yellow squash, ensure that the water is about 1 in (2.5 cm) below the bottom of the basket.
- If you add more than 1 lb (0.45 kg) of cut squash, the water may cool down too much and take longer to boil.
- If you’re steam-blanching grated yellow squash, cover the pot immediately after you add the squash to the basket.
Tip: Don’t add any salt to the water as this will make the yellow squash mushy. Wait to season the yellow squash until you’re ready to use it.[9]
3 Freeze the blanched squash slices on a cookie sheet to prevent them from sticking. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and place slices of squash on it. Then, place the blanched squash slices on the tray so that they are not touching, about 1⁄4–1⁄2 in (0.64–1.27 cm) apart.[10] X Research source Then, cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 2-4 hours.[11] X Research source
- Note that this is optional, but it will prevent your blanched yellow squash from sticking together and make it easier to use.
4 Transfer the blanched squash to an air-tight container or bag. After the squash is frozen, remove the cookie tray from the freezer. Use a spatula to scoop the slices into a sealable plastic bag or air-tight container. Press the excess air out of the bag if you’re freezing the squash in sealable plastic bags.
- If you decide to store the squash in an air-tight plastic or glass container, make sure that the container has a tight-fitting lid.
Tip: Make sure that you label the bag or container with the date and contents. This will help to ensure that you use the squash before it spoils. Write “yellow squash” on the bag or container and the date you stored it.[12]
5 Store the squash in a freezer at 0 °F (−18 °C) for up to 10 months. Check the temperature of your freezer to ensure that the squash will be kept at a safe temperature. Use the squash within 10 months of freezing it, or throw it away if you do not get a chance to use it within this time frame.[13] X Research source
- Note that the squash must stay at a constant temperature of 0 °F (−18 °C) or it may spoil.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:

Drying Squash

1 Wash and cut the squash up into 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) pieces. Hold the squash under cool or lukewarm running water and gently rub it to remove any dirt or debris. Then, cut the squash with a sharp kitchen knife. Try to cut all of the pieces to the same approximate size.[14] X Research source
- Use a vegetable brush to scrub particularly dirty patches on the squash.
2 Blanch the cubed squash for 3 minutes in boiling water and citric acid. Bring 1 US gal (3.8 L) of water and 1 teaspoon (5 g) of citric acid to a boil, and fill a large bowl about halfway full of ice and water. Place a wire basket or colander in the boiling water, and carefully add the cut squash. After 3 minutes, lift the basket out of the water and dunk it into the bowl of ice water. Leave the squash in the ice water for at least 3 minutes to cool, then drain the excess water.[15] X Research source
- Adding citric acid is crucial if you’re drying it. The citric acid helps to preserve nutrients and kill harmful bacteria that may not be killed by the blanching and drying process.[16]
- You can find citric acid in the canning section of most grocery stores.
3 Arrange the blanched squash in a single layer on a dehydrator tray. Ensure that no pieces are touching, such as by spreading them about 1⁄4–1⁄2 in (0.64–1.27 cm) apart. If your oven can be set as low as 145 °F (63 °C), then you can also dry the squash by placing it in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper first to prevent the squash from sticking.[17]
Tip: Oven drying is not recommended since it uses much more energy than a food dehydrator. The air will also not circulate inside of an oven, so the squash may not dry evenly.[18]
4 Place the tray in the dehydrator at 145 °F (63 °C) for 8-10 hours. Set the dehydrator to this temperature and set a timer for 8 hours so you can check on the squash when the minimum time is up. The squash will be crisp and brittle when it is completely dried. If it feels mushy or limp, then it’s not ready. Place it in the dehydrator for another hour and check again.[19] X Research source
- If you’re drying the squash in an oven, open the oven door by about 2–4 in (5.1–10.2 cm) and turn on a fan near the oven. This will help to promote better air circulation in the oven.
5 Transfer the dried squash to a plastic bag and air-tight container. A sealable plastic bag is ideal for storing dried yellow squash. Use a spatula to transfer the dried squash to a bag, then press the air out of it, and seal the bag. Then, place the sealed bag into a plastic or glass container with a tight-fitting lid.[20] X Research source
- A jar works well for storing the bag of dried yellow squash.
- Make sure to label the container with the contents and date so you will know when to discard it.
6 Store the dried squash in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 12 months. A cupboard in your kitchen or a shelf in a cellar is ideal, as long as it’s not hot or humid. Ensure that the ambient temperature stays below 70 °F (21 °C). If the weather gets hot or humid, you can transfer the container to your refrigerator.[21] X Research source
- Although it’s not required, you can keep the dried squash in your refrigerator or freezer for added insurance.
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Warnings

Never can yellow squash as it may be unsafe to eat. The squash will turn to mush in the process and it may not reach the required temperature to kill all of the bacteria in it.[22] Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0