How to store courgettes correctly: keep them fresh for longer

Bought crisp and glossy from the supermarket on Saturday, then soft, spotted and close to mouldy by Wednesday: that is the reality in many refrigerators. Courgettes are among the vegetables that are more delicate than their sturdy appearance suggests. Storing them incorrectly means throwing money away – especially in 2026, when the weekly food shop has become noticeably more expensive.

Why courgettes go limp so quickly in the refrigerator

Courgettes prefer cool conditions, but not extreme cold. Their ideal temperature is around 4°C in the lower part of the refrigerator, namely the salad drawer. This is where their texture and flavour remain most stable. At lower temperatures, however, the flesh suffers: cell structures break down, spots appear on the skin, and the vegetable becomes watery and bland.

There is also a second enemy that is often overlooked: excess moisture. Condensation on the refrigerator wall, sealed plastic bags with no ventilation holes, or tiny droplets of water on the skin all create ideal conditions for mould spores and bacteria. Within just a few days, a firm courgette can turn into a soft vegetable destined for the bin.

Another factor works quietly in the background: the ripening gas ethylene. Certain fruits release particularly high amounts of it, causing sensitive vegetables to age more quickly.

Keeping courgettes beside apples, bananas, melons or tomatoes dramatically speeds up their ageing – often by several days.

For this reason, courgettes should ideally have their own space in the salad drawer, away from fruit with high ethylene levels. Every extra third or fourth day they last directly cuts food waste – and eases pressure on the household budget.

The most important rule: never store courgettes wet

The key rule for keeping courgettes in the refrigerator may sound obvious, but it makes the greatest practical difference:

Never put a wet or freshly washed courgette in the refrigerator.

Many people wash their vegetables as soon as they get home, dry them only roughly, then put them into the salad drawer. That is exactly what causes the problem. A thin film of water on the skin, combined with the already high humidity inside the refrigerator, acts as an accelerator for decay. The first soft patches often appear after only two or three days.

How to store fresh courgettes correctly

A few simple steps can significantly improve how well courgettes keep in the refrigerator:

• Do not wash them after shopping; simply rub off any visible dirt with a dry cloth.
• If needed, gently dry them with clean kitchen roll.
• Take courgettes out of tight plastic wrapping so they can “breathe”.
• Keep them in the salad drawer at about 4°C – not in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
• Place them in a lightly perforated plastic bag or a ventilated container, ideally with a layer of kitchen roll to absorb moisture.

Using this method, courgettes will generally keep in the refrigerator for five to seven days without any issue. If they were especially fresh – for example, bought directly from a market – they may even last up to ten or fifteen days in the salad drawer without texture and flavour deteriorating significantly.

A delicate special case: cut courgettes

Once a courgette has been cut, it becomes considerably more sensitive. The exposed cut surface dries out, discolours and provides an ideal target for microorganisms.

A partly used courgette therefore needs slightly different handling:

• Cover the cut side with cling film or place it straight into a small airtight container.
• Anyone wishing to avoid film can use a reusable silicone lid instead.
• Use cut pieces within two days where possible, and within three days at the latest.

For eating raw, such as in carpaccio or salads, pieces are best during the first one or two days after cutting. After that, they are still well suited to pan-fried dishes, bakes or soups.

When there are too many: freeze courgettes cleverly

At the height of summer, many gardens are overflowing with courgettes. Anyone receiving or harvesting fresh ones every week can struggle to keep up with cooking them. The freezer is the answer here.

Step-by-step guide to freezing courgettes

1. Wash and dry the courgettes, then cut them into cubes or slices as preferred.
2. Blanch the pieces in boiling water for two to three minutes.
3. Transfer them immediately to ice-cold water to stop the cooking process.
4. Drain thoroughly and pat as dry as possible.
5. Arrange them in a single layer on a board or baking tray and pre-freeze them in the freezer.
6. After around one hour, move them into freezer bags or containers, seal well and label them.

Pre-freezing ensures the pieces freeze separately rather than sticking together in the bag as one solid block. At -18°C, their quality remains good for around three months on average. Although the texture changes after defrosting – the pieces become more like pre-cooked vegetable cubes – their flavour is reliably retained.

Frozen courgettes are ideal for:

• Vegetable soups and stews
• Bakes and gratins
• Pan-fried dishes and wok recipes
• Vegetable-based pasta sauces

Making courgettes last longer: drying, pickling and preserving

Anyone wanting to preserve courgettes for not just a few weeks but many months can turn to methods such as drying or pickling. Thin slices can be dried in a dehydrator or in the oven at a low temperature. Once thoroughly dried, they keep for several months and can later be “brought back to life” in stews or made into vegetable crisps.

Another popular option is courgettes pickled in oil or vinegar. Stored in sterilised jars in a cool place, they provide a supply lasting six to twelve months – ideal when a summer harvest is too abundant but some of the surplus is wanted in winter.

Common storage mistakes – and how to avoid them

Mistake	Result	Better approach
Washing them straight after shopping and putting them in the refrigerator while wet	Rapid mould growth and soft patches	Store unwashed and wash only immediately before preparing
Leaving them loose in the refrigerator beside apples and bananas	Faster ripening and ageing	Keep separately from high-ethylene fruit in the salad drawer
Using sealed plastic packaging without ventilation holes	Trapped warmth and condensation	Open the packaging or use perforated bags or containers
Leaving cut courgettes uncovered in the refrigerator	Drying out and rapid microbial growth	Cover the cut surface or put it in a container, then use promptly

Why correct courgette storage matters even more in 2026

Food prices have risen noticeably over recent years. Fresh vegetables such as courgettes in particular have become significantly more expensive than they used to be. Over the months, every half or whole courgette thrown away adds up to an amount that many households now notice very clearly.

One essential rule – never store them wet – combined with a few straightforward habits when putting food away in the refrigerator, noticeably reduces these losses. Those who consistently keep courgettes dry, well ventilated and separate from fruit will see the difference not only in the salad drawer, but also in a less full bin.

It also improves the flavour and bite of meals. Firm, juicy pieces brown better, release less water into the pan and retain more flavour. In straightforward everyday recipes such as roasted vegetables, pasta with courgettes or quick pan-fried meals, the difference between “only just usable” and “properly fresh” becomes particularly clear in the kitchen.