What are your favorite zucchini recipes?

July 9, 2018 1:13 PM

Our zucchini plants are on overdrive. What are your favorite zucchini recipes? I know how to make zoodles, and of course I’ve got zucchini bread in the freezer. No diet restrictions!
posted by pintapicasso to Food & Drink (47 answers total)

I love this gnocchi with zucchini ribbons and browned butter in the summer.

I always add more zucchini than the recipe calls for.
posted by coppermoss at 1:17 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

step 1: take favorite cucumber pickle recipe

step 2: replace cucumbers with zucchini

step 3: enjoy!
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 1:22 PM on July 9, 2018

This pasta and fried zucchini recipe, from ottolenghi via smitten kitchen, is really good.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 1:22 PM on July 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

Zucchini Chips
posted by Roger Pittman at 1:24 PM on July 9, 2018

Ratatouille. I've settled on this recipe, which is easier by far than the traditional stovetop version (but the writer admits to that), and was good enough for me to impress (and ultimately seduce!) a Parisian guy when I cooked it for him the last time I was in that part of the world. so...bonus?

Also, many of my summer dinners are some kind of melange of vegetables sauteed together and served over pasta; I did one recently that had zucchini, some strips of red pepper, a chopped tomato and some cocktail shrimp dumped directly into the pan from the freezer.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:26 PM on July 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

I recently made this zucchini bolognese recipe and it was delicious, simple, freezes well and uses up a lot of zucchini. I am adding it to my pile of regular recipes.
posted by Miss Matheson at 1:26 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

So this isn't nearly as fancy as the others, but if you just slice them up, brush on some olive oil, a little salt and maybe some garlic, and some parmesan cheese, and bake them for a little while, they're good.
posted by kevinbelt at 1:26 PM on July 9, 2018 [5 favorites]

Pizza Skins. These are great for folks who can't do dough.

Of course I can eat them all summer grilled with EVOO and Balsamic.
posted by humboldt32 at 1:28 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

Finely shredded zucchini can go in brownies and chocolate cake.

I like to steam zucchini medallions, put them over cooked basmati rice, then cover them in cheese, bread crumbs, onions, and pecans and broil everything until toasted and crusty. The zucchini will finish cooking in the oven so don't over steam.
posted by Hermione Granger at 1:31 PM on July 9, 2018

zucchini fritters from grated zucchini:

- 1 ton zucchini
- salt, however much u want
- flour, same
- whatever oil you got, in buckets

you need a bowl, a strainer, a grater, a frying pan

grate zucchini into strainer placed over bowl. salt the shreds so they leak out a lot of their moisture; let them stand in the strainer, leaking into the bowl, for at least 20 min. mix resulting damp but not soggy shreds with flour and a little more salt to make a meatloaf kind of consistency, i guess you could add an egg to this if you want? form handfuls into small flat latkes.

heat oil in pan to whatever temp idk, make it hot, don't set a fire. FRY. EAT. FRY MORE. EAT MORE. die of heart disease maybe but so deliciously.

i like them with sour cream but i like everything with sour cream
posted by poffin boffin at 1:40 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

Cubed zucchini goes good in vegetarian chili-- it adds a little bulk and chew. Ditto yellow squash, for future reference.

Zucchini can be made into lasagna, just as it can be made into other "pasta" dishes; you just slice them into wide flat slices on a mandoline instead of using a spiral cutter.

With anything that's getting baked, be sure to take the time to get the water out of the zucchini, whether it's the old shred-and-squeeze or if you toss the sliced/chopped zucchini in salt and let it drain. Note that the latter process doesn't make it particularly salty, since much of the salt runs off, or can be rinsed off.
posted by Sunburnt at 1:44 PM on July 9, 2018

We just had this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. Awesome https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/07/grilled-zucchini-ribbons-with-pesto-and-white-beans/
posted by songs_about_rainbows at 1:44 PM on July 9, 2018 [3 favorites]

We add onion and zucchini to cornbread to make it more of a main dish.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 1:48 PM on July 9, 2018

this is pretty popular in our house
https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/zucchini-quinoa-stuffing

I usually add some balsamic vinegar as well.
If you don't want to go to the trouble of stuffing them, it also works well as a sort of one pan stir-fry. Cut up and sauté the zucchini...maybe add some onion while cooking the quinoa then throw everything into one pan.
posted by Wink Ricketts at 1:49 PM on July 9, 2018

I make this thing that's basically sliced zucchini, drained crushed tomatoes, chopped onions, and chopped mixed olives. Briefly saute and serve with pan-fried fish filets, possibly on top of polenta.
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:51 PM on July 9, 2018

I love zucchini brownies. The recipe is vegan and uses them as a binding agent instead of eggs. Here it is: Vegan Zucchini Brownies.
posted by amf at 1:54 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

Pretty much anything from smitten kitchen will be good, but this incredibly simple zucchini pizza is in regular rotation in our house through the summer.
posted by ohio at 2:03 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

And for supply chain management, the blossoms are one of my favorite foods. I buy plants every summer just to eat the blossoms.
Lightly sautee in butter/oil, salt.
Option - dust with flour (dip in egg or egg white first for more coating), then sautee.
Option - in either case, stuff with cheese (goat cheese is my favorite) first.
Served plain, or on salad, or with a light marinara. Or can eat out of pan.
posted by RoadScholar at 2:41 PM on July 9, 2018 [3 favorites]

I see Smitten Kitchen has been recommended here 3 times already, so I'll just link to all her recipes with zucchini. You can't go wrong with Deb. Can't wait to try the zucchini recipe she posted last week: grilled zucchini ribbons with pesto and white beans. Looks amazing.
posted by widdershins at 2:45 PM on July 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

This recipe is very easy, quick, vegan, and gluten free, so I like it as a potluck dish. It's always well received.

Zucchini butter

(You can follow the linked recipe, which has you draining the grated zucchini and adding garlic and shallots, but I've simplified it to the following and it still ended up really good.)

Grate a large zucchini. Sauté with olive oil for 15-20 minutes over medium heat until it cooks down and gets very green and translucent and a bit caramelized. Stir every once in a while, but there's a lot of moisture so it won't burn easily. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

You can eat it with toast as pictured or just with a spoon. It's delicious!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 2:50 PM on July 9, 2018 [2 favorites]

I second the gnocchi with browned butter and zucchini.

I also make pasta ( use Rotini or penne ) and toss with sauteed vegetables including cherry tomatoes, red or yellow peppers, and zucchini ( and garlic). Make a light sauce with butter and lemon juice with whatever fresh or dried herbs you have. Serve with grated parmesan and toasted breadcrumbs to top it.

I've added it to shakshuka, too. Throw it in after the onions and before the tomatoes.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 2:52 PM on July 9, 2018

Zucchini tempura. Slice into rounds or sticks, coat with batter, and fry till golden.
posted by BeHereNow at 3:04 PM on July 9, 2018

My solution: roast big pans full and use liberally as a pizza and pasta topping.

My grandparents' solution: slice into 1/4 inch slices, batter, fry in more oil than a saute and less oil than a deep fry. Top each round with a large dollop of garlic butter (mix butter/margarine and grated raw garlic in a 1:1 ratio or to taste, it is super garlicky). Then salt to taste and eat an entire dinner plate full of liberally buttered zucchini rounds as a snack, then nap.
posted by snaw at 3:25 PM on July 9, 2018

This is my wife's recipe for zucchini and bacon tartlets. They're great.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 3:42 PM on July 9, 2018

I know you said that you have the bread in the freezer but you might want to try this - Sarah Wilson's Paleo Inside-Out Bread (I use these Bacon Style Rashers instead of ham because I'm vegetarian). I have made it a ton of times and people really seem to like it.
posted by unliteral at 4:05 PM on July 9, 2018

This soup It is so amazingly good. Also, the ottenghi/smitten pasta above is kinda labor-intensive but amazingly delicious!
posted by bookworm4125 at 4:52 PM on July 9, 2018

I’ve done the brownie recipe and, by cracky, it actually works! Just don’t eat them until they are fully cooled. They taste horrible until then.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:14 PM on July 9, 2018

I know you've got Zucchini bread. But have you tried zucchini cornbread???? This recipe from Brown Eyed Baker is so good. The zucchini makes it nice and moist, but it isn't doughy and sweet like I find most zucchini breads.

I also like to add cooked bacon bits. And you can sub the bacon fat for some of the melted butter.
posted by Caravantea at 6:56 PM on July 9, 2018

Zucchini and Corn Quesadillas - it sounds pretty good but it tastes absolutely amazing.
posted by cessair at 7:00 PM on July 9, 2018

Zucchini Ginger Soup.
But also TBH I’m not sure what most people consider the basic way to prepare them but I’ve always found just sauteeing some sliced onion and then adding the sliced zucchini with some salt and sauteeing til soft is pretty great and tastes different from the way they do roasted or grilled or steamed or whatever.
posted by needs more cowbell at 7:08 PM on July 9, 2018

My parents put shredded zucchini into dumplings -- just take a cabbage dumpling recipe and swap it out for zucchini. Definitely salt and squeeze.
posted by batter_my_heart at 7:56 PM on July 9, 2018

My favourite way to eat zucchini is raw, with or without dip. So flavourful!

I also like zucchini hummus - just sub raw zucchini for the chickpeas in your favourite recipe.

I also love the stuffed zucchini from Moosewood. It's a bit rich and takes a while, but it's so delicious. I disagree with the blogger's use of cheddar instead of Swiss, but do whatever you like.
posted by Frenchy67 at 8:14 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

Here’s another good zucchini soup recipe
posted by pombe at 8:15 PM on July 9, 2018

I make these zucchini brownies all the time in the summer. Bake them for longer than it says.
posted by juliapangolin at 9:06 PM on July 9, 2018

Zucchini-stuffed crepes with yogurt-dill sauce. Previously (from me).
posted by hydrophonic at 9:30 PM on July 9, 2018

This is very popular at our place:

Slice zucchini thinly & fry until soft, add cooked penne pasta and mix in lots of basil pesto. Serve with a generous topping of grated parmesan.
posted by HiroProtagonist at 10:04 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

Shred in the food processor, blanch and freeze (or use fresh), and use as a “hidden vegetable” year round in things like chili, jambalaya, casseroles, stir frys, veggie pasta dishes, and muffins.
posted by Red Desk at 10:33 PM on July 9, 2018

Zucchini slice is a regular go-to for my family - it's easy, healthy-ish, freezes well and is tasty when served hot or cold. This recipe is pretty standard although you can be flexible with the quantities to no ill-effect. The changes we make are:
- use half carrot/half zucchini
- fry the bacon and onion with chilli flakes for a little bit before adding
- grate a lot of parmesan cheese on top. Like, a real lot.
posted by Wantok at 11:05 PM on July 9, 2018 [3 favorites]

Joyce Goldstein’s Concia is a great side dish.
posted by vunder at 11:13 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

We make a lot of stuffed zucchini here in the summer--my recipe is sautee an onion, then add bulk sausage and cook until that's done. While the sausage cooks, scoop out the middle of the zucchini, and add the less-seedy parts of the flesh to the skillet. When the sausage is cooked, stir in some cream cheese and bread crumbs, then pack loosely into the zucchini boats and bake at 375 until the zucchini is cooked and the tops are browned. Sometimes we add corn and chopped tomatoes to the filling; sometimes we put shredded cheese on top. They're delicious and reheat (and freeze) ok, and my teenage child loves them.

Also, raw zucchini batons go nicely with just about any dip you can think of.
posted by mishafletch at 11:26 PM on July 9, 2018 [1 favorite]

Came in to suggest Wantok's zucchini slice. It also works really well with wholemeal flour, and surprisingly, is also good without the bacon.
posted by kjs4 at 11:49 PM on July 9, 2018

I just had grilled zucchini (sliced then grilled, charred actually) with a nice spicy dill yogurt sauce drizzled on it at a restaurant. It was really tasty and summery.
posted by ian1977 at 5:18 AM on July 10, 2018

We just tried these Zucchini Pork Dumplings a couple of weeks ago, and I was blown away. My husband and I loved them, and my daughter grudgingly even said she'd eat zucchini this way.
posted by hessie at 7:01 AM on July 10, 2018 [1 favorite]

Zucchini breakfast biscuits with egg and cheese in the mix. Freezes well and travels well. Is kinda like quiche. Look for a crustless spinach quiche recipe and substitute grated zucchini for the spinach. You can also fry up a mixture of grated zucchini, egg and cheese which has been formed into patties instead of baking them as biscuits with flour. However the cheese may stick, so the biscuits are easier.

Zucchini with snails and garlic in tomato sauce. You can use fresh periwinkles instead of canned snails.

Grilled and served in a sandwich with scorched onions, feta cheese and olives.
posted by Jane the Brown at 10:19 AM on July 10, 2018

Calabacitas is a great way to use zucchini and there are many recipes online.

I've sometimes cooked slices of zucchini just shy of frying in (not extra virgin) olive oil, let them cool a bit, then tossed in lots of fresh oregano and some feta cheese. If you time it right, you get a bit of crunch plus melty bits.
posted by goofyfoot at 11:39 PM on July 10, 2018

I came here to post the same recipe that Wantok posted above, for zucchini slice. I make it regularly and it's delicious. I do add more cheese though, because cheese is life.

Also seconding the recommendation for stuffed zucchini flowers. They're delightful, particularly with a cheese filling - ricotta or herbed soft cheese, or goat's cheese.
posted by indienial at 2:55 AM on July 11, 2018

I just slice them thinly, put some salt on top and place on a hot pan. Once they are done, I season with garlic granules. That last step is what changes the game completely. Believe me, you will be amazed at how tasty they are. I didn't eat them before finding this little trick. And you only need a few minutes to make this.
posted by Liliana at 5:09 AM on August 9, 2018 [1 favorite]