What I’d Make When Zucchini Takes Over

Zucchini recipes for dinner and dessert: 30 ideas including pastas, baked dinners, sides, zucchini bread, and muffins, sorted by how you want to use it.

I love, love, love zucchini, especially when it’s in season, and there’s just so much of it (I’m like an adult in a zucchini store!)! So, naturally, I had to put together a collection of my favorite zucchini recipes to share with you guys. From baking sweet treats (did someone say zucchini bread?!) to using zucchini to make classic “pasta” dishes, zucchini is so versatile. Plus, it’s not only delicious but also a great way to lighten up those carb-heavy meals.

30 Recipes with Zucchini

If you, like me, love to cook with seasons, then you’re more than eager to dive into your CSA box, farmer’s market haul, or even a good ol’ grocery store zucchini. Let this collection of all your favorite easy recipes with zucchini help you bring this veggie to life. You’ll love the refreshing soup recipes with zucchini but if you prefer to save the soups for winter, check out unique stuffed zucchini recipes and vegetarian recipes with zucchini to feed your family well this summer. Get ready to let this humble summer squash shine with zoodles of flavor!

Tips for Making Recipes with Zucchini

• Use a thin layer of oil to help cook zucchini. Fat is your friend here. Adding some avocado oil or olive oil not only helps to prevent the zucchini from sticking but also speeds up browning and adds flavor.
• Add zucchini to sauces. Zucchini breaks down really well and is a great addition to pasta sauces. It adds texture and moisture and bulks up the sauce. Not to mention it squeezes in a serving a vegetable.
• Salt zucchini to remove excess moisture. Salt pulls moisture from the zucchini and speeds up this process. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over the zucchini and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes. Then blot with paper towels or drain. Just keep in mind the salt added in this step will leave residual salt so adjust your seasonings in the recipe.
• Drain excess moisture from zucchini when baking with it. No one likes soppy zucchini bread. Drain shredded zucchini and squeeze out all that moisture before adding it to the batter. This is especially important with cookie batter, where the ratio between dry and wet ingredients must be precise.
• Add zucchini to the batter at the end. And avoid over-mixing. Just a gentle fold of the ingredients until combined is enough.

What are the best tools for making recipes with zucchini?

Spiralizer – If you’re going for that classic spaghetti cut of zucchini, a spiralizer is your best bet. It creates long, even strands that resemble traditional pasta. In other words, if you want zoodles, you need a spiralizer in your kitchen. Standard Y Peeler – This will create thin ribbon-like strands of zucchini, similar to fettuccini or pappardelle. Julienne Peeler – I like using a julienne peeler if I have a small amount of zucchini to process. It creates perfectly julienned strips of zucchini, much like angel hair, making them tender and delicate in any dish. Mandoline – This tool slices zucchini into very thin, uniform planks (but be careful – it’s so sharp so make sure you use a glove to protect your fingers!). This is excellent for lasagna or ravioli recipes where you really need those thin but wide strips of zucchini. Box Grater – This is a workhorse in my kitchen and I use it almost daily. I love this box-grater because it’s sturdy, with non-slip bottom, and has different shredding size options.

How to pick the best zucchini?

Look for zucchini that are firm to the touch with smooth, blemish-free skin. Avoid those with soft spots, wrinkles, or cuts. Skip the super large zucchini. Bigger is not always better because large zucchini often means they are overripe and usually have a more bland flavor and slightly woody texture. And while we’re on the topic, handle zucchinis with care. They tend to bruise easily, and their skin is very delicate, so treat them well so they will be firm enough to turn into zoodles or stuffed zucchini recipes.

Can I freeze zucchini?

Yes, but with a few caveats. You don’t want to freeze whole zucchini because it has a high water content, which means it will become mushy when thawed. The best way is to shred zucchini first, squeeze as much moisture as you can, and flash freeze it on a sheet pan. When firm, transfer to a freezer-safe container for all your future frozen zucchini recipes.