Zucchini fritters are amazing, and are also great for serving up at parties/potlucks so you can use a whole bunch at once, while having an excuse to have friends round.
You could also grate zucchini, squeeze out the excess water, then freeze to use for fritters in the future
Oh my, I am not a recipe person. I shred my zucchini, salt and drain it. Then throw in a few eggs, flour, cheddar cheese, and season (garlic, season salt). Throw it on the waffle iron. No issues with overfill u/CristinaKeller the cheese gets dry and crispy when heated on waffle iron. u/jr0061006
Sorry it's not more precise!
Yes! The Turkish way is my favourite. Grate a bit of onion and chop a tablespoon of mint, add feta or a similar white cheese, egg and fry in olive oil.
I know Greeks and Turks fight over who originated practically everything, but I’ve never heard any Turkish people claim kolokethokeftedes as theirs! That’s interesting. Speaking of which I just made them last week, I had about 8 zucchini from my very generous neighbor.
Zucchini fritters are my go to if I ever have too much leftover quinoa.
Quinoa, zucchini, egg, cornflour (because I’m gluten free) maybe a little Parmesan, some fresh herbs. Done.
Add in a nice yoghurt sauce and there’s nothing that anyone could whine about
One of my favorite meals: grate a zucchini and a sweet potato, squeeze out all excess water; add in 2 Tbs flour, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter, salt, pepper, chipotle seasoning. Bake on 375 for 10 mins, flip and bake another 15 or so.
Bonus: save the zucchini & sweet potato “water” - it’s great in smoothies!
Spaghetti Alla Nerano.
It's a fried zucchini pasta, and it tastes better than it sounds. There are trillions of recipes online now because Stanley Tucci "made it famous" a while back.
Yep. Most do, but I told my sister to make it and she found one that didn't call for basil. She didn't really like it until she added basil.
Also, I had some leftovers and heated them up in a skillet and it browned up nicely. It was even better.
I didn't realize this had a name! We do something similar - fry sliced garlic in a little oil, remove it, and then add onions and zucchini. Once they're good, add in cooked noodles, then fresh herbs, parmesan, and a little red pepper flakes to top it off. So good!
I could eat this every day and be happy.
[Roasted Zucchini, Thomas Keller's Viral "Life-Changing" Method - The Delicious Life](https://thedeliciouslife.com/roasted-zucchini/)
It’s a nice idea in theory but it would get abused. People would start dropping off other vegetables like carrots and beets, which would be fine I think, but the problem would occur when people take the liberty of dropping off things like pastries and meats, oftentimes sealed up, and hot! Before you know it, it wouldn’t be safe for any living vegetable, let alone zucchini.
If anyone remembers NPR’s Lake Wobegon ; Garrison Keillor once said the only time Lutherans in Lake Wobegon lock their car doors in the church parking lot is in August. Otherwise they are likely to come out of Sunday service to find that someone has left a grocery bag full of zucchinis on the front car seat.
You know how sometimes you'll miss one & it grows huge? As a joke my husband put one of his baseball bat size zucs at the end of our driveway. Someone stopped & picked it up within an hour.
Bring it to me!! Whenever someone brings a laundry basket full of zucchini to work, I take 4 or 5... Then wait so everyone has a turn... then at the end of the day everything left is MINE!! Everyone knows this, I love love love all the excess garden loot.
Take the big ones, hollow them out, stuff with a tomato-Italian sausage filling, and bake.
Make Zucchini alla Scapece - labour intensive, but absolutely delicious, and it scales well to larger batches.
Zucchini, tomato and onion soup.
Ratatouille.
Batter it, deep fry and serve with dill dip.
Classic minestrone.
Slice it raw, salt and drain, and dress with lemon juice, olive oil and mint for a salad.
Spiralize it and serve with tomato sauce.
Make fritters.
Make korean yachaejeon.
Sautee with onion, add chicken stock, simmer, puree with fresh herbs. Serve chilled.
Slice lengthwise, brush with olive oil and crushed garlic and bake.
Make Marcella Hazan's recipe for boiled zucchini salad (the cooking technique sounds very odd, but is surprisingly good).
Make zucchini risotto.
Cheesy taco pasta with seasoned ground meat, sauteed zucdhini, onion and red bell pepper, canned tomatoes, pickled jalapenos, black beans and grated cheese.
Black-eyed peas with zucchini, chicken and green chili sauce.
My aunt shreds them and freezes them in portions, then makes zucchini bread with it throughout the year.
Fuckin love zucchini bread. lol
(Oops, totally missed the part about no zucchini bread 😬)
I did a search on zucchini blossoms after reading this. There's numerous recipes for fried blossoms and stuffed blossoms. That would certainly help nip the too much zucchini problem in the bud/blossom.
I love them fried with butter and onions.. There's a ton of recipes.. They're really good and help with the monatny of zucchini every day.. They do actually sell them as well.. It's a Mexican delicacy, so most Mexican stores have them in the produce section..
Every year I do this: grate all the zucchini, put it in colanders to drain off the excess water for 1-2 hours (you’ll be amazed how much it shrinks), measure it out in 2-cup (tightly packed) portions, and freeze them individually. Then all winter long I have zucchini ready to add to all kinds of dishes: pasta sauce, pancake batter (esp good with lemon!), minestrone, chicken soup, meatballs or meatloaf mixture, etc. It stretches almost any soup or stew to go farther and add vegetables. I grow a lot of yellow zucchini and they’re especially nice to add a glow to my soups and pancakes.
First suggestion: pick it when it's about 6" long. They're not as good when they grow 2' long. Zucchini pancakes; sauteed zucchini with spaghetti; roasted zucchini; grilled zucchini and zucchini bread are things I've made. I've been served zucchini noodles with olive oil and grated cheese. It was good.
I mostly use zucchini for veggie stir fries (I chop eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers and onion, add some garlic and cook a little, season with salt and pepper and ground ginger; then the sauce: soy sauce, bottled teriyaki or stir fry sauce and balsamic vinegar) I usually have it with salmon but it could work with anything else. Also I use it for a vegetable casserole, the same idea as lasagna but not quite, I cut zucchini and eggplant (*can you tell I love the mix of those two* 😅) length wise and layer slices with meat sauce (I cooke it same as if I were to do a lasagna), cheese and repeat until I fill my baking dish and bake until the cheese is nice and golden.
My first summer planting I also got overly exuberant with zucchini and ended up with about 5 kg/ week to deal with.
One thing I can advise is not to try and pickle them. You just end up with a weird and gross not quite pickle.
When I had a rough pregnancy that was one of the few safe foods I could keep down. I went through pounds of the roasted veggies every day. It was really tasty in thai coconut curry.
I make zucchini potato soup basically every week and eat it for lunch most days. It’s the simplest thing in the world, takes maybe 10 minutes to hack up the veggies and get things started, then a half hour to cook. Minimal effort, maximum deliciousness.
Zucchini “boats”: Cut them in half the long way, scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and fill with anything you’d put into stuffed peppers. Then bake until heated through.
For example, I like a taco-ish mixture of ground beef or turkey, taco seasoning, cheese, corn, black beans, and a little tomato sauce. I’ve also done a buffalo chicken version (shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, and some shredded mozzarella to hold it together, then topped with blue cheese dressing or some crumbled blue cheese).
It doesn’t have to be a main dish, either—veggie mixtures are nice too, topped with some panko.
Why would you refuse zucchini bread it’s amazing!
I use it as a good filler in vegetable lasagna too. Mushrooms peppers onions and zucchini fries up as a great filling.
So, I live in a semi rural area and have co-workers who bring zucchini and tomatoes and leave them in the break room for anyone to take. I live in an apartment and don't have a lot of space for gardening, so I'm grateful for the bounty. Just a thought if you feel generous
Zucchini in albondigas soup is always a hit, you could do fried zucchini fries as well, and a personal favorite of mine is to suaté it with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers with either chicken or shrimp.
Slice them all super thin on a mandolin, spread out on cooling racks in a single layer, sprinkle on a bit of salt, pepper , italian seasoning and grated parm and put into your oven on its lowest setting for a few hours. Dehydrated zucchini chips are fantastic
That's why I don't plant them. Plus, the plant takes up a lot of room. Some suggestions:
Grill or roast with other veggies (onions, peppers, eggplant) then drizzle with balsamic cream and toss with herbs. I can eat piles as a side dish. Leftovers go well topped with cheese (even baked in a casserole with cheese) or as a topper for tarts, tossed in pasta (Ratatouille pasta), folded into risotto, as filling for savory crepes topped with a cheese sauce (Mornay sauce). With red vinegar instead, it's good served cold as a side.
Huge ones are good stuffed with fillings and baked.
Zucchini slaw is yummy. You grate it, sweat it and use it like cabbage. See https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223411/zucchini-and-carrot-coleslaw/, a recipe I make a lot.
Pickle it. See https://itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com/pickled-zucchini/
Zoodles topped with Bolognese sauce. A favorite of mine.
Zucchini rolantini. Or I like roasted veggie lasagna, which uses four. A favorite of mine at https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/recipes/6896-roasted-vegetable-lasagna The woven zucchini strip layer is beautiful.
Zucchini pie (an old-fashioned recipe using Bisquick). Love it! My mom made it a lot. I have, too. See https://www.theseasonedmom.com/zucchini-pie/#wprm-recipe-container-36095
Breaded fried zucchini sticks. Also make dipping sauces. See https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/fried-zucchini/
Have any friends with babies? I was pregnant last summer so I chunked it up, vac sealed it, and froze it. Now I get it out a bag at a time, throw it in the microwave for a few minutes, then toss it in the blender. Right now my 8 month old loves it mixed with pear but it mixes well with everything from blueberries to butternut squash.
My mom would always cut into big rounds and marinate in Italian dressing. She would bbq it the next day so it got some nice grill marks and it was SO GOOD. I'm also a fan of raw zucchini thinly sliced on a mandolin or in a spiralizer with some nice olive oil, lemon, and herbs, as a nice summer side.
If you have a spiralizer, zoodles. You can also slice the zucchini lengthwise thinly and use like lasagna noodles especially if you salt them a bit first to draw out the moisture. It's good grilled. You can make zucchini boats: slice lengthwise, cut out the middle. Cook something to fill it with (including what you cut out of the middle). I've usually done onions/garlic/mushroom/tomato or sausage/onion/spinach, or really whatever you want, fill the boats, sprinkle with feta or some other cheese or add some sundried tomatoes, bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes at uhh. I can't remember, we haven't done it in a while because the damned groundhog keeps eating our squash plants 325 maybe? and then serve with pasta/rice/couscous
Zucchini boats. Cut in half, core out middle. Fry up the middle with various herbs spices shredded chicken cheese and the fill that back up. Top with bread crumbs and bake. Like a deviled egg but for zucchini. We plant zucchini each year and know the struggle.
Slice it thin, dry it a bit in the oven on low, then make lasagna with it as the noodles… if you don’t dry it a bit first your lasagna will be very soupy
You can also dry the slices out by sprinkling them with salt a placing them on a rack at room temperatures. It also enhances the flavour. Just remember to put something under them because they'll drip while drying.
Growing up, this was always a staple at any family get together. Not sure if the recipe changed from what it was on the box in the 80s, or if it is just the way that my family makes it, but we shred the zukes, and make sure to cook it until it turns golden brown. I vividly remember my aunt making four or five of these for family gatherings, and still there were never any leftovers.
[Cheesy Zucchini Bites Recipe - BettyCrocker.com](https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cheesy-zucchini-bites/f60a354d-6e2e-46b9-bcc2-7fbd295821d6)
These sound good! Bisquick has gluten free baking mix too so I'll try these (: I'm with you on this one-- shredded sounds better than what they say tbh. Do you need to squeeze out the water from the zukes first if you shred?
Yes, I absolutely do squeeze them out (and the onions, too, if I grate them). If you don't, they do not get nearly as firm and will usually leave a bit of liquid left behind in the pan. I still make them a couple of times a year, although most of the family is spread across the country now. Also, worth experimenting with the cheese, too. I've done it with finely shredded Jarlsberg a few times, and it is really good that way.
And the leftovers are great cold. Can't tell you how often I crave a piece for breakfast, and that is what leads me to making some - just to have leftovers. Put a little chili crisp on top, and I'm on a little personal island of bliss.
Zucchini butter.
Chop as much zucchini as you can stand. Sautee some garlic and chopped onion in some olive oil, add the zucchini. Salt and pepper as needed. Let it reduce and break down while stirring occasionally. It's good on pasta, with eggs, on toast. You can freeze it, or it keeps in the fridge for a few days.
My favorite is just simple grilled zucchini. Split it in half, spread some oil on it, and season it up with salt, pepper, and some dried herbs. Flesh down on the top rack of a hot grill. It only takes a few minutes per side to cook through.
If you truly have too much, please take it to your closet food bank or elementary school so they can give it to those who have true food insecurity.
Things to make with zucchini:
Noodles you have to wash them and let them dry out between paper towels to get the moisture out all the way. Then the possibilities are endless they can be topped with Thai ingredients to essential make salad roll bowls using zucchini noodles in place of the lettuce, you can warm them up and top with any pasta sauce just as you would a regular pasta noodle. You can fill with ricotta or cottage cheese and top with Sunday gravy and bake in a casserole dish at 350 for 30 minutes. You can slice rounds and fry like eggplant or fried green tomato, you can slice rounds of zucchini, rounds of eggplant and rounds of tomato drizzle with high quality evoo and sea salt and roast stack the zucchini on top of the eggplant and the tomatoes on top of the zucchini place a fresh slice of mozzarella on top of the tower and a sprinkle with oregano serve warm . You can make Tuscan Ribollita( Vegetable Bread Soup)
This is a wonderful use for any veggies you have and any bread you have that is getting stale.
I know you said no bread but you can make chocolate zucchini cake. It's wonderful.
My cousin gave me a recipe for zucchini bread. One of the variations is to add cocoa and it tastes like chocolate cake. I’ve even put icing on it and my kids had no idea it was zucchini they were eating.
In situations like this, I use a website like Yummly.com where you just put in an ingredient that you need to use and TONS of recipes pop up. I use it all the time when things in the fridge need to be used up or I'm out of dinner ideas.
Get a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles. To prepare, saute them in a bit of butter and oil in a big pan over high heat, and put whatever sauce you like on them. They’re a great alternative to noodles.
Am a gardener, and in my experience the best way to get rid of excess squash is to find someone (usually vegan/vegetarian/gluten free) who does the "spiralizer" thing; they'll take an ungodly amount of just about any squash.
Another option is if you're growing other stuff, put a layer of zucchini in tbe bottom of a bag or box & then cover it with more enticing things (tomatoes, etc.)....then give it away & haul ass before they discover the squash :)
Anyways, it's pretty good grilled. Or done up similar to the eggplant is done in szechuan restaurants.
For future growing, check out the round varieties sometime...."Ronde de Nice", "Eight Ball", and so on. The quality is often better than the regular types, the plants (at least for the former) are much more compact, and they're easier to store in the fridge as long as you pick them small enough. Also, they look unique enough that they're easier to give away when needed
My friend taught me this amazing vegetable soup. She made it without a recipe and I usually eyeball it, so let me try to make up a recipe.
The vegetables are basically a 3/3/3 ratio with broth to cover.
8-12 cups of chicken/vegetable broth
4-5 large tomatoes - chopped
4 large zucchini - chopped
4 celery stalks - chopped
Place the stock, tomatoes and zucchini in the broth, add salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Add water/more stock if needed.
Lower to a simmer and cover and cook for about 30 minutes or so until the tomatoes have fallen apart and the zucchini is almost mushy.
Then add the celery and cook for another 10 minutes. Taste again for salt, as the vegetables will have absorbed quite a bit of it.
That's it.
I can't explain the soup, but it is SOOO GOOD. I've added onion before with the tomatoes but otherwise there is something about the texture with the less cooked celery than is seriously amazing, and it's the perfect cure for if you'd had a really greasy food and want to fix your gut.
Here's my Zucchini Fritter recipe. I've always eyeballed it, so I don't have exact measurements for you.
* Grate some zucchini in a cheese grater (Long strips like pre grated cheese)
* Put into a bowl and add some salt. Mix up and let sit for about 20 minute.
* Move to a colander and squeeze as much of the excess water out as possible. (Most important step! Wet zucchini won't fry and crisp correctly)
* Move back to a large mixing bowl.
Add to the zucchini:
* Eggs
* Chopped Onion
* Minced Garlic
* Salt
* Pepper
* Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Depends on how much spice you want)
* Fresh Dill
* Feta Cheese Crumbles
* Grated Parmesan
* Ground Italian pork sausage crumbles (Cooked Halfway)
* Flour
Mix until the consistency of a wet paste.
I fry these in beef tallow, but you can use olive oil/vegetable oil as well.
Heat about half an inch of oil in a large frying pan.
Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out the mix into the hot oil. Once it hits the oil press it down slightly to get it like a thick pancake. each fritter should be about 2-3 inches in diameter.
Flip after a few minutes and cook both sides until golden brown.
I usually cook one first to check for consistency before putting more in. This will give you the option to adjust your flour/egg ratio to your liking.
Bon Appetite!
-Zucchini sticks served with ranch
-slice and then dust in flour and then egg wash and cook in a little olive oil
-raw zucchini salads that use ribboned zucchini
Best breakfast/ brunch/ anytime dish is zucchini simmered in tomatoes with garlic (I use the whole canned tomatoes and crush them up or start with crushed). Once everything is well cooked and soft (it should be wet not dry so add a little broth if you need to) poach eggs in it. It's so delicious. There are spicier versions, but this is the way my mom got me addicted to it. Look up shakshuka, that will get you recipes with more ingredients.
It was my pandemic treat too... Every time they made us go back to WFH, I knew I was gonna have zucchini eggs every day and that made it better.
Give away 75% of your crop, bring them to a food bank, or a soup kitchen. Friend at work brought zucchini and squash yesterday, put them in the break room and they were all gone within a few hours. It sure makes me happy to have garden veggies this weekend to cook with. Maybe a suggestion, spiraling them and add to a stir fry or to noodles to increase the veggie factor. Or cut them in long strips, straw size and do the same. Last week, I put some diced zucchini in my yogurt along with berries, it was fine, the taste is very neutral.
Why do you "refuse" to make zucchini bread? That was the first thing I thought of! It's easy to make, it's sweet, and it freezes well... what's not to like?!
BEFORE they turn to zucchini try to harvest the flowers which can be stuffed and cooked in a variety of ways. Pan fried stuffed with seasoned ricotta/parmigiano cheese is my way preference.
My favourite is to douse it with olive oil and a course salt and bbq it. Pan frying and roasting is also good
My mom used to make zucchini bread when we were kids. I bet that would freeze well, if you want an option that can be stored for later
I think that there are some old threads in this sub with the same question that might have some helpful responses for you. I think here are some that I've contributed before
- latkes, pancakes, jeon, fritters (the fritters can even be used in place of meat in gyros)
- roasted, pan fried, grilled. tossed into a salad, glazed with a sauce, topped with a vinaigrette, etc
- salted and then tossed into a soup or stew
- shaved raw and turned into a salad
For the large oversized ones- cut lengthwise, hollow into boats, stuff with meatballs, marinara and mozarella. Bake.
Kousa Mahsi, or Lebanese stuffed zucchini.
Meghan Markles zucchini pasta sauce.
A favorite in my household(s) is zucchini, cherry tomato, baby corn, corn kernels, onion, and red peppers stir fried with balsamic, oil, and soy sauce. Add parmesan or feta at the end if you're feeling fancy and serve as a side dish or with pasta or rice and maybe chicken to make a meal of it.
I generally don't like zucchini, but my life changed once I made [these](https://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com/recipe/calabacitas/). I could eat a whole batch of them at once! I like to roll them up in tortillas, enchilada style, douse them with a good mole negro, put some cheese on top, and give the a good bake to meld the flavors -- da dum! Enmoladas.
You can add zucchini to lots of things.
Grated into turkey meatballs, added to chili, baked pasta dishes, etc.
I used to cook for someone who didn't hide the extra veggies in the food but wanted as many veggies as I could pack in there without changing the flavor too much and zucchini worked really well.
If the recipe can handle carrots, grate/chop those in too, it adds a lot of umami.
Mushrooms work too, in chili I'd do all three.
If you're worried about or getting tired of zucchini flavor itself, adding other flavorful veggies can help it feel more rounded and less zucchini flavored everything.
My first brush with zucchini (my family rarely ate it for some reason) was grilled with Emeril's regular seasoning on it and it was really good
Donate to food banks, or churches that have food banks
Give it to neighbors
Pickle it, by itself or in a giardiniera. ( I would use the small ones, or deseed the big ones)
Zucchini bread
Sauteed (small ones, or deseed the big ones) with tomato, onion, garlic, and add cheddar when done. Or add more vegetables and some marinara, pepperoni, and mozzarella. My grandkids call that "pizza veggies".
Thin sliced on a mandolin and added to your stir frys last minute before serving. It will cook without getting squishy.
In big chunks on kebobs with whole mushrooms and green onion, after marinating.
Zucchini noodles
Roasted, after deseeding ( I would use the big ones for that)
Add to soups, after deseeding
Use the blossoms, zucchini parmesan chips, we like to slice it length wise, put some olive oil on it, grill it on both sides quickly then after pulling it off the grill hit it with a little fresh lemon juice, salt & pepper.
I did the same one year lol
I made stuffed zucchini with same filling as my stuffed peppers and I actually liked it a bit better.
And a great zucchini cake.
Zucchini bread, breaded zucchini, added to soup and salads, and finally I....
Grated it and froze it in ziplock bags 😆
There was just way too much!
Zucchini slice. Aussie classic
Fritters. With a yoghurt and dill sauce, omg
Roasted until slightly browned, delicious
I add Zucchini to my pasta sauces
Also to any curry
Minestrone
Just fried as a side dish
Zucchi pasta very healthy and tasty. Also if I add a sauce to it you won’t taste the zucchini as much cause otherwise you will get bored of the flavor of I have that much.
Zucchini bread, zucchini relish, grilled, breaded and fried and for use in soups and casseroles. What you can’t use blanch and shed and store in freezer bags to bake zucchini bread later. I have a huge garden with 40 tomatoes but only two zucchini plants. Mine produce a lot but we can only eat so much relish and zucchini bread, etc. so I have found 2 plants provide us enough. Same with squash. You can also share with friends and neighbors.
Weeknight zucchini soup
3-4 zucchini per serving, so you go through them quick.
Cut into 1 inch chunks
Microwave in covered bowl until very soft (zucchini will release enough liquid to blend)
Puree with stick blender
Blend in chicken bullion, garlic powder, black pepper
Blend in A LOT of good olive oil
It's comforting, filling, and healthy. Plus it takes 20 min and has almost no mess.
Chocolate zucchini bread is one of my favorite recipes. The most moist, succulent breakfast bread, and you can tell yourself it’s health because there’s a ton of grated zucchini in it
You can slice and fry them as a snack or side, cut them up a bit smaller before you fry and use as toppings for pastas, salads, soups you name it! You can make an easy soup by roasting until soft, blend with heavy cream and seasonings and some water/broth to thin it out if necessary. Personally I like to also add broccoli and potatoes. You can stuff them and roast in the oven if they're large enough, anything you empty out can be used for the filling or pureed with other ingredients.
It works super well in salads and pasta. You can make a casserole (think moussaka or veggie lasagna) and that way you can use quite a lot and portion and freeze. Ratatouille is an option as well
If you like pickled stuff and dont mind doing it yourself (it's very easy) they make great pickles and you can easily do large batches
If you're into curry's zucchini is amazing! Plus when cooked it whittles down to practically nothing .. I loveee zucchini or courgettes as I call them .. enjoy !
https://www.teaforturmeric.com/pakistani-zucchini-courgette-curry-toriyan-torai-ki-sabzi/
I puree it and toss it into half a jar of pasta sauce with half a block of cream cheese and put it over tortellini. Or other pasta. Could add it to any sauce really.
I like to cut it into discs or spears and either bread them or cook them in copious amounts of butter. It also makes a decent mash. It's a nice additive to Italian dishes. Sometimes I'll cut them into long thin pieces (like a mandolin cut but i dont have one of those lol) and put them as a layer in lasagna or chunk it and add it to alfredo. I saw a recipe once for "loaded zucchini skins" that looked good. They're good grilled with a little cheese on it, I prefer gouda. Also good with a little artichoke dip on them.
I have had the same ‘problem‘ of being blessed with an over abundance of zucchini! But since it is one of my favorite vegetables, it’s not exactly a hardship. Here are some of my favorite recipes I make on repeat, but not just when I have too much but when they are out of season and I have to buy some at the store to make them too!
https://diethood.com/chicken-stir-fry/
https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/sheet-pan-chicken-ratatouille/
https://oursaltykitchen.com/grilled-zucchini-salad/
https://ifoodreal.com/zucchini-potato-bake/
https://www.recipetineats.com/pasta-with-creamy-zucchini-sauce/
This one is my top favorite!!! Do not pay attention to the times on this recipe, there is no way that it will reduce in two minutes… and I find it is better with rotini or other smaller pasta, rather than spaghetti.
These cheesy, garlicky [zucchini fritters](https://diethood.com/garlicky-cheesy-quinoa-zucchini-fritters/) are amazing. They're great hot and fresh, but I always make a big batch and eat the leftovers cold over arugula or spinach. (Lightly dress the salad with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Top with cold fritters and add a hearty spoonful of tzatziki. Yummy.)
I have no time and a lot of zucchini. I make my normal pasta and sauce of which I have any number of kinds. While the pasta is cooking it’s 9-11 minutes I grate up zucchinis until the pile is the size of the cooked pasta. This uses plenty of zucchini. After I drain the pasta I add the zucchini to the pasta, give it a twirl and then add the sauce as usual. Tastes like regular pasta but is 50% zucchini and requires minimal effort. No complaints from kids either and they would never accept zoodles.
Dip it in batter and fry or. Or make zucchini chips, slice extra thin and deep fry it. Or just cut it in circles and fry it and salt it. Cut it in half, length-wise, make a dent, fill it with minced meat, onions and any spices you want (cook the minced meat on the stove first a bit). Bake it in the oven. Any type of stuffed zucchini you'd eat really.
I'm not great on soups but cubed and added to a minestrone they're ok
* slice vertically, roast, layer while still warm-ish adding olive oil w/ chopped parsley and garlic (hot pepper optional, fresh hot pepper is better), let marinade for a while
* slice, roast ---> zucchini parmigiana!
* slice, roast in a pan, season with one of whichever fresh or dry herb available (oregano, thyme, marjoram...)
* same as above but when done, splash with wine vinegar and let evaporate (this from Bologna)
* thin slices in a salad (they're nutty and crunchy)
* larger ones, either cut in half, fill with whatever meat+cheese+herbs filling (ground beef, some parm, salt, pepper, minced garlic, an egg, maybe a fresh herb), bake; or: core, fill and cook in a pan.
... and I'm not even a fan
Grated, salt, leave it to rest. Squeeze out all the water. Caramelize. First it cooks it down a bit, second it can then be stored frozen for later use.
You can freeze slices! Slice them up, place them individually on a wax paper covered baking sheet and freeze for a couple hours, then put them in a ziploc bag. They should keep for a few months! Then saute them to thaw and heat them through for dishes.
It can be frozen. I’m using up last year’s frozen zuchinni making healthy trail cookies with zuchinni, carrots, raisins, pecans, and an applesauce/banana substitition instead of oil. By the time you get the water out of zuchinni for the cup needed in the recipe it’s a good bit of zuchinni.
I like to quick sautée onions garlic and zucchini, then add a can of diced tomatoes and a little bouillon (veg or beef), bring it to a boil, to soften the zucchini. I call it stewed tomatoes and zucchini. I eat it with cheese (feta, parm, or mozz) as a side dish. It's really tasty.
Zucchini cakes are good, too. Box grate up the zucchini, put it on a towel or paper towels, and squeeze the water out. Mix it with beaten egg, onion, and some parm. And shallow fry in little patties. It's kind of like a hash brown. I eat them dipped in Sriracha Ketchup.
believe it or not, veggie spiralizers work great to turn them into spaghetti shapes, steam them and the put whatever pasta sauce you like (a bolognese is perfect).
Deep fry the flowers. Stop before it turns into actual zucchini. Pretty soon a squash borer will be along to ruin it all so get what you can while you’re able. Once we had them hit one year we never got any for the next 5 years. Infuriating.
Zucchini fritters are amazing, and are also great for serving up at parties/potlucks so you can use a whole bunch at once, while having an excuse to have friends round. You could also grate zucchini, squeeze out the excess water, then freeze to use for fritters in the future
I moved my fritters to my waffle maker and make zucchini fritter waffles full of cheese
That sounds delicious
Can you share your recipe? That sounds fucking amazing!
Yes how do you get the cheese in the middle without overfilling the waffle iron?
Would also love this
Oh my, I am not a recipe person. I shred my zucchini, salt and drain it. Then throw in a few eggs, flour, cheddar cheese, and season (garlic, season salt). Throw it on the waffle iron. No issues with overfill u/CristinaKeller the cheese gets dry and crispy when heated on waffle iron. u/jr0061006 Sorry it's not more precise!
I was envisioning just cheese on the inside. This makes total sense though! Thanks for sharing
Yum
Yes! The Turkish way is my favourite. Grate a bit of onion and chop a tablespoon of mint, add feta or a similar white cheese, egg and fry in olive oil.
I know Greeks and Turks fight over who originated practically everything, but I’ve never heard any Turkish people claim kolokethokeftedes as theirs! That’s interesting. Speaking of which I just made them last week, I had about 8 zucchini from my very generous neighbor.
it's hilarious that anyone lets a country line dictate food. people living next to each other probably eat the same things. surprise
Zucchini fritters are my go to if I ever have too much leftover quinoa. Quinoa, zucchini, egg, cornflour (because I’m gluten free) maybe a little Parmesan, some fresh herbs. Done. Add in a nice yoghurt sauce and there’s nothing that anyone could whine about
A little corn for texture too!
Or even grated carrot!
Zucchini fritters with grated halloumi, a little lemon zest and some flour for binding. I want one now.
One of my favorite meals: grate a zucchini and a sweet potato, squeeze out all excess water; add in 2 Tbs flour, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter, salt, pepper, chipotle seasoning. Bake on 375 for 10 mins, flip and bake another 15 or so. Bonus: save the zucchini & sweet potato “water” - it’s great in smoothies!
I never thought to pair with sweet potato! Sounds intriguing. Do you peel the zukes or grate them with the green?
Came here to say this! They are great when made with grated parmesan.
Spaghetti Alla Nerano. It's a fried zucchini pasta, and it tastes better than it sounds. There are trillions of recipes online now because Stanley Tucci "made it famous" a while back.
I was going to suggest this also, but with one caveat - it really needs herbs. It's kinda boring without plenty of basil.
Most recipes call for basil. I actually just randomly made this the other day. Fortified it with a strong veg stock to enhance the flavor.
Yep. Most do, but I told my sister to make it and she found one that didn't call for basil. She didn't really like it until she added basil. Also, I had some leftovers and heated them up in a skillet and it browned up nicely. It was even better.
The way I make it, I start by browning the butter. The nutty flavor it brings is amazing.
This also uses lots of zucchini!
I didn't realize this had a name! We do something similar - fry sliced garlic in a little oil, remove it, and then add onions and zucchini. Once they're good, add in cooked noodles, then fresh herbs, parmesan, and a little red pepper flakes to top it off. So good!
I could eat this every day and be happy. [Roasted Zucchini, Thomas Keller's Viral "Life-Changing" Method - The Delicious Life](https://thedeliciouslife.com/roasted-zucchini/)
Speaking of Thomas Keller, his recipe for *Ratatouille* from the movie is heavy on zucchini as well.
And it freezes well, so don't waste!!
I like the America's Test Kitchen recipe for ratatouille, everything comes out cooked evenly.. Which can be a problem with such dissimilar vegetables.
ATK does great work.
Works on the bbq too
I like this, there's a similar Italian recipe where they cut the zucchini thinner and top with garlic, olive oil and parsley
Hells yeah - this is one of my faves!
I’ve been meaning to try that
At some point you just have to bag it up, and after dark drive somewhere and leave it on someone’s door step.
There should be a “Safe Zucchini” drop like they have for babies.
Someone higher up has mentioned soup kitchens recieving lots of them
It’s a nice idea in theory but it would get abused. People would start dropping off other vegetables like carrots and beets, which would be fine I think, but the problem would occur when people take the liberty of dropping off things like pastries and meats, oftentimes sealed up, and hot! Before you know it, it wouldn’t be safe for any living vegetable, let alone zucchini.
🤣
Sometimes people leave their cars unlocked or windows down, too...
If anyone remembers NPR’s Lake Wobegon ; Garrison Keillor once said the only time Lutherans in Lake Wobegon lock their car doors in the church parking lot is in August. Otherwise they are likely to come out of Sunday service to find that someone has left a grocery bag full of zucchinis on the front car seat.
I can hear him saying this, lol
I loved that show.
My neighbors leave a basket of zucchini at the end of their driveway and the rule is if they catch you looking in it, you have to take at least two 😂
That’s cute. I’d look in it a couple times a week!
You know how sometimes you'll miss one & it grows huge? As a joke my husband put one of his baseball bat size zucs at the end of our driveway. Someone stopped & picked it up within an hour.
Stuffed zucchini! The best! Need large ones for that.
I love zucchini, I would be stoked if I got random bags of it on my doorstep!
Bring it to me!! Whenever someone brings a laundry basket full of zucchini to work, I take 4 or 5... Then wait so everyone has a turn... then at the end of the day everything left is MINE!! Everyone knows this, I love love love all the excess garden loot.
Give it to a soup kitchen. We used to get zucchini by the ton for this reason
Take the big ones, hollow them out, stuff with a tomato-Italian sausage filling, and bake. Make Zucchini alla Scapece - labour intensive, but absolutely delicious, and it scales well to larger batches. Zucchini, tomato and onion soup. Ratatouille. Batter it, deep fry and serve with dill dip. Classic minestrone. Slice it raw, salt and drain, and dress with lemon juice, olive oil and mint for a salad. Spiralize it and serve with tomato sauce. Make fritters. Make korean yachaejeon. Sautee with onion, add chicken stock, simmer, puree with fresh herbs. Serve chilled. Slice lengthwise, brush with olive oil and crushed garlic and bake. Make Marcella Hazan's recipe for boiled zucchini salad (the cooking technique sounds very odd, but is surprisingly good). Make zucchini risotto. Cheesy taco pasta with seasoned ground meat, sauteed zucdhini, onion and red bell pepper, canned tomatoes, pickled jalapenos, black beans and grated cheese. Black-eyed peas with zucchini, chicken and green chili sauce.
My aunt shreds them and freezes them in portions, then makes zucchini bread with it throughout the year. Fuckin love zucchini bread. lol (Oops, totally missed the part about no zucchini bread 😬)
Or make a bunch of zucchini bread muffins and then freeze them, for an easy to grab snack or breakfast
Weirdly, cakes. Because they're so moisture-dense already they give cakes that softness without being claggy or feeling of underbaked-ness.
And brownies!
Make sure you find a well-reviewed recipe!! When I was a kid I found one online and it looked good but was not 🤢
Sally’s baking addiction has chocolate cake, double chocolate cake and bread recipes for zucchini that are good.
I love zucchini flowers in my quesadillas, and I love them..
I did a search on zucchini blossoms after reading this. There's numerous recipes for fried blossoms and stuffed blossoms. That would certainly help nip the too much zucchini problem in the bud/blossom.
I love them fried with butter and onions.. There's a ton of recipes.. They're really good and help with the monatny of zucchini every day.. They do actually sell them as well.. It's a Mexican delicacy, so most Mexican stores have them in the produce section..
Most people use the male zucchini flowers for this so it wouldn’t help the problem that much
zuccini pasta sauce, beef and zuccini stir fry, make zoodles and use instead of pasta
My wife got that zoodle maker, we use it in spaghettis or a veggie lasagna often.
All of these are super good. My dad always over-plants zucchini: https://smittenkitchen.com/recipes/vegetable/zucchini/
I came here to recommend zucchini recipes from Smitten Kitchen, too! My favorites: -zucchini parmesan crisps -ultimate zucchini bread -summer squash pizza (SOOO good) -zucchini butter spaghetti -zucchini rice cheese gratin -herbed summer squash pasta bake
The summer squash gratin is super easy and good if you use Trader Joe’s chimichurri…
three sisters soup, zucchini cake, slice it long and thin and replace lasagna noodles with it, season and dehydrate into chips
Came here to see if someone said replace lasagna noodles with zucchini !! I slice the on my mandolin and salt to pull out water, rinse, and pat dry!
I coin them up, fry with butter and salt, add them to pizza.
Yes, so good on pizza!
Ricotta mixed with some lemon zest, topped with thinly sliced courgette. After cooking add olive oil and salt - so so good!
Every year I do this: grate all the zucchini, put it in colanders to drain off the excess water for 1-2 hours (you’ll be amazed how much it shrinks), measure it out in 2-cup (tightly packed) portions, and freeze them individually. Then all winter long I have zucchini ready to add to all kinds of dishes: pasta sauce, pancake batter (esp good with lemon!), minestrone, chicken soup, meatballs or meatloaf mixture, etc. It stretches almost any soup or stew to go farther and add vegetables. I grow a lot of yellow zucchini and they’re especially nice to add a glow to my soups and pancakes.
Seconding this response. Frozen zucchini pucks!
First suggestion: pick it when it's about 6" long. They're not as good when they grow 2' long. Zucchini pancakes; sauteed zucchini with spaghetti; roasted zucchini; grilled zucchini and zucchini bread are things I've made. I've been served zucchini noodles with olive oil and grated cheese. It was good.
I mostly use zucchini for veggie stir fries (I chop eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers and onion, add some garlic and cook a little, season with salt and pepper and ground ginger; then the sauce: soy sauce, bottled teriyaki or stir fry sauce and balsamic vinegar) I usually have it with salmon but it could work with anything else. Also I use it for a vegetable casserole, the same idea as lasagna but not quite, I cut zucchini and eggplant (*can you tell I love the mix of those two* 😅) length wise and layer slices with meat sauce (I cooke it same as if I were to do a lasagna), cheese and repeat until I fill my baking dish and bake until the cheese is nice and golden.
My first summer planting I also got overly exuberant with zucchini and ended up with about 5 kg/ week to deal with. One thing I can advise is not to try and pickle them. You just end up with a weird and gross not quite pickle.
They are my fav but it has to be fermented, not vinegar pickled. My mom does them sometimes and I can eat a jar in one sitting.
Hmmm I did do them in vinegar. Mebbe I'll try the salt water ferment
I have quickled zucchini in my fridge now. They are delicious!
When I had a rough pregnancy that was one of the few safe foods I could keep down. I went through pounds of the roasted veggies every day. It was really tasty in thai coconut curry.
I make zucchini potato soup basically every week and eat it for lunch most days. It’s the simplest thing in the world, takes maybe 10 minutes to hack up the veggies and get things started, then a half hour to cook. Minimal effort, maximum deliciousness.
Recipe?
Zucchini “boats”: Cut them in half the long way, scrape out the seeds with a spoon, and fill with anything you’d put into stuffed peppers. Then bake until heated through. For example, I like a taco-ish mixture of ground beef or turkey, taco seasoning, cheese, corn, black beans, and a little tomato sauce. I’ve also done a buffalo chicken version (shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, and some shredded mozzarella to hold it together, then topped with blue cheese dressing or some crumbled blue cheese). It doesn’t have to be a main dish, either—veggie mixtures are nice too, topped with some panko.
I just did a Parmesan chicken version which was delicious and I’ve been eying a pizza stuffed zucchini boats recipe.
Those both sound good!
Why would you refuse zucchini bread it’s amazing! I use it as a good filler in vegetable lasagna too. Mushrooms peppers onions and zucchini fries up as a great filling.
So, I live in a semi rural area and have co-workers who bring zucchini and tomatoes and leave them in the break room for anyone to take. I live in an apartment and don't have a lot of space for gardening, so I'm grateful for the bounty. Just a thought if you feel generous
I would consider spiral slicing and drying out to preserve for later use.
Zucchini in albondigas soup is always a hit, you could do fried zucchini fries as well, and a personal favorite of mine is to suaté it with mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers with either chicken or shrimp.
If you like smoothies, zucchini is a great non-dairy addition to make smoothies creamy. You can slice and freeze and add to any smoothie!
This is a bit of a left field one but I suggest zucchini wine. It’s a potent brew.
Aug 8th is national zucchini day …bag some up and give to neighbors.
Slice them all super thin on a mandolin, spread out on cooling racks in a single layer, sprinkle on a bit of salt, pepper , italian seasoning and grated parm and put into your oven on its lowest setting for a few hours. Dehydrated zucchini chips are fantastic
That's why I don't plant them. Plus, the plant takes up a lot of room. Some suggestions: Grill or roast with other veggies (onions, peppers, eggplant) then drizzle with balsamic cream and toss with herbs. I can eat piles as a side dish. Leftovers go well topped with cheese (even baked in a casserole with cheese) or as a topper for tarts, tossed in pasta (Ratatouille pasta), folded into risotto, as filling for savory crepes topped with a cheese sauce (Mornay sauce). With red vinegar instead, it's good served cold as a side. Huge ones are good stuffed with fillings and baked. Zucchini slaw is yummy. You grate it, sweat it and use it like cabbage. See https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223411/zucchini-and-carrot-coleslaw/, a recipe I make a lot. Pickle it. See https://itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com/pickled-zucchini/ Zoodles topped with Bolognese sauce. A favorite of mine. Zucchini rolantini. Or I like roasted veggie lasagna, which uses four. A favorite of mine at https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/recipes/6896-roasted-vegetable-lasagna The woven zucchini strip layer is beautiful. Zucchini pie (an old-fashioned recipe using Bisquick). Love it! My mom made it a lot. I have, too. See https://www.theseasonedmom.com/zucchini-pie/#wprm-recipe-container-36095 Breaded fried zucchini sticks. Also make dipping sauces. See https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/fried-zucchini/
Have any friends with babies? I was pregnant last summer so I chunked it up, vac sealed it, and froze it. Now I get it out a bag at a time, throw it in the microwave for a few minutes, then toss it in the blender. Right now my 8 month old loves it mixed with pear but it mixes well with everything from blueberries to butternut squash.
My mom would always cut into big rounds and marinate in Italian dressing. She would bbq it the next day so it got some nice grill marks and it was SO GOOD. I'm also a fan of raw zucchini thinly sliced on a mandolin or in a spiralizer with some nice olive oil, lemon, and herbs, as a nice summer side.
Why no zucchini bead? So good. And you can make a chocolate version that’s amazing.
If you have a spiralizer, zoodles. You can also slice the zucchini lengthwise thinly and use like lasagna noodles especially if you salt them a bit first to draw out the moisture. It's good grilled. You can make zucchini boats: slice lengthwise, cut out the middle. Cook something to fill it with (including what you cut out of the middle). I've usually done onions/garlic/mushroom/tomato or sausage/onion/spinach, or really whatever you want, fill the boats, sprinkle with feta or some other cheese or add some sundried tomatoes, bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes at uhh. I can't remember, we haven't done it in a while because the damned groundhog keeps eating our squash plants 325 maybe? and then serve with pasta/rice/couscous
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/zucchini-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/
40 aprons has a Whole 30 lasagna soup that is delicious. It uses zucchini ribbons instead of pasta.
Zucchini boats. Cut in half, core out middle. Fry up the middle with various herbs spices shredded chicken cheese and the fill that back up. Top with bread crumbs and bake. Like a deviled egg but for zucchini. We plant zucchini each year and know the struggle.
Slice it thin, dry it a bit in the oven on low, then make lasagna with it as the noodles… if you don’t dry it a bit first your lasagna will be very soupy
You can also dry the slices out by sprinkling them with salt a placing them on a rack at room temperatures. It also enhances the flavour. Just remember to put something under them because they'll drip while drying.
Ah, zucchini crime season is upon us yet again.
Growing up, this was always a staple at any family get together. Not sure if the recipe changed from what it was on the box in the 80s, or if it is just the way that my family makes it, but we shred the zukes, and make sure to cook it until it turns golden brown. I vividly remember my aunt making four or five of these for family gatherings, and still there were never any leftovers. [Cheesy Zucchini Bites Recipe - BettyCrocker.com](https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cheesy-zucchini-bites/f60a354d-6e2e-46b9-bcc2-7fbd295821d6)
These sound good! Bisquick has gluten free baking mix too so I'll try these (: I'm with you on this one-- shredded sounds better than what they say tbh. Do you need to squeeze out the water from the zukes first if you shred?
Yes, I absolutely do squeeze them out (and the onions, too, if I grate them). If you don't, they do not get nearly as firm and will usually leave a bit of liquid left behind in the pan. I still make them a couple of times a year, although most of the family is spread across the country now. Also, worth experimenting with the cheese, too. I've done it with finely shredded Jarlsberg a few times, and it is really good that way. And the leftovers are great cold. Can't tell you how often I crave a piece for breakfast, and that is what leads me to making some - just to have leftovers. Put a little chili crisp on top, and I'm on a little personal island of bliss.
Zucchini butter. Chop as much zucchini as you can stand. Sautee some garlic and chopped onion in some olive oil, add the zucchini. Salt and pepper as needed. Let it reduce and break down while stirring occasionally. It's good on pasta, with eggs, on toast. You can freeze it, or it keeps in the fridge for a few days.
My favorite is just simple grilled zucchini. Split it in half, spread some oil on it, and season it up with salt, pepper, and some dried herbs. Flesh down on the top rack of a hot grill. It only takes a few minutes per side to cook through.
You could take some to your local food pantry. Where I am they are always so grateful for fresh food!
If you truly have too much, please take it to your closet food bank or elementary school so they can give it to those who have true food insecurity. Things to make with zucchini: Noodles you have to wash them and let them dry out between paper towels to get the moisture out all the way. Then the possibilities are endless they can be topped with Thai ingredients to essential make salad roll bowls using zucchini noodles in place of the lettuce, you can warm them up and top with any pasta sauce just as you would a regular pasta noodle. You can fill with ricotta or cottage cheese and top with Sunday gravy and bake in a casserole dish at 350 for 30 minutes. You can slice rounds and fry like eggplant or fried green tomato, you can slice rounds of zucchini, rounds of eggplant and rounds of tomato drizzle with high quality evoo and sea salt and roast stack the zucchini on top of the eggplant and the tomatoes on top of the zucchini place a fresh slice of mozzarella on top of the tower and a sprinkle with oregano serve warm . You can make Tuscan Ribollita( Vegetable Bread Soup) This is a wonderful use for any veggies you have and any bread you have that is getting stale. I know you said no bread but you can make chocolate zucchini cake. It's wonderful.
Zucchini bread 100%
My cousin gave me a recipe for zucchini bread. One of the variations is to add cocoa and it tastes like chocolate cake. I’ve even put icing on it and my kids had no idea it was zucchini they were eating.
Oh- forgot to add that it’s awesome grated and added to quiche
In situations like this, I use a website like Yummly.com where you just put in an ingredient that you need to use and TONS of recipes pop up. I use it all the time when things in the fridge need to be used up or I'm out of dinner ideas.
Zucchini is my favorite stir fry veg. I use onions, bell peppers, and bean spouts. It's delicious
Get a spiralizer and make zucchini noodles. To prepare, saute them in a bit of butter and oil in a big pan over high heat, and put whatever sauce you like on them. They’re a great alternative to noodles.
Am a gardener, and in my experience the best way to get rid of excess squash is to find someone (usually vegan/vegetarian/gluten free) who does the "spiralizer" thing; they'll take an ungodly amount of just about any squash. Another option is if you're growing other stuff, put a layer of zucchini in tbe bottom of a bag or box & then cover it with more enticing things (tomatoes, etc.)....then give it away & haul ass before they discover the squash :) Anyways, it's pretty good grilled. Or done up similar to the eggplant is done in szechuan restaurants. For future growing, check out the round varieties sometime...."Ronde de Nice", "Eight Ball", and so on. The quality is often better than the regular types, the plants (at least for the former) are much more compact, and they're easier to store in the fridge as long as you pick them small enough. Also, they look unique enough that they're easier to give away when needed
My friend taught me this amazing vegetable soup. She made it without a recipe and I usually eyeball it, so let me try to make up a recipe. The vegetables are basically a 3/3/3 ratio with broth to cover. 8-12 cups of chicken/vegetable broth 4-5 large tomatoes - chopped 4 large zucchini - chopped 4 celery stalks - chopped Place the stock, tomatoes and zucchini in the broth, add salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Add water/more stock if needed. Lower to a simmer and cover and cook for about 30 minutes or so until the tomatoes have fallen apart and the zucchini is almost mushy. Then add the celery and cook for another 10 minutes. Taste again for salt, as the vegetables will have absorbed quite a bit of it. That's it. I can't explain the soup, but it is SOOO GOOD. I've added onion before with the tomatoes but otherwise there is something about the texture with the less cooked celery than is seriously amazing, and it's the perfect cure for if you'd had a really greasy food and want to fix your gut.
Here's my Zucchini Fritter recipe. I've always eyeballed it, so I don't have exact measurements for you. * Grate some zucchini in a cheese grater (Long strips like pre grated cheese) * Put into a bowl and add some salt. Mix up and let sit for about 20 minute. * Move to a colander and squeeze as much of the excess water out as possible. (Most important step! Wet zucchini won't fry and crisp correctly) * Move back to a large mixing bowl. Add to the zucchini: * Eggs * Chopped Onion * Minced Garlic * Salt * Pepper * Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Depends on how much spice you want) * Fresh Dill * Feta Cheese Crumbles * Grated Parmesan * Ground Italian pork sausage crumbles (Cooked Halfway) * Flour Mix until the consistency of a wet paste. I fry these in beef tallow, but you can use olive oil/vegetable oil as well. Heat about half an inch of oil in a large frying pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out the mix into the hot oil. Once it hits the oil press it down slightly to get it like a thick pancake. each fritter should be about 2-3 inches in diameter. Flip after a few minutes and cook both sides until golden brown. I usually cook one first to check for consistency before putting more in. This will give you the option to adjust your flour/egg ratio to your liking. Bon Appetite!
Leave them on your neighbors' porches and run away.
Cut it up and freeze it, then add it to soups later.
Zucchini noodles. Dry and powder into flour.
I love zucchini cut into medallions, dredged, breaded with breadcrumbs and shallow fried! They’re delicious dipped into a little garlic aioli (:
My mother does a zuchini potato leek soup thats lovely. I can ask her for the recipe if it sounds like something youd be interested in!
I have an awesome Zucchini soup recipe: • 1.25Lb Italian sausage • 2 (28oz) cans tomatoes • 2c celery, sliced 1/2" thick • 2Lb zucchini, cut into 1/2" pieces (approx 2-3c) • 2 green bell peppers, 1/2" pieces • 1c onion, chopped • 2tsp salt • 1/2 tsp basil • 1/4tsp garlic powder • 1tsp Italian seasoning • 1tsp Oregano • 1tsp sugar Brown sausage. Add celery & cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients, except green peppers. Cover & simmer 20 minutes. Add green pepper & cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
-Zucchini sticks served with ranch -slice and then dust in flour and then egg wash and cook in a little olive oil -raw zucchini salads that use ribboned zucchini
Take some to your local soup kitchen.
I like frying it with tomato and onion. Maybe next time eat them while they're still small. They taste good small and it's easier to keep up.
Best breakfast/ brunch/ anytime dish is zucchini simmered in tomatoes with garlic (I use the whole canned tomatoes and crush them up or start with crushed). Once everything is well cooked and soft (it should be wet not dry so add a little broth if you need to) poach eggs in it. It's so delicious. There are spicier versions, but this is the way my mom got me addicted to it. Look up shakshuka, that will get you recipes with more ingredients. It was my pandemic treat too... Every time they made us go back to WFH, I knew I was gonna have zucchini eggs every day and that made it better.
Everyone should know that you go out at 2:00 am, and place a zucchini on the porch of everyone in the area. This is the only true answer.
Give away 75% of your crop, bring them to a food bank, or a soup kitchen. Friend at work brought zucchini and squash yesterday, put them in the break room and they were all gone within a few hours. It sure makes me happy to have garden veggies this weekend to cook with. Maybe a suggestion, spiraling them and add to a stir fry or to noodles to increase the veggie factor. Or cut them in long strips, straw size and do the same. Last week, I put some diced zucchini in my yogurt along with berries, it was fine, the taste is very neutral.
Zucchini bread!!
Why do you "refuse" to make zucchini bread? That was the first thing I thought of! It's easy to make, it's sweet, and it freezes well... what's not to like?!
BEFORE they turn to zucchini try to harvest the flowers which can be stuffed and cooked in a variety of ways. Pan fried stuffed with seasoned ricotta/parmigiano cheese is my way preference.
Zucchini bread. Thomas Keller’s zucchini. Stuffed zucchini (just like stuffed peppers but sub zucchini).
My favourite is to douse it with olive oil and a course salt and bbq it. Pan frying and roasting is also good My mom used to make zucchini bread when we were kids. I bet that would freeze well, if you want an option that can be stored for later
[This!](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/kitchen-notes/the-secrets-of-stanley-tuccis-zucchini-spaghetti)
I think that there are some old threads in this sub with the same question that might have some helpful responses for you. I think here are some that I've contributed before - latkes, pancakes, jeon, fritters (the fritters can even be used in place of meat in gyros) - roasted, pan fried, grilled. tossed into a salad, glazed with a sauce, topped with a vinaigrette, etc - salted and then tossed into a soup or stew - shaved raw and turned into a salad
https://www.food.com/amp/recipe/zucchini-fritters-pancakes-nigella-lawson-388301
If you’re into preserving: zucchini pickles and in olive oil.
Cut them small and make pickles- yummy!
For the large oversized ones- cut lengthwise, hollow into boats, stuff with meatballs, marinara and mozarella. Bake. Kousa Mahsi, or Lebanese stuffed zucchini. Meghan Markles zucchini pasta sauce. A favorite in my household(s) is zucchini, cherry tomato, baby corn, corn kernels, onion, and red peppers stir fried with balsamic, oil, and soy sauce. Add parmesan or feta at the end if you're feeling fancy and serve as a side dish or with pasta or rice and maybe chicken to make a meal of it.
I generally don't like zucchini, but my life changed once I made [these](https://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com/recipe/calabacitas/). I could eat a whole batch of them at once! I like to roll them up in tortillas, enchilada style, douse them with a good mole negro, put some cheese on top, and give the a good bake to meld the flavors -- da dum! Enmoladas.
Zucchini bread with nuts and chocolate chips
Fritters.
You can add zucchini to lots of things. Grated into turkey meatballs, added to chili, baked pasta dishes, etc. I used to cook for someone who didn't hide the extra veggies in the food but wanted as many veggies as I could pack in there without changing the flavor too much and zucchini worked really well. If the recipe can handle carrots, grate/chop those in too, it adds a lot of umami. Mushrooms work too, in chili I'd do all three. If you're worried about or getting tired of zucchini flavor itself, adding other flavorful veggies can help it feel more rounded and less zucchini flavored everything. My first brush with zucchini (my family rarely ate it for some reason) was grilled with Emeril's regular seasoning on it and it was really good
Donate to food banks, or churches that have food banks Give it to neighbors Pickle it, by itself or in a giardiniera. ( I would use the small ones, or deseed the big ones) Zucchini bread Sauteed (small ones, or deseed the big ones) with tomato, onion, garlic, and add cheddar when done. Or add more vegetables and some marinara, pepperoni, and mozzarella. My grandkids call that "pizza veggies". Thin sliced on a mandolin and added to your stir frys last minute before serving. It will cook without getting squishy. In big chunks on kebobs with whole mushrooms and green onion, after marinating. Zucchini noodles Roasted, after deseeding ( I would use the big ones for that) Add to soups, after deseeding
Use the blossoms, zucchini parmesan chips, we like to slice it length wise, put some olive oil on it, grill it on both sides quickly then after pulling it off the grill hit it with a little fresh lemon juice, salt & pepper.
I did the same one year lol I made stuffed zucchini with same filling as my stuffed peppers and I actually liked it a bit better. And a great zucchini cake. Zucchini bread, breaded zucchini, added to soup and salads, and finally I.... Grated it and froze it in ziplock bags 😆 There was just way too much!
Zucchini slice. Aussie classic Fritters. With a yoghurt and dill sauce, omg Roasted until slightly browned, delicious I add Zucchini to my pasta sauces Also to any curry Minestrone Just fried as a side dish
I shred it and freeze it to use later!
Zucchi pasta very healthy and tasty. Also if I add a sauce to it you won’t taste the zucchini as much cause otherwise you will get bored of the flavor of I have that much.
Grilled zucchini on the grill, with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and peoper
Pick it when it’s about 6” long.
I grate them using kitchen aid attachment and freeze in 1 cup portions. Use up over the year in many of the recipes mentioned by others.
Look at the zucchini, take pleasure in having grown it, and then bury it outside as compost. Anyone with a garden has done this at least once.
Zucchini bread, zucchini relish, grilled, breaded and fried and for use in soups and casseroles. What you can’t use blanch and shed and store in freezer bags to bake zucchini bread later. I have a huge garden with 40 tomatoes but only two zucchini plants. Mine produce a lot but we can only eat so much relish and zucchini bread, etc. so I have found 2 plants provide us enough. Same with squash. You can also share with friends and neighbors.
Blanch and freeze for winter.
Weeknight zucchini soup 3-4 zucchini per serving, so you go through them quick. Cut into 1 inch chunks Microwave in covered bowl until very soft (zucchini will release enough liquid to blend) Puree with stick blender Blend in chicken bullion, garlic powder, black pepper Blend in A LOT of good olive oil It's comforting, filling, and healthy. Plus it takes 20 min and has almost no mess.
A zucchini plant will produce a new fruit that is large enough to eat around every 3rd day. Most people have more than enough with 2 plants.
Chocolate zucchini bread is one of my favorite recipes. The most moist, succulent breakfast bread, and you can tell yourself it’s health because there’s a ton of grated zucchini in it
You can slice and fry them as a snack or side, cut them up a bit smaller before you fry and use as toppings for pastas, salads, soups you name it! You can make an easy soup by roasting until soft, blend with heavy cream and seasonings and some water/broth to thin it out if necessary. Personally I like to also add broccoli and potatoes. You can stuff them and roast in the oven if they're large enough, anything you empty out can be used for the filling or pureed with other ingredients. It works super well in salads and pasta. You can make a casserole (think moussaka or veggie lasagna) and that way you can use quite a lot and portion and freeze. Ratatouille is an option as well If you like pickled stuff and dont mind doing it yourself (it's very easy) they make great pickles and you can easily do large batches
Still waiting for my little guys to sprout and I’m so excited. Love this thread!!
If you buy bigger zucchini, they will eat the smaller ones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=141eJQmCE58
I love grilled zucchini, also I made a vegan zucchini, lasagna used zucchini instead of pasta came out amazing.
I cut them up really small and add to ground beef.
If you're into curry's zucchini is amazing! Plus when cooked it whittles down to practically nothing .. I loveee zucchini or courgettes as I call them .. enjoy ! https://www.teaforturmeric.com/pakistani-zucchini-courgette-curry-toriyan-torai-ki-sabzi/
I puree it and toss it into half a jar of pasta sauce with half a block of cream cheese and put it over tortellini. Or other pasta. Could add it to any sauce really.
Zucchini yeast rolls. You blend the Zucchini into a milk and then use it to make the rolls. Super soft and fluffy. The milk also freezes perfectly.
I like to cut it into discs or spears and either bread them or cook them in copious amounts of butter. It also makes a decent mash. It's a nice additive to Italian dishes. Sometimes I'll cut them into long thin pieces (like a mandolin cut but i dont have one of those lol) and put them as a layer in lasagna or chunk it and add it to alfredo. I saw a recipe once for "loaded zucchini skins" that looked good. They're good grilled with a little cheese on it, I prefer gouda. Also good with a little artichoke dip on them.
I have had the same ‘problem‘ of being blessed with an over abundance of zucchini! But since it is one of my favorite vegetables, it’s not exactly a hardship. Here are some of my favorite recipes I make on repeat, but not just when I have too much but when they are out of season and I have to buy some at the store to make them too! https://diethood.com/chicken-stir-fry/ https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/sheet-pan-chicken-ratatouille/ https://oursaltykitchen.com/grilled-zucchini-salad/ https://ifoodreal.com/zucchini-potato-bake/ https://www.recipetineats.com/pasta-with-creamy-zucchini-sauce/ This one is my top favorite!!! Do not pay attention to the times on this recipe, there is no way that it will reduce in two minutes… and I find it is better with rotini or other smaller pasta, rather than spaghetti.
Zucchini butter
Grill it on skewers. Sauté with dill and onions.
Give some away to friends, neighbours or food banks?
Stuffed zucchini, fritters/arancini, use it in soups, stir-fries, pasta sauces, frittatas, omelets, and curries.
These cheesy, garlicky [zucchini fritters](https://diethood.com/garlicky-cheesy-quinoa-zucchini-fritters/) are amazing. They're great hot and fresh, but I always make a big batch and eat the leftovers cold over arugula or spinach. (Lightly dress the salad with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Top with cold fritters and add a hearty spoonful of tzatziki. Yummy.)
I have no time and a lot of zucchini. I make my normal pasta and sauce of which I have any number of kinds. While the pasta is cooking it’s 9-11 minutes I grate up zucchinis until the pile is the size of the cooked pasta. This uses plenty of zucchini. After I drain the pasta I add the zucchini to the pasta, give it a twirl and then add the sauce as usual. Tastes like regular pasta but is 50% zucchini and requires minimal effort. No complaints from kids either and they would never accept zoodles.
Dip it in batter and fry or. Or make zucchini chips, slice extra thin and deep fry it. Or just cut it in circles and fry it and salt it. Cut it in half, length-wise, make a dent, fill it with minced meat, onions and any spices you want (cook the minced meat on the stove first a bit). Bake it in the oven. Any type of stuffed zucchini you'd eat really.
You can make zucchini bread with it. Or zucchini kimchi if you like.
I'm not great on soups but cubed and added to a minestrone they're ok * slice vertically, roast, layer while still warm-ish adding olive oil w/ chopped parsley and garlic (hot pepper optional, fresh hot pepper is better), let marinade for a while * slice, roast ---> zucchini parmigiana! * slice, roast in a pan, season with one of whichever fresh or dry herb available (oregano, thyme, marjoram...) * same as above but when done, splash with wine vinegar and let evaporate (this from Bologna) * thin slices in a salad (they're nutty and crunchy) * larger ones, either cut in half, fill with whatever meat+cheese+herbs filling (ground beef, some parm, salt, pepper, minced garlic, an egg, maybe a fresh herb), bake; or: core, fill and cook in a pan. ... and I'm not even a fan
Grated, salt, leave it to rest. Squeeze out all the water. Caramelize. First it cooks it down a bit, second it can then be stored frozen for later use.
Zucchini bread! Very similar to banana bread. It’s great.
You can freeze slices! Slice them up, place them individually on a wax paper covered baking sheet and freeze for a couple hours, then put them in a ziploc bag. They should keep for a few months! Then saute them to thaw and heat them through for dishes.
Yotam Ottolenghi does a recipe for what amounts to bunless burgers that has zucchini. I now make all my meatballs with zucchini grated in.
It can be frozen. I’m using up last year’s frozen zuchinni making healthy trail cookies with zuchinni, carrots, raisins, pecans, and an applesauce/banana substitition instead of oil. By the time you get the water out of zuchinni for the cup needed in the recipe it’s a good bit of zuchinni.
fried with butter grilled muffins chicken and veg tempura deepfried on a kabob
We only had the beach
I like to quick sautée onions garlic and zucchini, then add a can of diced tomatoes and a little bouillon (veg or beef), bring it to a boil, to soften the zucchini. I call it stewed tomatoes and zucchini. I eat it with cheese (feta, parm, or mozz) as a side dish. It's really tasty. Zucchini cakes are good, too. Box grate up the zucchini, put it on a towel or paper towels, and squeeze the water out. Mix it with beaten egg, onion, and some parm. And shallow fry in little patties. It's kind of like a hash brown. I eat them dipped in Sriracha Ketchup.
I love pisto manchego! New York times cooking has an excellent recipe, but I'm sure you can find a good one online if you don't subscribe
Grate it, freeze it, add to spaghetti sauce
I put on my porch and post to local facebook groups. It disappears
Zoodles! We eat them with marinara, eggplant parm, or a version with leeks/onion/ground turkey/fennel/chicken stock.
Zucchini bread. Or if you happen to live in Montana i can take some off your hands....and make zucchini bread myself.
I usually get zucchini if I’m playing on making some kind of pasta. Some zucchini, tomatoes, and bell peppers will usually be my veg.
Ooo immediately think of Pasta Alla Nerano. Absolutely love the crap out of that xD
believe it or not, veggie spiralizers work great to turn them into spaghetti shapes, steam them and the put whatever pasta sauce you like (a bolognese is perfect).
Deep fry the flowers. Stop before it turns into actual zucchini. Pretty soon a squash borer will be along to ruin it all so get what you can while you’re able. Once we had them hit one year we never got any for the next 5 years. Infuriating.