It's zucchini & summer squash season! That means it's time to share a whole bunch of zucchini recipes to use up the harvest. I've been collecting recipes over the years as I always end up with a counter full of them, including some that are giant.
There are so many zucchini recipes out there because they are such a versatile vegetable. They can be stuffed with an endless number of possibilities, shredded and added to breads, fritters, or even meatballs, and turned into soups or used as a replacement for noodles.
I'm sharing over 100 zucchini recipes in this article - but don't worry! They are very highly organized and grouped into sections. I tried to find unique variations and not share duplicate recipes or ones that are too similar.
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Stuffed zucchini boats
Let's start with one of the most popular types of zucchini recipes: stuffed zucchini boats. While they are arguably one of the easiest ways to use zucchini, instructions vary wildly from recipe to recipe. That variation is actually a testament to how easy (and forgiving) stuffed zucchini can be.
Oven temperatures range from 350° to 475°, cooking times are as low as 15 minutes, or as long as 45 minutes. Here's a few of my tips to help while you pick your favorite zucchini boat recipe.
The thickness of the zucchini boat walls matter. You want it to be thick enough that it holds up after it softens from cooking. Most recipes suggest ¼" thick (like The Pioneer Woman) to ½" thick. If you plan to grill the boats, I'd suggest even a little thicker to ensure they don't fall apart and make a mess. This is a case where large, oversized zucchini can really shine.
Cooking time will vary with the zucchini boat thickness along with how much stuffing it holds. A small zucchini will cook quicker than a large zucchini holding a large amount of stuffing. Some recipes call for partially baking the zucchini before adding the stuffing, or cooking the stuffing before adding it to the zucchini (like when using ground beef).
Oven temperatures vary a lot because honestly, stuffed zucchini boats are pretty fool proof. A hotter oven will cook everything faster and cheese will brown quicker. A cooler oven will heat the centers more evenly without drying out the outsides - but this isn't too big of a problem since zucchini hold so much moisture.
When using leftover zucchini flesh in the filling, be sure to squeeze out excess liquid. When too much is left in the flesh, the filling becomes watery. Alternatively, the scooped out flesh can be used in zucchini bread, fritters, soups, or other similar recipes.
Stuffed zucchini boats are one of the few types of recipes that doesn't freeze well. They become watery and mushy when thawed and reheated. You'll notice a majority of the recipes specifically recommend against freezing them. That said, they can be made ahead usually a couple days in advanced before baking. Then bake when ready to eat.
Fritters
Shredded zucchini makes a great fritter. They can be pan fried or baked - which is noted in the recipes below. (However you cook the fritters, you should pair them with a homemade dipping sauce.)
The trick to good fritters is to squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. If you don't get enough liquid out, two things can happen. First, the fritters might fall apart more easily during frying/baking as well as when to try to eat them. Secondly, they won't get as crispy.
Zucchini noodles
Zucchini can be turned into all sorts of noodle shapes - some use a spiralizer, but others work with a mandolin or a simple vegetable peeler. For example, you can make the wide, long pappardelle style noodles with a vegetable peeler or lasagna noodles with just a knife.
For thinner zucchini noodles, like spaghetti or angel hair, they don't necessarily need to be cooked. If you like an al dente bite, mixing them with a sauce hot off the stove is usually enough to soften them up. For thicker noodles (or if you like them less chewy), a quick saute or pan fry does the trick.
All of the recipes below use zucchini for the noodles.
Pasta & pizza
If you want to add zucchini to real pasta, there are plenty of recipes for that too. I think zucchini really shines when it is fully incorporated, like using a zucchini butter for the sauce or mixing shredded zucchini into risotto.
While we're on an Italian theme, check out some of the pizza and flatbread recipes too. Make sure the zucchini has extra liquid removed so you don't have a soggy pizza crust. You can either squeeze the liquid out, or better yet, salt the zucchini and let it sit for 15 minutes to drain. The salt draws out excess liquid which you can then squeeze out.
Zucchini recipes with meat
Zucchini continues its versatility when paired with meat. Of course it makes a great side, but it can also take a much bigger role. Mix shredded zucchini in with ground beef, pork, or chicken for juicy meatballs (even Better Crocker has an old zucchini meatloaf recipe).
Sides & salads
One of my go-to sides in summer is pan-fried zucchini slices with a mixture of herbs and usually lightly topped with cheese. It's easy and quick to make but I inevitably make it too often and get bored.
There are so many more side dish recipes for your zucchini - browse through them to avoid a cooking rut!
Sandwiches
Zucchini on sandwiches? You bet! Grilling them works especially well, adding a nice charred flavor and drying them out. They can also be chopped and added to tacos, quesadillas, or gyros, or mixed in with meat for burgers.
Lastly, they make great pickles! Smaller zucchini work best for pickles and it's best to avoid the larger ones for this purpose. Some people claim you can't tell the difference between homemade cucumber pickles and ones made with zucchini. I'll be putting that to the test this summer and report back.
Chips & Fries
Instead of potato chips or french fries, give zucchini chips & fries a try. They can be baked, fried, or put into your air fryer. Chips can be thin and crispy, or thick and chewy on the inside (more like a french fry).
There are two tricks to getting really crispy zucchini chips. First, slice them very thin - a mandolin or meat slicer is really handy here. (One of the silliest, but most useful purchases I've made for my kitchen is a deli meat slicer!)
The other important factor is to remove some of the moisture. Potatoes are more starchy and have less water content, making them easier to crisp up in the over or fryer. Zucchini are 95% water and can use some help drying out. The trick here is to salt the slices and let them sit for about 30 minutes. Pat dry and then place on your baking trays ready for the oven (or for the fryer).
Zucchini recipes for breakfast
Surprise! You can add shredded zucchini to waffle or pancake batters, quiches, or even a morning smoothie.
If you're looking for zucchini bread or muffin recipes, I have over 20 recipes dedicated to zucchini baking that you should check out.
Soup recipes
Zucchini soups are an easy way to use up a lot of zucchini - I was able to use up over 10 pounds in just a couple of hours to cooking. I made 3 different soups and froze most of it.
If you have overgrown, large zucchini, soups are another pretty fool proof way to use them up. Sometimes they are extra watery, other times they've dried out a bit. Either way, soups can easily be adjusted to accommodate their water content.
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