Looking for great zucchini recipes to use both the large "clubs" and smaller sizes you get from your garden or friend's gardens? Look no further - here are our favorite, tried and true recipes that everyone loves - even zucchini haters!
Whether you're looking for the one zucchini bread you can make again and again, a side dish that will go with anything, or baked cookies, cakes, and muffins that benefit from zucchini's moistness, you'll find it here!
Over the years that I've grown a vegetable garden, I've had lots of people ask questions along the lines of:
"What are you going to do with all those (fill in the blank)?"
It can be peas in the spring (eat and freeze), beans in summer (eat, pickle, freeze), or tomatoes in late summer and fall (eat and process in SO many ways - visit our preserving page to get my favorite ways to preserve tomatoes).
But mostly it seems I get asked if I have any ideas for what to do with all.the.zucchini.
And even with all the jokes about giant zucchini's taking over the world, there are so many ways to use this summer squash that I rarely have any go to waste! So I thought I'd list some of my favorite recipes that use this prolific vegetable.
But first, let's talk about some zucchini facts:
- Zucchini is known as courgettes in France, Britain, and another parts of Europe (though it's sometimes called marrow in the UK).
- It's botanically a fruit, but for cooking is treated as a vegetable.
- It's a summer squash - the term for squash that is harvested before their rinds harden - along with crookneck yellow squash, pattypan, and others.
- You can grow both green and yellow varieties of zucchini (my experience growing yellow zucchini is that they are easier to see to harvest, but are never as prolific - which may or may not be a bad thing!).
- You can eat the zucchini blossoms.
- Zucchini is high in potassium and vitamin C. It also contains significant amounts of vitamins B6, riboflavin, folate, and K, and minerals like manganese, plus antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients.
Since zucchini is a summer squash, can other summer squashes be used in these recipes?
Maybe. Definitely the yellow zucchini, though I've found them to be drier so the baked goods weren't as moist.
I've successfully substituted crookneck squash for zucchini in recipes like the sauté and fritters below, as well as bread, though I found it a bit drier, too.
So, don't be afraid to experiment - most of the time the substitutions work.
A Garden Caution
You know those stories of the zucchinis taking over people's gardens and kitchens -or cars and porches from people leaving them?
Zucchini is usually a vegetable that will produce no matter what the rest of the garden is doing - and do it well, otherwise there wouldn't be those jokes.
But believe it or not, I've had years where I had trouble growing enough zucchini and some gardening friends have said they've struggled, too.
It feels weird to admit that - who has trouble getting zucchini? The typical problem is getting RID of all the zucchini.
Note: Definitely visit The Ultimate Zucchini Guide for more info on growing this plant as well as even more recipes I've culled from all over the web!
My advice? Never plant more than 2 zucchini plants if you're a normal family!
Our Best Zucchini Recipes
When you've got zucchini in the garden or have had them gifted by a friend, turn to one - or all - of these recipes to use them up deliciously.
Savory Zucchini Recipes
Grilled Zucchini
Slice small to medium zucchini lengthwise as thin as possible, about 1/4 inch, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with some Basic Spice Rub and grill about 2-3 minutes on each side. You can also slice them in thin rounds, but we found them harder to turn on the grill.
One year my family grew tired of this I made it so much, but it's oh so good...at the beginning of the season, at least!
Zucchini and Feta Fritters with Lime
This was the first thing I ever made with zucchini that wasn't a bread or cake. Can you say l.o.v.e.?
SO good and so easy, these are always a hit when I make them for guests.
Zucchini, Corn, and Tomato Sauté
I love that this dish highlights all the summer flavors of the garden. The vegetables are still crisp, the zucchini is hidden in the other flavors (so no complaints from my family...) and the flavor of the feta adds that delicious tangy taste.
Side note: What on earth did we do before feta cheese was available to us?
Well...I ate less zucchini, I can tell you that.
Sausage and Corn Stuffed Zucchini
This is another summer garden favorite - you won't believe what sausage and a bit of cheese can do to vegetables and hollowed out zucchini.
This is another way I can get my kids to eat zucchini!
Easy Freezer Zucchini Meatballs
I'm always looking for ways to preserve the zucchini harvest without having lots of bags of grated zucchini in the freezer (I find I rarely use them...).
This meatball enriched with zucchini was a revelation - delicious, healthy, and SO convenient to have in the freezer ready for quick meals.
Definitely a win.
Whole Wheat Garlic-Cheese Zucchini Bread
Who says zucchini bread has to be sweet?
This may just change your mind about zucchini bread for good!
Sweet Zucchini Recipes
This is the ONE bread I make multiple batches of every year and keep in the freezer for any time we want a zucchini bread fix.
Whole Wheat Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
I will just say these are so, so good - with or without frosting. Another recipe that freezes well.
White Zucchini Cake with Broiled Caramel Nut Frosting
I never thought I'd say this about a dessert that wasn't chocolate, but this is to.die.for.
Really! It's my must-make every year, even if I have to just freeze it until I can serve it (freeze just the cake layers, thaw and frost - just as good!).
Most people don't believe me when I tell them this cake has zucchini in it. The secret?
The zucchini is peeled first! I don't know why I never thought to do this before finding this recipe in an old recipe pamphlet.
Zucchini-Cinnamon Freezer Muffins
This method was a revelation when I first discovered it - freeze uncooked muffin dough to have fresh, warm zucchini muffins in the winter!
And another easy way to "preserve" your zucchini that's all ready to go when you want it.
Whole Grain Glazed Lemon Zucchini Bread
For those times you'd like a little lemon tang to your zucchini bread (cake?).
And you'll never guess this is made with whole wheat and less sugar than most recipes.
Whole Wheat, Honey Sweetened Orange Zucchini Bread
How about a zucchini bread recipe that uses only honey and naturally sweet orange juice as a sweetener?
A really great change from regular breads.
Honey Sweetened Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread
But of course we can't forget about a good chocolate zucchini bread.
In order for the chocolate to really taste like chocolate, I swapped sugar for honey and used whole grain flour again, so no worries about enjoying this bread.
Fudgy Dark Chocolate Zucchini Cookies
Wait, you can make a cookie from zucchini? One that's not just a cake in cookie form?
Yep - these really are fudgy and everything you'd like in a cookie - just with a little zucchini added.
What about you - what are some of your favorite zucchini recipes?
Want even more zucchini recipes?
Check out the Ultimate Zucchini Guide with lots of recipes as well as preserving and growing tips!
This article has been updated - it was originally published in August of 2009.
Autumn Brooke says
I've only ever had sweet zucchini bread but that cheddar zucchini bread makes so much sense! I'm trying this, for sure.
Jami says
Oh, good - it's really different and delicious, Autumn!
Della says
You can use zucchini in place of bananas in smoothies. Because of their mild flavor, they don't alter the flavor of the smoothie and they add a creaminess to it, too. Add to that the fact that they don't have the sugar and calories that bananas have, you have a win-win! I cube my zucchini, freeze it and then grab a handful or two to make a quick smoothie!
Jami says
What a terrific idea, Della - thank you!
kerry says
I'm catching up on your past posts tonight and came across the comments for gardens needing calcium. The marker tag in tomatoes I purchased earlier this year had a planting tip which directs one to add one calcium tablet (Tums or generic antacid tab) in the bottom of each planting hole to deter blossom end rot, etc. I have had none this year. Wish I had known to add it to the zucchini holes as well. My zucchini took off(!) early int he season but then stopped producing. Sounds like a calcium deficiency. Wish I had known about egg shells, I would have preferred those to the antacid tabs.....eh, always something! Great posts!!
Jami @ An Oregon Cottage says
Oh yea, my previous zucc. problems were probably needing calcium. I now crush eggshells all year long and add to the compost. It may be why they are growing like crazy!
Diana- apples, really? How do you keep them from getting mushy- I have a real fear of zucchini mush. 🙂
Oh,man, I'm really getting tired of zucchini recipes, but the cake will be coming, never fear...
diana says
Jami--your blog is a very recent find of mine and I LOVE it! Just wanted to add that zucchini can be substituted in apple crisp recipes and it tastes just like the real thing! Janelle...if you wanted to be frugal, skip the low nitrogen fertilizer and save your eggshells. Let the eggshells dry out for a couple days and then crumble and sprinkle them around the base of the plant. I did this one year for my tomatoes that had blossom end rot (also a calcium deficiency) and it worked like a charm. Now I just start saving eggshells a couple months before the planting season and mix them into the soil when I plant...haven't had blossom end rot since!
Angie says
Cannot wait for the cake recipe! Janelle, your zucchini need calcium, use a low nitrogen fertilizer on them. All squash will act this way if they don't have enough calcium to put in the cells or whatever, i dunno i was having the same problem, got some good LOW NITROGEN organic fertilizer and taadaa it's gone now!
Jenelle says
Those Zucchini Fritters look great! I will definitely try those.
And if it makes you feel any better I am ahving a hard time with my zucchini too. I don't know if they are getting too muhc water or not enough or what, but they start to grow and then turn yellow and shrivel up. 🙁 But at least I've gotten a few.
Jenelle