My Favorite Zucchini Recipes from The Food Charlatan (2024)

Nothing is as stressful and exciting as zucchini season!! If you’ve got zucchini coming out of your garden faster than you can say guitar-sized squash, here are some of my favorite ways to eat this wildly abundant summer vegetable without ever getting tired of it. From zucchini bread to zoodles to side dishes and everything in between, you are going to love these zucchini recipes!

My Favorite Zucchini Recipes from The Food Charlatan (1)

I love that God gave us one garden freebie.

He’s like, here you go guys, one veggie even idiot gardeners can grow successfully. 🙋‍♀️

Every time Eric and I plant a garden, we end up spending $80 on new hose lines and fertilizer and everything else, and 2 months later are rewarded with 1 scrawny jalapeno that we could have bought for 15 cents.

But it’s true that whenever we plant zucchini, we end up with a decent crop. Here’s what I like to do with my zucchini bounty! Zucchini bread is first of course (I’m not a heathen) but keep scrolling, there are some good main dish and side dish ideas!

Incredibly Moist Zucchini Bread

Everybody’s favorite way to eat zucchini! I love this recipe because it’s not gummy. You’ve had the gummy bread, right? Say no.

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“I just had to let you know that I have been looking for a delicious zucchini bread recipe for years and after so many that just weren’t the taste that I was looking for I gave up. I came across your recipe a couple of days ago and I am obsessed! I’ve made it for a few family members and they all loved it! So much so that I’ll be whipping up 15 of these loaves next week for Christmas gifts!”

-Randy

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Randy, can I be your neighbor please??

Moist Zucchini Bread Recipe

4.80 from 112 votes

All the tips and tricks you need to make the BEST Zucchini Bread recipe of your life! It's so easy to make, with consistent results every time. The bread bakes up moist, tender, and super flavorful! Easily turn it into chocolate chip zucchini bread, or add nuts!

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Baked Parmesan Zucchini and Squash

This isn’t one of those recipes that promises to help you use up your produce, then only uses a half cup. It’s alllll zucchini (and/or yellow squash depending on what you planted).

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“This recipe is delicious! I found it while looking around for new ways to prepare yellow squash and zucchini — and it’s since become one of my go-to recipes!”

-Shelly

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This recipe is from my cousin Lani, she threw it together one day while absent-mindedly making dinner while we chatted; she didn’t know I was taking meticulous notes. “And then WHAT with the parmesan, now??” Yes please, pile it on and crisssspp.

Parmesan Crusted Zucchini and Yellow Squash

4.72 from 7 votes

Do you have zucchini and yellow squash growing out your ears? This crispy parmesan crusted zucchini and yellow squash recipe is possibly the easiest summer side dish of all time, and a great way to use up garden veggies! I have a hard time not eating the entire batch single-handedly.

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Zucchini Lasagna

Low carbin’ it? You can have your lasagna and eat it too. Just sub zucchini for the noodles and okay okay, increase the ricotta by way-more-than-normal, because hello you’re not even eating any carby noodles, you deserve some cheese.

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“This is FANTASTIC!!!! I was so confident that your recipe would work that I made it for 3 other families, and have really enjoyed getting calls this evening about ‘How GREAT that lasagna was!!!” Thank you for teaching me how to reduce the water in the zucchini, and for making me look like a terrific cook!”

-Dana

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Zucchini Lasagna Recipe

4.75 from 8 votes

Throw out those noodles and make yourself some Zucchini Lasagna! This recipe is full of Italian sausage, ricotta, and mozzarella, but uses zucchini in place of lasagna noodles. It is low carb, keto-friendly, and seriously delicious!

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How to Make Zucchini Noodles Without a Spiralizer

Don’t own a spiralizer (or got rid of yours in a wild Marie Kondo decluttering session)? It’s ok, I got you! I’ll show you how to make “zoodles” aka zucchini noodles without one, in multiple ways, AND I’ll show you how to make sure they don’t get limp, gross, and soggy.

How to Cook Zoodles

5 from 3 votes

I will show you how to make zoodles without a spiralizer! It is so easy. You can use a mandoline, a cheap and small handheld spiralizer, a potato peeler, or even a box grater to get the job done. And then I will teach you how to cook zoodles so that they don’t turn into a soggy watery mess! You really can have perfectly al dente zoodles every time!

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Zucchini Pizza Bites

I found this recipe buried in my grandma’s files and was intrigued, then quickly became obsessed. All the pizza, none of the bread? What??

Reader Bets commented, “I’ve been eating these Zucchini Pizza Bites for months now. Often I just slice the zucchini, drop some pizza sauce then some cheese – then bake in the Toaster Oven. Works great if you just want a snack – or a meal. I’ve put meat on before – but just prefer the sauce & cheese only. I’ve also started putting the zucchini in a corningware dish, putting more pizza sauce & cheese – then baking in the Toaster Oven.” So many ways to zucchini your pizza!

Zucchini Pizza Bites

5 from 4 votes

Healthy tiny pizza! And another way to use up theoceans of zucchini you are drowning in. A simple 15 minute recipe that can be a snack, appetizer, or hey, even dinner if you're like me.

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Creamy Zucchini Soup with Popcorn Garnish

Okay hear me out guys, have you ever garnished your soup with popcorn? Why is this not more of a thing? It’s just like crunchy croutons, but fun and unique! My sister lived in Ecuador for a while and said they serve pureed soup with popcorn all the time. I love it!

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“This was soooo good. I admit, I was skeptical at first. I couldn’t see how zucchini, onions, and garlic would make a tasty soup. But, I’m now a believer! This soup is amazing…probably one of my faves. Definitely a winner!”

-Christy

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Creamy Zucchini Soup with Popcorn Garnish

5 from 3 votes

This soup is basically blended up zucchini. It has no cream in it (other than to garnish) yet it's so smooth and rich. Also, POPCORN!!

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10-Minute Sautéed Zucchini and Squash

Why make things complicated? This easy dish is the perfect veggie side dish and uses up lots of that zucchini sitting on the counter. Adding fresh thyme makes it special. Bumper crop beware, I’m serving you this way with every meal until you’re gone! Zucchini and squash recipes FTW!!

10 Minute Sautéed Zucchini and Squash Side Dish

4.80 from 5 votes

A quick and easy zucchini and squash sauté to use up all your garden veggies! No need to complicate life: a bit of olive oil and thyme is all you need.

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Roasted Garlic Ratatouille

You’ve seen the movie, now make the meal! No rat under your chef’s hat required. If you happen to have bell peppers, onions, or eggplants in your garden, you can use those too!

Featured Comment

“I made this for our Lent dinner at church. It was casserole night. Since I’m a vegetarian I always make something so I will have a meal I can eat. So far everyone loves the dishes I bring. But this dish was the hit of the night!! Comments are still coming to me. Plus everyone wants the recipe. Love it!!”

-Marki

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No one can resist this dish, it’s just too pretty not to love.

Best Ratatouille Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Aratatouille with tons offlavor! Roasted garlic sauce is covered in paper-thin spiced vegetables. This would be perfect for an impressive summer dinner or appetizer!

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Cauliflower Rice Skillet with Zucchini and Kielbasa

Another low-carb favorite of mine with so much flavor! I make this for my family all the time. It’s packed full of veggies and protein and it’s so easy to throw together.

Angela says “I made this tonight. My husband HATES cauliflower so I just called it vegetable rice. I fessed up when he was on his third plateful. Plus! This is a great make ahead, freeze, then heat in a skillet meal.” HA! I love you, Angela!!

Cauliflower Rice Skillet with Zucchini and Kielbasa

4.80 from 5 votes

This is the one-potlow-carb dinner you've been waiting for! It's an easy skillet-meal, perfect for a weeknight, but doesn't have loads of pasta or rice. Just cauliflower shreddedto look like rice. Plus zucchini and kielbasa. What's not to love?

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Greek Pasta with Chicken and Zoodles

I taught you to make zoodles without a spiralizer – now let’s Greek things up! If you have tomatoes and bell peppers from your garden too, this is going to be a real garden-buster. I love how easy it is to throw this meal together and be eating super healthy in no time. Of course you COULD make it with pasta, but why do that when you’ve got all that zucchini on hand?

Greek Pasta with Chicken (and Zoodles)

5 from 2 votes

This Greek Pasta with Chicken can also be made with zoodles for a healthy twist! Chicken is seared and paired with a stovetop veggie saute: tomatoes, red bell peppers, artichokes and kalamata olives. It is super healthy and incredibly delicious! This weeknight dinner recipe is done in 30 minutes!

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Poblano, Corn, and Zucchini Lasagna

This is my go-to recipe when I’m feeding someone vegetarian and I want to impress. The roasted poblanos, the corn sauce, the cheese! It’s so good! If you’ve grown fresh poblano peppers, this is a two-for-one garden delight. And if you’ve never tried cooking with poblanos, today is the first day of the rest of your life! I’m telling you, don’t skip this one.

Poblano, Corn, and Zucchini Lasagna

5 from 5 votes

This poblano, corn, and zucchini lasagna is a great twist on an old classic. You would think that the poblanos would make it super hot, but it's really not.

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Thai Pizza with Zucchini and Pickled Onions

Here’s my recreation of the beloved pie served at California Pizza Kitchen. I love pizza with an unexpected twist, hello zucchini and pickled onions! Yum. It’s so colorful and fresh with all the veggies. I think I’m going to start adding thinly shredded carrots to every pizza I ever make. Do you think my kids will notice??

Thai Pizza with Zucchini and Pickled Onions

5 from 3 votes

Summer zucchini, pickled onions, a smattering of carrots, and your choice of chicken or pork on one killer pizza. Sweet Chili Sauce brings it all together!

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Now go forth and zucchini! Good luck managing your crop and let me know which recipes you try!

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My Favorite Zucchini Recipes from The Food Charlatan (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook zucchini so they are not soggy? ›

Thick slices

Especially when roasting, zucchini should be sliced into thick, ½ inch slices to ensure they don't get soggy in the oven. If your oven roasted zucchini is consistently turning out soggy, try slicing it a little thicker next time.

Why is my zucchini soggy after cooking it? ›

Zucchini gets soggy when it's overcooked. Zucchini contains a lot of water, which is trapped in little cells within its flesh.

How do you keep zucchini crisp when cooking? ›

Don't overcrowd the pan, which can cause the zucchini to steam instead of roast. Unless you have time to salt and drain the zucchini, wait to salt it until after they're cooked so the salt doesn't draw out the moisture in the oven—this can lead to sogginess.

Why do you soak zucchini in salt water? ›

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices.

Do you need to peel zucchini before cooking? ›

There's no need to peel zucchini. In fact, the skin is a big source of zucchini nutrition (the deep green color is a dead giveaway) so you definitely want to leave the skin on. How to cut zucchini: after giving the zucchini squash a good rinse under cold water, slice off the stem and discard it.

Is it okay to eat mushy zucchini? ›

Things You Should Know

If you see mold, black spots, browning, yellowing, shriveling, or wrinkling on the skin of your zucchini, it has likely gone bad. A soft, mushy, or slimy texture also indicates spoilage.

Why is my zucchini turning to mush? ›

Blossom End Rot

It's occurs due to the plants inability to get calcium. This can be caused by a few things: Watering inconsistency (the most likely cause especially if you've had a lot of rain) Soil PH is either too high or too low (do a PH test to check)

How do you know when zucchini is cooked? ›

Once the zucchini is caramelizing, you'll continue to cook it until it's until tender all the way through—a paring knife or a fork should slip in without much resistance—but not yet mushy.

When should you not eat zucchini? ›

If your zucchini looks stringy, not firm and meaty, it's time to be discarded. Off smell - Zucchini has a neutral, "green" scent. If your zucchini smells rotten or "off", it's safe to say it should be tossed. Bitter taste - When fresh, zucchini has a very neutral flavor.

What does zucchini do for your stomach? ›

Zucchini can help promote healthy digestion in several ways. Firstly, it is rich in water , containing 94.8 grams (g) of water per 100 g of fruit. Water is essential for helping improve digestion. Water in the diet helps soften stools and makes them easier to pass, reducing the chances of constipation.

Is zucchini an inflammatory food? ›

Yellow and green zucchini both exhibit high nutrient values and medicinal properties. The bio-components present in zucchini can exhibit anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal activities.

How can I enhance the flavor of zucchini? ›

You can season the oil before you add the zucchini with garlic, shallots, spices, or red pepper flakes, it's totally up to you. Once the oil, butter, or combination thereof is heated, add all of the zucchini. If the pan seems crowded at first, don't worry. Season with salt and toss to begin drawing out the moisture.

Why is my fried zucchini bitter? ›

When exposed to environmental stress, poor soil pH, or poor soil nutrition, zucchinis trigger the production of cucurbitacin, a natural phytonutrient that helps the plant overcome stress but consequently results in the unwanted bitter taste.

Should zucchini be crunchy when cooked? ›

When cooked that way, zucchini has the most wonderful texture: just barely soft in the center, slightly crunchy on the outside. It's juicy, not mushy, and could help any zucchini hater come to their senses.

How do you keep zucchini firm? ›

Blanch the zucchini to keep it firm.

Blanching will deactivate the enzymes that cause the zucchini to turn mushy and discolored. To blanch the vegetable, bring a pot of unsalted water to a boil, then place the zucchini pieces in the water and boil for 1 minute. Immediately drain them in a colander.

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