26 Fresh Zucchini Recipes To Make With Your Farmers' Market Haul
This summer veggie can take you from savory to sweet.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Fresh zucchini is one of those core summertime staples that we load up on at the farmers' market each week. We love this vegetable for its versatility. Zucchini can be sliced, diced, or spiraled; it can be raw, roasted, or grilled, served warm or cold. It can be prepared as a simple side, baked into a casserole, or act as the star component of a main dish.
When cooked well, zucchini develops a wonderful caramelized flavor and golden-brown color while also maintaining a slight crunch. While we incorporate zucchini into our favorite dishes for its flavor alone, the vegetable stands among eggplant and squash as a great substitute for meat or carb-heavy foods. Use zucchini as a low-carb noodle option in your lasagna, or trade out those greasy French fries for zucchini fries. Zucchini will be your new secret ingredient to accommodate dietary restrictions, from gluten-free to vegan. It also takes well to grilling, making this summer vegetable the ideal easy side dish for your barbecue feast.
Related: How To Store Zucchini So It Lasts
Zucchini Lasagna
Swap heavy pasta noodles out for healthier latticed zucchini strips.
Summer Vegetable Tart
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
If you like tomato pie, you'll love this summer veggie tart version. Generously spread pimento cheese on a store-bought pie crust then layer it with sliced squash, zucchini, and corn for an easy summer meal.
Baked Zucchini Fries
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey
With these crisp-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside zucchini fries, you'll never miss a greasy potato fry.
Zucchini Cake
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
No dry, crumbly cakes when zucchini is called for! The shredded vegetable adds plenty of moisture to the mixture.
Zucchini Casserole
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Trade yellow squash for its green counterpart in this golden, cheesy casserole. Buttery cracker crumbles and canned fried onions make for an extra crunchy topping.
Zesty Corn-And-Squash Salad
Greg Dupree; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray
This no-cook dish is the easy and healthy make-ahead summer side that your backyard shindig is missing. The colorful veggies make even the simplest salad a beautiful addition to any meal.
Zucchini Fritters
These fritters are a great way to use up extra zucchini. They fry up super crispy, and are served with a tangy dipping sauce made from a variety of condiments probably already hanging out in your fridge door.
Grilled Corn Salad
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Corn might be the star of the show in this salad, but tender zucchini adds delicious crunch to this summer side.
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Everything's better with chocolate, including our classic zucchini bread recipe. Super rich and delicious, no one will know that this quick bread is loaded with veggies.
Sautรฉed Squash and Zucchini
Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
A simple sautรฉe is one of our favorite ways to prepare summertime zucchini. This side dish will be a staple in your dinner rotation.
Pulled Pork-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Filled with pulled pork and topped with a tangy cabbage-and-onion slaw, these zucchini boats have all the flavor of a barbecue sandwich without the bun.
Charred Zucchini-And-Halloumi Kebabs With Lemon-Tahini Sauce
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Serve these vegetarian-friendly kebabs alongside your grilled meats for a healthy and flavorful side or main. Zucchini is paired with halloumi, a firm goat cheese, which can stand up to the heat of the grill.
Air-Fryer Zucchini Chips
If you're looking for healthy snacks that don't come in a bag, grab your Air Fryerโeven the kids will love these crispy veggie chips.
Lemon Chicken Pasta
Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Sliced zucchini, lemon zest and juice, and fresh herbs keep this summer pasta light and fresh while crispy breaded chicken turns it into a full and hardy meal.
Summer Squash Casserole
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Celebrate all of summers squash bounty by using both traditional yellow squash and zucchini in this family-favorite casserole.
Zucchini Bread
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Banana bread might be great year-round, but when you have a surplus of zucchini on hand in the summer, this is the quick-bread you'll want to be baking.
Sheet Pan Veggie Supreme Pizza
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Zucchini is far from the only veggie on this loaded pizza, but tender ribbons of this squash are a perfect pair with melty cheese and sweet summer corn.
Chocolate-Zucchini Cake
PHOTO: ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLING: KAY E. CLARKE; FOOD STYLING: TORIE COX
This decadent chocolate cake is packed full of zucchini, making it a sly way to convince your kids to eat their vegetables.
Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole
Cheddar and Asiago cheeses complement all the fresh summer veggies in this fan-favorite casserole.
Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables
There's no better weeknight dinner than a nice big pasta bake and when zucchini is abundant in the summer, it's the perfect addition.
Zucchini Muffins
Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Rebecca Cummins
Proof zucchini recipes don't have to be all savory. This one takes the delicately sweet flavor of zucchini bread, and turns it into perfectly moist, grab-and-go muffins.
Ultimate Veggie Kebabs With Smoked Sausage
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
Enjoy eating your veggies with these kebabs loaded with zucchini and finished with a vibrant herb sauce for an extra pop of flavor.
Fried Zucchini Straws
Instead of a bag of frozen French fries, try this healthier fried side on burger night.
Reunion Pea Casserole
Sliced zucchini and yellow squash get a cheesy crust to top this veggie-packed casserole.
Zucchini Pie
When you think of summer pies you probably think of cherry, berry, or peach, but zucchini also makes a delicious pie, albeit a savory one best served for lunch or dinner.
Zucchini-Onion Frittata
This easy frittata will be a stunning addition to your breakfast or brunch spread. Garnish with chopped plum tomatoes for an extra burst of color.
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