Zucchini in the Kitchen

While many may consider zucchini (aka summer squash) to be bland, with little flavor of its own, this culinary vegetable with a delicate flavor is extremely versatile in the kitchen!  Zucchini picks up the flavor of whatever it is cooked with and can be prepared in an endless number of ways!  In fact, this veggie is a key ingredient in recipes around the globe.  For instance, it is synonymous with Italian cuisine and is a fundamental ingredient in French ratatouille.  In many countries it is served stuffed with ingredients such as meat, tomatoes and peppers. Yummy!

Zucchini can be eaten raw making it a great portable snack and an ideal way to boost your daily serving of veggies.   It’s a great vehicle for dips and spreads (think zucchini slices, boats, or half moons!) and also makes a crispy addition to salads for some added crunch. 

However, unlike cucumber (its cucurbit counterpart), most people cook zucchini and it can be prepared in any number of ways – baked, boiled, fried or deep-fried, steamed, stuffed, and roasted zucchini are all delicious. Grilled zucchini is great in kebabs and there are plenty of easy sauteed zucchini recipes. Alternatively, why not throw it in the air fryer with some parmesan cheese for added flavor?  It also tastes great on its own with a little bit of olive oil and fresh herbs as a simple side dish requiring minimal prep time and cook time but also works great in combination main dishes such as casserole, frittata, ratatouille, soups, stews, stir-fries or smoothies!  Zucchini can be pickled or used to create chips either in the over or dehydrator. There’s no best way to cook zucchini – all are great options and many of them are easy recipes!

Zucchini also works great in baked goods helping to make them moist, without adding any flavor, such as in my Zucchini Bread and Zucchini Muffin recipes.  In the same vein, shredded zucchini can be mixed into home-made burgers for added moisture along with bread crumbs, black pepper, and eggs or whatever other ingredients you enjoy best. 

Recently, this low-carbohydrate veggie has also acquired wide-spread popularity as a noodle substitute.  Zucchini can be cut with a spiralizer or mandolin slicer to create zucchini noodles or ‘Zoodles” – a great vehicle for your favorite pasta sauce (works well with both tomato sauces and pesto) – there’s just something so satisfying about a long skinny slurpy noodle!  To substitute lasagna noodles, the veggie can be cut lengthwise into very thin slices and used in your favorite recipe.  Substituting zucchini for pasta is a great way to boost your veggie intake and overall nutrient density!

Zucchini flowers are also edible and are consumed in many cultures around the world as a delicacy either baked, deep-fried, sautéed, stuffed or used in salads, soups and stews.

No matter how you slice it, dice it, shred it or cook it, this veggie is a great addition to your recipes! What’s your favorite way to enjoy zucchini?