If you’re anything like us, your backyard is overflowing with zucchini. OR, you have a helpful neighbor who unloaded a ton of their zucchini onto you. In any case, there’s probably a chance you need to brainstorm zucchini recipes! There are only so many zucchini sautés you can eat or zucchini breads you can make before you juuuust want soooomething new. That’s why I’ve collected ten zucchini recipes for that time when you’re in zucchini overload, including zucchini recipes shared by friends over on my instagram and Facebook Page.
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My Ten Favorite Zucchini Recipes
- Zucchini Butter (Food in Jars)
I’ve been eating with a spoon, as a condiment in my sandwiches/wraps, and on toast. I also tossed it with some noodles for the kids to increase their veggies intake. I loooooved it (and so did they!). I love that Food in Jars links to the zucchini butter on her website, but it’s also in her awesome canning book: Preserving by the Pint. I LOVE small batches of canning!!
- Zoodles. Ok, this isn’t a recipe. But seriously. Get yourself a spiralizer, this is the one we have, and make zucchini noodles. Use in place of any of your favorite pasta sauces!! My preference is with a meaty red sauce, but that’s just me. I like to use a thick setting on my spiralizer for my zucchini, rather than super thin. Although, I say that, and then last week we did a thin setting for a curry soup bowl. The zoodles replaced rice noodles from the recipe. I LOVE zoodles. The spiralizer is worth it just for the zoodles. But, I also love spiralizing (and then roasting) butternut squash. Mmmm.
- Zucchini relish. This recipe is DELISH.
It’s from an old canning book of my parents. They make it every year and I’m tapping my foot waiting for them to make this year’s batch. I gueeess I could make my own??
- Zucchini lasagna. What’s your favorite lasagna recipe? What if I told you, instead of noodles, you could layer thinly sliced zucchini. Would it blow your mind?? It ends up being delicious! I promise! I’ve linked to a basic recipe from All Recipes since I LOVE reading the comments on that site. You’ll get a ton of great tips on how to battle the moisture in the zucchini slices. Now, related, there will be people telling you that you can also do zucchini enchiladas. Wrapping the slices of zucchini around the filling is obnoxious. There. I said it. So if you want an enchilada flavor, just do it lasagna style and layer it!! Don’t waste your time wrapping things up with zucchini. That tip was free. You’re welcome.
- Zucchini pickles. I LOVE pickles. But you don’t need to stick to cucumbers! Check out this zucchini pickle recipe from Food and Wine Magazine.
- Ok this is cheating since it’s not a recipe. But the best tip shared on my instagram feed: grated zucchini can be saved in the freezer!!! WHAT?! Game changer!! I know I often get paralyzed by indecision, and my inability to choose makes the zucchini linger too long where I might as well just throw it out. But! What if you didn’t HAVE to decide today! Just throw that zucchini into your favorite food processor with the grater attachment on! This is what we have. Or, use your box grater! Place in plastic bags in 2 or 3 cup servings and tada, you’re ready to make zucchini bread when you actually FEEL like making zucchini bread! MIND BLOWN.
- I can’t have a list without including some version of zucchini boats! Now, they aren’t my favorite because I just dislike fussy recipes. And to me, slicing and then scooping out a bunch of innards counts as fussy (I might be alone on this). BUT, pro tip: take what you scooped out and FREEZE it. The innards to the zucchini make great additions to smoothies, or even a saute, later on. I love Cooking Classy’s take on a taco style zucchini boat.
- Speaking of Cooking Classy, she also has a recipe that I will try this week: Zucchini Pizza Boats. What I love about this one, no scooping!! You treat the zucchini like it’s your french bread base to a fun pizza log. SOLD.
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake. This comes from one of my favorite food blogs. I’m pretty sure this blog is what started my love of reading about others making food!! I bought her cookbook when it came out TWELVE YEARS ago. And still to this day make her avocado and carrot lunch! So yum. But the cake – also delish!! The zucchini adds extra moisture and you can’t tell it has vegetables in it!
- Bonus link if you’d like to be super extra with your cakes, check out Martha’s recipe where you can even sugar the zucchini blossoms!
- Spiced Chocolate Zucchini Bread. Ok, I can’t do a list without including my own recipe. This chai-spiced double chocolate bread is practically healthy with its 3 cups of shredded zucchini!! Did I mention, you don’t have to worry about draining the zucchini for this recipe?!
Did I miss any awesome zucchini recipes!? Leave your fave way to use up zucchini in the comments!
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