Out of all the different varieties of summer squash, zucchini seems to be the fan-favorite. This green summer veggie can fit seamlessly into any course, be it an appetizer, main or dessert, and even its flower — which usually gets cut off before the zucchini hits the grocery store — is edible. We asked you, our readers, on Facebook and Twitter to tell us your favorite way to eat zucchini, and we received a lot of really creative answers. Most of you, however, said that you preferred your zucchini simply grilled with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper – a perfect recipe for savoring the end of the summer!
Here are a few of the great suggestions you made for eating zucchini:
From Facebook:
Peggy Hurlburt Roasted with herbs, onions, peppers and tomatoes.
Lisa Wise Chocolate zucchini cake!
Mary Palmer I grind it up with onions and peppers for a delightful relish.
Mary Swisher Moran Added to spaghetti sauce with other veggies. Or shredded like spaghetti and sautéed.
Sandra Tobias Patterson McDougall Faux pepperoni on a veg pizza – absolutely delish!
Laura Dogsmom As a pie! And with strawberries.
Stef Hernandez Grated up with a potato in a hashbrown.
Diane Geitz Judge Raw, with hummus or baba ghanoush.
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- Zucchini Rounds: Like pepperoni, but different!
The summer squash is like a Little Black Dress: it’s one of the more versatile items in your fridge (or closet). It comes in many different varieties like zucchini (cylindrical and green), crookneck (usually yellow and bent) or pattypan (white-ish and flat). So what is it that makes this glorious summer vegetable so multipurpose? In the end, it comes down to how you slice it. Grate it, and it becomes hash; thinly slice it, and it becomes carpaccio; halve it, and it becomes a base for stuffing. It is the quintessential chameleon vegetable, and as long as you know all the ways you can cut it, the possibilities are truly endless.
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- We've got 30 reasons to fall in love with zucchini.
Whether you’re a sweet or savory zucchini-lover, we’ve got your covered. Check out these 30 creative, healthy recipes and fun zucchini facts.
- Create a sensational Tuscan Vegetable Soup with zucchini, spinach and tomatoes.
- Bake a loaf of lightened-up zucchini bread. Make a double batch and freeze for later.
- Slice zucchini into sticks and dip in homemade, creamy hummus.
- Cook Ina’s scrumptious Zucchini Pancakes.
- Did you know: zucchini is part of the squash family and is technically a fruit.
- Need a light and airy snack? Ellie’s Zucchini Parmesan Crisps will do the trick.
- Store zucchini in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Read more »
- Pair this zucchini, black bean and corn salad with grilled meat or fish.
The squashes of summer, zucchini and yellow squash, are bountiful, colorful and delicious this time of year. Nutritionally speaking, they’re loaded with antioxidants like manganese, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and zinc. Summer squash is also unusually high in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants known for eye health, including protection against age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Now grab some from your garden, the farmer’s market or your local grocery store and enjoy a burst of flavor and freshness in something other than zucchini bread!
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- 5-Ingredient Cucumber Salad
We’re teaming up with other food and garden bloggers to host Summer Fest 2010, a season-long garden party. Each week we’ll feature favorite garden-to-table recipes and tips to help you enjoy the bounty, whether you’re harvesting your own goodies or buying them fresh from the market. To join in, check out awaytogarden.com.
Cucumbers and zucchini are in the same family, but they each have characteristics all their own. Cucumbers are classified based on whether they’re good for slicing and eating fresh or for pickling. We love cucumbers because of their nutritional benefits: Each medium cuke is 96 percent water and has only 40 calories, plus more than 60 percent of your daily vitamin K needs. Although you can find cucumbers at your market year-round, the peak season is from May through August. We love them in a simple cucumber salad — our nutritionist Toby’s version has only 5 ingredients!
See our favorite cuke and zuke recipes »
- Dana's Lighter Zucchini Bread
It’s easy to be fooled into believing that zucchini bread is good for you – it’s made with vegetables after all! In actuality, many recipes are weighed down with fat and sugar, so we’re going to lighten things up. Here’s how we do it.
Get our lightened-up zucchini bread recipe »
This week, we focused on a bunch of no-cook ideas. What better way to go oven-free than trying out some raw cuisine? Raw food is a new(ish) culinary trend, in which enthusiasts ditch cooked foods (and often dairy) for creative, fresh vegan cuisine.
New to it, I decided to swing by Pure Food & Wine, a popular raw food restaurant in New York City, and speak with Sarma Melingailis, the restaurant’s owner and author of Living Raw Food, to learn more and get some recipe ideas.
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I love summer squash sautéed or roasted, but what about raw? Check out these two squash recipes full of fresh flavor and, best of all, there’s no cooking required!
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Low in calories and full of flavor, summer squash will soon be overflowing at the farmers’ market or produce stand. Perfect for pasta, sandwiches, soups, casseroles, grilled or even raw (my husband loves to munch on zucchini sticks with hummus), squash are easy to prepare. Here are some of our favorite recipes.
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