This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
Here are all the top zucchini and squash recipes to use the summer bounty! These veggies are so versatile: try them roasted, grilled, in muffins, and more.
Zucchini and squash are the very best summer pairing! They exude those nostalgic vibes of summer dinners on the patio. There are so many ways to use them: together or separately! They’re incredible roasted with Italian seasonings, or grilled until tender and smoky. Or, use them in baked goods like zucchini bread and muffins.
Here are all the best zucchini and squash recipes to try! Below you’ll see recipes using them together and separately. Here’s a tip: you can use summer squash in baked goods too! Just substitute an equal amount of shredded summer squash to breads, muffins and cakes. Speaking of…there’s a rich, moist zucchini chocolate cake that you absolutely you must try.
And now…the top zucchini and squash recipes to try!
Oven roasting these veggies is the top choice in our zucchini and squash recipes! These vegetables go hand in hand with Italian-style herbs like oregano and basil. Topped with a bit of melty Parmesan cheese and roasted in a hot oven until tender, they’re absolute perfection! This recipe is very easy to make, and you can whip up the rest of your meal while it bakes.
Also try: Baked Zucchini So easy to make, covered in a light coating of crunchy breadcrumbs and Parmesan!
What’s more cozy than a squash and zucchini casserole? This recipe's got the vibe of Sunday dinners and summer evenings where the sun stretches into the late evening. It's packed with flavor and quickly disappeared in our house. A light Parmesan sauce covers the tender squash, and it’s topped with crunchy breadcrumbs. It’s a comfy casserole that’s not too rich and heavy. Honestly, we couldn’t stop ourselves from shoveling in bites.
One of the easiest zucchini and squash recipes? Grilled Throw this pair on the grill with Italian-style spices and grill until they’re charred and tender. It’s the perfect side dish for a grilled meal on the patio. Add big flavor with Italian seasonings like basil and oregano, and they taste incredible.
If zucchini doesn’t sound like a vegetable to sing praises about…you haven’t met this zucchini recipe. Yes, this really is the perfect sauteed zucchini. Just 10 minutes in a hot pan and this vegetable goes from tasteless to tender! Oregano and garlic make a pop of savory flavor, and grated Parmesan cheese takes it over the top. It’s beyond easy, and one of the best zucchini side dishes you'll have.
Got a load of yellow summer squash? Try this perfect grilled squash! It’s simple but full of big flavor, seasoned with Italian herbs like basil and oregano. Even better: it takes only 5 minutes to grill! It’s one of those sides that screams summer: you can almost smell the charcoal and hear the buzz of the lawnmower.
Why not use zucchini to make...cake? This chocolate zucchini cake is rich, chocolaty, and irresistibly good. Even if you don’t eat gluten free or dairy free (which we don’t), it’s an inventive way to eat real, whole foods in dessert form! This cake has gone on to be a family favorite in our household. The zucchini makes it ultra moist, and it’s gooey and just sweet enough. It’s truly a stunner!
Make it a squash recipe: Use an equal amount of summer squash!
Are you a yellow squash fan? Here’s one of the best and easiest ways to cook this bright vegetable: Roasted Yellow Squash! There’s no need to stand over a sauté pan at all. Just pop them in the oven with Italian herbs and Parmesan cheese and roast them until tender! It’s a totally hands off method and cooks this veggie like a charm.
Here an inventive zucchini and squash recipe: ribbon salad! Slice zucchini and summer squash into long, thin ribbons. Then cover them in a simple vinaigrette! With flavors of garlic, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, it's unique and everything summer.
These zucchini muffins really are one of the best ways to use this green veggie! These muffins have a little healthy twist: instead of being sugar and oil laden, they’re moistened with Greek yogurt and sweetened with just enough turbinado sugar. The large sugar grains also add a tasty crunch to the top of the muffins! Ready to get baking?
Make it a squash recipe: Use an equal amount of summer squash!
Feeling confident about this recipe, over here: we think it’s one of the best zucchini bread recipes out there! What makes it the best? Well, to us it’s the perfect texture: moist, but not oily. And it’s got the perfect flavor: cinnamon-scented, with just the right sweetness. To us, it’s everything that a zucchini bread should be!
Also try: Vegan Zucchini Bread, Easy Zucchini Bread
Make it a squash recipe: Use an equal amount of summer squash!
More about zucchini & squash
Here are a few fun facts about these tasty summer vegetables! You’ll reap all the benefits in these zucchini and squash recipes.
- Zucchini and summer squash are part of the same vegetable family as melons, cucumbers, and spaghetti squash.
- They’re treated as vegetables in cooking, but are actually fruits!
- Cooked zucchini and squash are particularly high in vitamin A and antioxidants that may provide various health benefits. The highest antioxidant levels are in the skin. (Source)
