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Here are all our favorite zucchini recipes for the season! These are all the best ways to use this seasonal ingredient: make it into dinner, sauté it as a side dish, or mix up delicious baked goods like breads, muffins and cakes.
Got zucchini? As two cookbook authors and recipe experts, we absolutely love it when zucchini season rolls around! There are so many tasty ways to enjoy this mighty green veggie. Here we’ve put together a list of all our favorite zucchini recipes, both sweet and savory! Of course, these work in any season, whether you’ve got a boatload of this summer veggie or found some at the store.
There’s a little something for everyone here: start with hearty stuffed zucchini for dinner, try a batch of lemon zucchini bread or muffins, and don’t forget zucchini brownies! This veggie makes an unforgettably moist baked goods everyone will rave over.
And now…the best zucchini recipes to try!
Got zucchini? Let’s make stuffed Zucchini Boats! Hollow out zucchini into shells, then stuff it with sausage, tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Top with some crispy breadcrumbs, bake until golden brown, and wow! These are packed with intensely savory flavor. This recipe makes a zucchini lover out of anyone!
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 recipes we’ve had.
Got a bit of zucchini on hand? Here’s one way to turn it into dinner: this Creamy Zucchini Pasta! It’s luxuriously creamy, coating the noodles in a silky Parmesan and Pecorino sauce. Add rounds of savory sautéed zucchini, garlic, lemon zest and a pop of herbaceous basil, and each bite is a symphony of flavor.
Yep, we think it’s one of the best zucchini bread recipes out there! What makes it the best? Well, it’s the perfect texture: moist, but not oily. And it’s got the best flavor: cinnamon-scented, with just the right sweetness. To us, it’s everything that a zucchini bread should be! (See also Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread.)
One of our favorite zucchini recipes is baked zucchini! It’s the opposite of soggy or slimy: coat this tasty veggie lightly with breadcrumbs and a little Parmesan cheese. Even better, it’s not so labor intensive as zucchini fries (where you dip in flour and egg): so you get the best of both worlds! Pop it in the oven and it’s a tasty and easy side dish for summer meals.
We cracked the code to the perfect Zucchini Lasagna! You might not share our elation if you haven’t attempted a no noodle lasagna before. It’s easy to spend lots of effort and end up with a watery mess. But not with this recipe! This zucchini lasagna alternates beautiful layers of roasted zucchini noddles, hearty garlicky tomato sauce and three gooey cheeses. It tastes as good–or better–than a classic lasagna! In fact, we might pick it over the classic.
Got zucchini? Here’s a great recipe for using up this tasty summer vegetable: Zucchini Fritters! These savory pancakes are seasoned with herbs and Parmesan cheese, then fried up in a skillet until golden brown. Eat them salty and warm, dunked in a creamy dipping sauce like tzatziki or remoulade. They make the best fun appetizer or a tasty simple dinner, paired with a few summer salads.
This snickerdoodle zucchini bread combines two cozy baked goods into the perfect blend of sweet and spice! The moist zucchini bread gets a warm, cinnamon-sugar twist so it tastes a bit like your favorite cookie—but better!
What do you make when you’ve made all the zucchini bread and zucchini muffins? Zucchini brownies, of course! Stop what you’re doing and gather the ingredients for this recipe that will have your friends and family running for another piece. The brownies come out ultra moist and gooey, with a deep, rich chocolaty flavor.
What’s more homey than squash and zucchini casserole? It’s got the vibe of Sunday dinners and summer evenings where the sun stretches into the late evening. This one is 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 cozy casserole that’s not too rich and heavy.
There are tasty recipes and then there are family favorites, and this zucchini recipe will make you a legend in your circles: Chocolate Zucchini Bread! It’s beautifully moist, dark chocolaty and sprinkled with a generous helping of chips, making pools of melty chocolate if it’s warm and satisfying chunks when it’s cooled. We’re picky when it comes to chocolate breads and this one is truly sublime.
Zucchini and squash give us those nostalgic vibes of summer dinners on the patio. So here’s a recipe that that makes the best of summer’s bounty: Roasted Zucchini and Squash! These vegetables go hand in hand with Italian-style herbs like oregano and basil. Topped with a bit of melty Parmesan cheese, they’re absolute perfection! This recipe is very easy to make, and you can whip up the rest of your meal while it bakes.
When life gives you zucchini…make zucchini pickles! (Isn’t that the saying?) There are so many great zucchini recipes for using this green vegetable, from lasagna to brownies. But one of the easiest ways to use it is pickled zucchini! This recipe a tangy, salty sweet condiment that’s great on sandwiches, spreads, or to dress up cheese boards. Of course, we like to snack on them right out of the jar.
These zucchini muffins really are the best way to use this green veggie! These muffins are ultra tall, with the best fluffy texture and moist interior. Coarse grains of turbinado sugar add a tasty crunch to the top of the muffins! You can add chocolate chips if you like, to amp things up with a bit of pizzazz (see Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins).
Sure, you’ve heard of the Ratatouille movie: but do you know what ratatouille actually is? This humble dish that’s not anything like it’s glamorized movie version. This classic French dish of stewed late summer vegetables is anything but fancy, but it’s a darn good way to use eggplant! Dollop with pistou, the French version of pesto.
Turns out, zucchini is at its best when it’s grilled. Throw thin slices on the grill and it comes out tender and charred, with an irresistibly smoky flavor! And if you combine with Italian-style flavors like basil, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder: well, it’s sensational! Zucchini might be best known for zucchini bread: but we thinks grilled zucchini should be at the top of its greatest hits too.
Also try: Grilled Zucchini and Squash
Got zucchini? Here’s a fun way to use it: whiz it into a smoothie! This versatile vegetable loads fiber into any blended drink. This one comes out fruity and creamy, and you can make it two ways: green or chocolate! (The chocolate variation is our favorite, but who’s counting.) You can also use either frozen zucchini or room temperature if you want to whip it up right away.
Hang onto your seats, chocolate lovers. Are you ready for a supremely delicious cake recipe? Because have we got one for you! This chocolate zucchini cake is rich, chocolaty, and irresistibly good. It’s an inventive way to eat real, whole foods in dessert form (and it's gluten free and dairy free, too.) 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. Truly a stunner!
Here’s a favorite in our house when it comes to zucchini recipes: Lemon Zucchini Bread! We’ll make this instead of classic zucchini bread every time. This one is incredibly moist, super zingy from the lemon zest and topped with a flavor-popping sweet glaze. Cut it into thick slices and it’s extremely irresistible.
We have a muffin crush, and this is it: Chocolate Zucchini Muffins! Each one is beautifully moist, with rich chocolate flavor and studded with melty chocolate chips. The zucchini keeps them so moist, they’re delicious for days!
You absolutely must try zucchini on pizza! Instead of a tomato sauce or even a white sauce, this pizza has a base of tangy salsa verde! Pair the heat of the jalapeno with savory zucchini, bright sweet corn, and gooey cheese, and it’s a uniquely delicious pie that you’ll fall head over heels for.
Another popular way to use zucchini: make it into noodles! With only 5 ingredients, you've got a gluten-free noodle that's perfect for smothering in marinara sauce. via Jessica Gavin
This zucchini cake is every bit as flavorful as zucchini bread! Each cinnamon-kissed bite is nestled under a blanket of brown butter cream cheese frosting. via Sally's Baking Addiction
Did you know you can put zucchini into...cookies? These are extra soft with chewy centers and crisp edges, loaded with chocolate chips, and flavored with brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon. via Sally's Baking Addition
Zucchini in tacos? That's right! These crispy zucchini tacos pair tender oven-baked zucchini with zesty slaw and crema for a Tex-Mex dinner with layers of texture and flavor! via Jessica in the Kitchen
What’s better: banana bread or zucchini bread? Now you don’t have to choose! Make this banana zucchini bread, the perfect mashup of everyone’s favorite loaves. It’s ultra moist and fluffy, with just the right fruity banana-meets-cinnamon flavor. Use up those past-ripe bananas on your counter right along with that seasonal green veggie.
More summer vegetables
Zucchini is a quintessential summer vegetable that’s everything summer! Here are a few more tasty recipes that are perfect for highlighting summer veggies:
- Try corn salad or grilled corn
- Make a caprese salad with fresh tomatoes, or peach salad with peaches
- Go for broccoli salad or broccoli slaw, summer salads re-done with a healthy twist.
- Opt for classic watermelon feta salad
Frequently asked questions
Store zucchini in the refrigerator crisper drawer, unwashed, in a plastic bag with a few holes for air circulation. They should stay fresh for about a week.
Look for zucchini that are firm, have shiny skin, and are about 6-8 inches long. Avoid zucchini that are overly large or have soft spots.
Yes! Go to How to Freeze Zucchini.
25 Favorite Zucchini Recipes
This stuffed zucchini boats recipe has a hearty filling topped with gooey cheese. It’s a tasty dinner idea that pleases everyone!
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini
- Olive oil, for rubbing
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
- 14 to 16 ounces plant based sausage, crumbles, or standard Italian sausage (or substitute 2 cups Vegan Taco Meat)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 15-ounces fire roasted crushed tomatoes**
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 6 tablespoons grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- ½ cup whole milk mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoned panko (or plain panko; omit or use gluten-free breadcrumbs for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil or parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Cut off the stem ends of the zucchini. Cut them each in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides with a spoon: you’ll want a thin edge around the outside of the boat. (Discard the pulp, or use it in smoothies or for another purpose.) Place the boats on a baking sheet and rub each with a bit of olive oil. Then sprinkle all 8 boats with a heaping ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon oregano and fresh ground black pepper, divided between the boats.
- Place the sausage in a medium skillet and cook according to the package instructions, 2 to 3 minutes for plant-based and 6 to 7 for regular sausage (for regular sausage, drain any excess fat after cooking). Add the garlic to the pan with the sausage and cook 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, fennel seed, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Heat for 1 minute until warmed through.
- Scoop the filling into the zucchini boats. Top with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Then sprinkle with the panko.
- Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes before serving. Leftovers store up to 3 days refrigerated.
Notes
*For plant-based crumbles or sausage, we like Impossible or Beyond (we used Impossible sausage here). For a homemade version, try Vegan Taco Meat: omit the cumin and use ½ tablespoon dried oregano.
**Fire roasted tomatoes add the best flavor here: they taste sweet and smoky right out of the can. If you can’t find them, substitute best quality tomatoes with 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Or, use 1 ½ cups best quality marinara sauce.