51 Zucchini Recipes for Using Up All That Summer Squash
Zucchini puts up with its share of teasing: The summer zucchini crop is so bountiful that gardeners can’t give it away fast enough. But zucchini recipes fill a vast and wondrous category that goes far beyond zucchini bread. Jokes about the abundant summer squash undersell its versatility. Can you make a truly stellar chocolate cake with cabbage? Didn’t think so. Zucchini can be turned into savory noodles—sure, call them zoodles if you like—or a summery sweet and tender cake, or crispy zucchini chips, all without blinking a blossom. These green (and sometimes golden yellow or white) gourds do all that and more. Plus, they tango well with just about any base, from quinoa to noodles.
Our best recipes for grilled, baked, and sautéed zucchini take advantage of this vegetable's chameleon-like qualities and its ability to play well with other flavors: Parmesan, marinara, chocolate chips, feta, or lemony goat cheese. Typically available year-round, zucchini’s peak season is June through August—that’s plenty of time to make your fill of zucchini muffins. Keep scrolling to find your new favorite way of cooking zucchini this summer.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell1/51Crispy Pan-Seared Chicken and Zucchini with Olives and Lemon
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart3/51Easy Zucchini Bread
This classic, cinnamon-scented zucchini bread keeps well—so you'll be able to snack on it for days. If you prefer, you can substitute 1 cup of rye or whole wheat flour instead of using all white flour.
Photo & Food Styling by Joe Sevier4/51Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Why mess with a classic? In this rendition of an old favorite, zucchini ensures a moist and tender crumb, while chocolate chips (or pyramids if you've got them) and toasted walnuts add crunch and richness. Total time to chocolate perfection: about 1 hour. Preheat your oven to 325°F and go!
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton5/51Stuffed Eggplants and Zucchini in a Rich Tomato Sauce (Baatingan w Kusaa Bil Banadoura)
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Christopher Barsch6/51Grilled Zucchini and Bulgur Salad With Feta and Preserved-Lemon Dressing
It doesn't get much better than squash fresh from the grill paired with the zip of a preserved-lemon vinaigrette and feta cheese. This Mediterranean-inspired zucchini side dish looks (and tastes) impressive, but rest assured: It comes together in no time at all.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell7/51Summer Pizza With Salami, Zucchini, and Tomatoes
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton8/51Vegetable Tempura
The great thing about vegetable tempura is that your favorite veggies always have a place on the menu—zucchini included. Set up a station with your favorite toppings and sauces (like ginger, tentsuyu, and daikon radish) and dig in. It's the perfect dish for feeding a crowd.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton9/51Chicken Meatballs With Molokhieh, Garlic, and Cilantro
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks13/51White Pizza With Shaved Vegetables and Pesto
This vibrant pie is covered in a classic pesto made of fresh basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese, and then topped with a veritable salad of peas, leeks, and watercress tangled with ribbons of crisp asparagus and fresh zucchini. Best of all, the cooking all happens on a single baking sheet.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova14/51Fettuccine With Shredded Zucchini, Fresh Ricotta, and Lemon Zest
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson16/51Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken Cutlets With Zucchini Ribbon Salad
19/51Torn Zucchini With Mint and Calabrian Chiles
In this simplest of summer side dish recipes, the gentle flavor of zucchini acts as a foil to fiery Italian chiles, and teams up with fresh herbs that cool you off after every bite.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Prop Styling by Emily Eisen, Food Styling by Molly Baz21/51Marinated Summer Squash With Hazelnuts and Ricotta
Scattering deeply roasted summer vegetables over ricotta is a pro move for summer—a favorite of Epi editor Emily Johnson. If you have the means to grill some bread to serve alongside this yellow squash, it's highly recommended.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou22/51Grilled Summer Squash and Red Onion with Feta
For maximum flavor without compromising char or texture, marinate summer squash after grilling for up to one hour. Bonus: you’ll have plenty of time to get those fish fillets just right.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Claire Saffitz23/51Slow-Cooked Summer Squash with Lemon and Thyme
Cutting up zucchini slices and cooking this summer squash low and slow yields sweet, nutty, tender—but not mushy—results. Fold into pasta, scatter on toast spread with whipped ricotta, or serve beside any grilled main.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell25/51Hot Sesame Noodles with Scallions and Pork
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone27/51Mango-Chutney Chicken With Roasted Carrots And Zucchini
This kid-friendly sheet-pan dinner starts with a simple trifecta—chicken breasts, zucchini, and carrots—then lets you easily adjust flavors to suit each diner's preference, ensuring the whole family gets exactly what they want.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks29/51Wonton Soup With Mushroom-Zucchini "Meatballs"
Packed with ginger, diced zucchini, garlic, and miso, the vegetarian “meatballs” in this soup are so flavorful you may not notice what they're missing (uh, meat). And with unstuffed wonton wrappers standing in for the traditional dumplings, this clever dish comes together in under an hour.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone30/51Skillet Chicken and Zucchini Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce
The secret to these 22-minute enchiladas: Skip the oven and cook everything on the stovetop, making wise use of leftover chicken (or store-bought rotisserie) and good-quality jarred salsa.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks31/51Zucchini "Noodles" With Eggplant and Tomatoes
Photo by Katie Newburn32/51Zucchini Pizza Crust With Lemony Pea Pesto
The giant latke-like base of this fun dinner is made from shredded zucchini tossed with gluten-free flour, eggs, and seasoning. It's baked in a hot oven and tastes pretty great all on its own. The pea pesto? Yeah, it could stand alone, too. But when you pair them together, you'll see that they're meant to be combined.
Photo by Matt Duckor, Food Styling by Molly Baz33/51Slow-Cooker Asparagus and Zucchini Frittata
Frittatas are great (and easy as heck) because they don't need a crust. But, for that same reason, they're prone to drying out and are easy to overcook. Solution? A slow cooker, whose steady, low temperature keeps the eggs succulent.
Photo by Anson Smart35/51Golden Citrus Zucchini Dressing
When you want to get saucy in summer, dressings are the key to success. This one ups the ante with whole vegetables, fresh turmeric, and raw cashew butter.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone38/51Quick Pork Ramen With Carrots, Zucchini, and Bok Choy
Roland Bello39/51Corn and Zucchini Salad with Feta
This gorgeous salad includes some of the usual summer suspects—corn, zucchini, plenty of fresh herbs—but gets its striking good looks from the inclusion of colorful zucchini blossoms.
Photo by Steve Giralt41/51Linguine with Pancetta, Peas, and Zucchini
With ribbons of zucchini and lots of peas and fresh herbs, this pasta recipe approaches salad pasta territory. In other words, the ideal dish for a summer day.
Charles Masters, food styling by Chelsea Zimmer42/51Grilled Zucchini Bread With Mascarpone and Berries
Move zucchini bread firmly into dessert territory by sprinkling it with sugar before grilling for caramelization. A spoonful of mascarpone and some summer berries help too. Use your favorite zucchini bread recipe; here's one of ours.
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Photo by Ed Anderson45/51Lamb and Green Squash Dumplings
This dumpling combines lamb with zucchini, which brings a surprising freshness to the filling. Citrusy, camphor-like Sichuan peppercorns gives the dish a bit of a kick while the optional, but very fun, “skirt” gives the dish added tang and crunch.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley46/51Fried Zucchini Blossoms
Crisp, salty, and utterly irresistible, these blossoms go perfectly with an aperitivo (here's an idea to get you started).
Photo by Romulo Yanes48/51Zucchini Cornbread
A little sweet, a little savory, this green-flecked cornbread would be great with pork chops for dinner, then slathered with butter at breakfast the next morning.
Ed Anderson51/51Oven-Roasted Zucchini
A collard-peanut pesto brings out the best in this roasted zucchini recipe, dolloped around the edges of the bowl so you can enjoy as much as you'd like in a single bite. Inspired by courgettes avec des arachides (French for “zucchini with peanuts”)—a classic dish from the north-central African country Chad—this delicious combination proves that zucchini is far from a wallflower.
