There are so many reasons to look forward to summer, the abundance of fresh produce being one of them. We never want a single fruit or veggie to go to waste so we’re always racking our brains for the best ways to use them up.
One thing that everyone always has on hand come summer is squash.
Whether you’ve been growing zucchini in your garden, received a bunch in your CSA box or saw them in the produce aisle, there seems to be a never-ending supply throughout the warmer months.
So how do you use up your zucchini? You can start by freezing some and then making the classics like zucchini bread or zoodles—but this summer squash can actually do so much more (even desserts!).
Take this oven-baked zucchini Parm, for example. It’s perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, no copious amounts of oil or deep frying necessary!
We use the oven twice: first to crisp and brown the breaded zucchini and then later to warm the slices after they are topped with sauce and lots of fresh mozzarella and Parmesan until they’re melted and bubbly. It’s an easy sheet pan summer recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Grilled Bacon, Egg and Cheese Zucchini Boats
Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner, these zucchini boats are filled with eggs, two kinds of cheese, garlic and fresh chives. Grilling them over indirect heat adds a smoky flavor to the eggs and keeps them from drying out. At the end, the boats are wrapped in salty bacon, making them utterly irresistible.
Zucchini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
We all have the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe, but does yours have vegetables and oats? This delicious cookie has it all – zucchini, oats, whole wheat flour, you name it. Toasted pecans and dark chocolate chips add just enough buttery crunch and sweet melt to put it over the top. Ditch your plain jane cookie and try this one that has a little of everything!
Zucchini-Feta Fritters with Yogurt Dipping Sauce
Traditional Greek kolokithokeftedes (zucchini meatballs) are the inspiration for these vegetable fritters. We pack ours with grated zucchini, tangy feta and bright mint, then shallow-fry them for a super crisp exterior to complement the rich and creamy texture inside. A final dunk in the cucumber-yogurt dipping sauce makes the perfect bite.
Zucchini Fry Nachos
Why should tortilla chips have all the fun? Turn the humble zucchini into crunchy disks and then dress them up with all the fixings.
Zucchini Muffins
Stir golden raisins into the batter for little bursts of sweetness throughout the moist muffins.
Fried Zucchini
Zucchini strips get breaded with a panko and Parmesan cheese mixture before they’re fried until crisp for the ultimate Italian appetizer.
