While it's true that zucchini is great all year long (hey, zoodles!), summertime is when the quality and variety of squash really shine. If you’ve ever eaten a lackluster strawberry or tomato in winter versus an incredible one during the summer, you know what we mean: There’s just no comparison to an in-season fruit or vegetable. Whether you’re just dipping your feet into eating more seasonal produce, or have a HUGE bounty you’re trying to go through, we’ve got a recipe for you. This summer, check out our 55 recipes for summer squash, with everything from snacks to dinners, and even dessert!
When we say summer squash, what do we mean? There’s green zucchini, of course, and yellow squash, but did you know there’s also a ton of variations? There’s costata romanesco (not to be confused with romesco sauce), yellow and grey (sort of light green) zucchini, crookneck and straightneck squash, patty pan, and more. They’re largely interchangeable (though patty pan is a different shape), so branch out from zucchini if you spot other options. Heads up, they can get HUGE during the summer, but remember: Bigger isn’t always better. They’ll be tastier if you pick reasonable size ones for your meals. That said, size does matter, depending what you’re doing with your squash.
One of our favorite ways to use them is to stuff them, and for that you’ll want uniform, medium-sized squash with enough room for all the yummy fillings. You really can stuff squash with ANYTHING: Try our mac & cheese stuffed zucchini, our burrito zucchini boats, or our chicken chowder stuffed zucchini for ideas.
If you’ve got a lot of squash in different sizes, try it in a dish like ratatouille; stuffed in chicken, like in our chicken primavera; covered in cheese, like in our scalloped zucchini; or alongside pasta, like in our caramelized lemon & zucchini pasta—as long as you slice them (somewhat) evenly, it won’t matter if the squash themselves are bigger or smaller.
And squash isn’t just for main meals—they also make for great appetizers or snacks, whether you need something simple and last-minute or a more involved recipe. Top slices with dip, like in our spinach and artichoke zucchini bites; turn them into chips, like our air fryer squash or cool ranch zucchini chips; or shred them and fry them, like in our zucchini cakes or zucchini tater tots.
Want more summertime produce inspiration? Check out our favorite peach recipes (sweet & savory!), sweet corn ideas, and healthy eggplant recipes too.
Zucchini Casserole With Garlicky Bread Crumbs
This summery vegetarian side may be quick and easy, but the colorful shingled veggies make for an impressive presentation. Even the most reluctant vegetable-eaters won't be able to resist that cheesy herbed bread crumb topping. 😋
Get the Zucchini Casserole With Garlicky Bread Crumbs recipe.
Spinach Artichoke Zucchini Bites
These little guys are the perfect healthy summer appetizer. As the zucchini becomes tender, the spinach and artichoke topping gets nice and melty. If you want a little extra color on your bites, switch the oven to broil on medium and cook them a couple minutes more. (Just keep an eye on them.)
Caramelized Lemon & Zucchini Pasta
This is our “I feel like cooking with a glass of wine in hand” pasta. The sauce is simple, which lets the caramelized lemons do the heavy lifting. Boiling them first will help get rid of the excess bitterness, and you can use the same pot of water to cook your pasta in, so really, it barely feels like an extra step.
Zucchini Bread
Though zucchini bread sometimes feels like the forgotten cousin of banana bread, we’re here to say—come summertime, this squash-filled quick bread deserves its time in the spotlight.
Get the Zucchini Bread recipe.
Sautéed Zucchini
This easy, quick-sautéed garlic Parmesan zucchini is the perfect summer side dish. It's full of flavor, and the zucchini slightly caramelizes as it cooks in the cast-iron pan. It's our favorite way to use up zucchini (beside chocolate zucchini bread, of course).
Get the Sautéed Zucchini recipe.
Zucchini Fries
Light and crispy fried zucchini is one of our favorite Italian appetizers to order out. Deep-frying them at home? Not so much. Instead, these zucchini fries are packed full of the flavor you love without a drop of oil.
Get the Zucchini Fries recipe.
Ratatouille Casserole
Ratatouille, a classic end of summer dish from the South of France that features our favorite late-season produce, takes on a new form in this beautiful spiraled casserole that's easier than it looks.
Get the Ratatouille Casserole recipe.
Summer Bowtie Pasta & Chicken Sausage Skillet Bake
We believe that summer dinners should be both quick and easy, so this skillet pasta dinner requires just a handful of ingredients—bowtie pasta, marinara sauce, chicken sausage, zucchini, bell pepper, spinach... SO EASY.
Get the Summer Bowtie Pasta & Chicken Sausage Skillet Bake recipe.
Patty Pan Squash
Roasting veggies is by far our favorite way to make them and patty pan squash is no exception. These cute little discs of veggies are similar to a yellow squash and mild in flavor. We tossed ours in a little olive oil, garlic, and thyme for a classic approach, but feel free to add any of your favorite seasonings.
Get the Patty Pan Squash recipe.
Zucchini Lattice Lasagna
Yes, classic lasagna is delicious, but when we're craving something a tad less carb-heavy, we turn to this summery zucchini version. Pro tip: Zucchini releases a good amount of water, so we like to dab it with a paper towel when the lasagna is done cooking, and then broil until the cheese is bubbly and crispy. 😍
Get the Zucchini Lattice Lasagna recipe.
Grilled Honey-Chipotle Salmon Foil Packets
Grilling fish can be intimidating, but with foil packs, there's no need to stress. It doesn't have to be just fish inside, either—there's a medley of zucchini and yellow summer squash with a smoky honey-chipotle sauce in this one. 😍
Best-Ever Grilled Zucchini
Zucchini is one of our favorite vegetables to grill in the summer. Why? It's healthy, it's easy, and it cooks SO FAST. This recipe takes just 10 to 15 minutes from start to finish.
Get the Grilled Zucchini recipe.
Succotash-Inspired Gnocchi
Inspired by delicious and oh-so-summery succotash, this colorful dinner is extra hearty and full of fresh flavors. Though this rendition doesn't include beans, we think the chewy boiled gnocchi are the perfect stand-ins.
Get the Succotash-Inspired Gnocchi recipe.
Chicken Chowder Stuffed Zucchini
Using cooked rotisserie chicken, frozen corn, and sweet cherry tomatoes, you can have a summer chowder in under an hour, served in a crispy-tender zucchini boat. While bacon isn’t totally crucial in this dish, rendering it provides a salty, flavorful fat you can use to make this stuffed zucchini extra delicious.
Garlic Butter Meatballs
This simple dish of meatballs and zoodles is low-carb, gluten-free, and won't weigh you down. We'll be making this on repeat this summer, maybe with some added grilled vegetables like sweet corn or eggplant.
Zucchini Bolognese
When you cook zucchini low and slow for 4 hours, something magical happens—it turns into an ultra creamy sauce, perfect for pasta. There's no actual meat in this Bolognese, so feel free to add ground beef or lamb if you want!
Get the Zucchini Bolognese recipe.
Honey Mustard Chicken, Tomato & Zucchini Foil Packs
Smothered in a sweet and tangy sauce, these chicken breasts are grilled to super-tender and juicy perfection inside foil packets. Honey mustard sauce can be as simple as just two its two titular ingredients, but we amped up its flavor with two mustards (grainy and Dijon) and cooked it slightly to thicken it into a glaze.
Get the Honey Mustard Chicken, Tomato & Zucchini Foil Packs recipe.
Squash Casserole
Don't be fooled by the veggies—this casserole is full of sour cream, mayonnaise, Parmesan, and cheddar cheese and topped with Ritz crackers, so it's RICH.
Get the Squash Casserole recipe.
Garlicky Shrimp Zucchini Boats
When you're craving pasta, these zucchini boats are a great option. Sweet, juicy shrimp bathed in a creamy tomato-Parmesan sauce, then baked with mozzarella until the umami skyrockets—the easy filling tastes almost like a creamy shrimp scampi.
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