We love zucchini, but by the time summer’s in full swing—and the flood of summer squash threatens to engulf us—we’re sometimes struggling to come up with ways to use it. Fortunately, zucchini is an incredibly versatile vegetable at home in anything from soup, to pasta, to pizza, and even to chocolate cake. You’ll never get bored of this bountiful summer vegetable thanks to our collection of zucchini recipes.
Finally, you might not associate zucchini with dessert, but it really is at home in chocolate cake. Don’t let the thought of vegetables and chocolate put you off—the zucchini just bulks up the cake and helps keep it moist. Even though chocolate’s involved, we’ll let you pass this one off as your vegetables for the day.
Find all these dishes and more in our collection of zucchini recipes.
Tomato water, a delicate pink broth made by draining lightly cooking tomatoes in cheesecloth, acts as a summery base for warm scallops and feta-stuffed zucchini–ingredients found in abundance near Twins restaurant. “The tomato water reminds us of the juices that would drain from our grandmother’s adzhika,” the brothers say, a salsa-like condiment from their native town of Kuban.
A tian is a type of gratin, typically vegetables baked in an earthenware dish. (The word “tian” also refers to the earthenware dish itself.) This classic Provençal version is made with alternating rows of sliced zucchini, eggplant, and tomato. The flavors meld as the vegetables cook together, somewhat like ratatouille. Seasoned simply with thyme, garlic, and good fruity olive oil, the dish is best served at room temperature. Lulu insists it tastes even better made a day in advance. Get the recipe for Provençal Vegetable Tian »
Zucchini don’t have as much starch as potatoes, but they do make great latkes. This recipe from New York chef Julian Medina makes tender fritters with a delicate zucchini bite. “The sauces are where I really add the Mexican flavors,” Medina says of the horseradish crema, chipotle-honey, and apple tomatillo salsa that get served on the side. Get the recipe for Zucchini Latkes »
A chilled tomato sauce with sundried tomatoes makes a pleasant contrast to these hot potato and spinach dumplings, which chef Josita Hartanto of Berlin’s Lucky Leek binds together with firm tofu and durum wheat semolina. Dry the potatoes and spinach thoroughly so the dumplings will hold their shape. Get the recipe for Spinach and Potato Dumplings with Cold Tomato Sauce »
This flavorful mix of broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and potatoes is braised in olive oil that’s been infused with rosemary, chile flakes, lemon, and anchovies. Get the recipe for Olive Oil-Braised Vegetables »
Any root vegetable—squash, carrots, turnips, potatoes—can be used to make this silky, umami-rich soup from award-winning Japanese cookbook author Hiroko Shimbo. Get the recipe for Makombu-Squash Soup »
I believe it started in 1975, when I visited Prince Edward Island with a number of colleagues, including Craig Claiborne of the New York Times. To eat we had only lobster and wild boar. After a week of this, everyone said, “Can we have some pasta?” I set out to make two dishes, one with vegetables, one Alfredo style. But in the end I mixed it all together, vegetables with spaghetti and cream. Get the recipe for Spaghetti Primavera »
Test kitchen director Farideh Sadeghin learned to make these simple grilled kebabs from her father, which he likes to serve with rice and shirazi salad.
