What's your favorite zucchini or tomato recipe?

samathes
samathes Posts: 55 Member
I have tons of tomatoes, zucchini, banana peppers and jalapenos growing. My garden is going to explode!
I'm looking for the perfect pasta sauce recipe to can and I plan to pickle some of the peppers. But I'm up for anything! I love searching recipes online but I'd love to get some tried and true from you folks! What's your favorite zucchini or tomato recipe?

Replies

  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    If you eat eggs: shakshuka! Or menemen, or any other regional/cultural variation on "eggs cooked in a savory tomato-based sauce." Zucchini and peppers do great in this application, and you can throw in whatever else you want - leafy greens do great in this, and if you eat meat, chorizo or smoked sausage is right at home here. In shakshuka the eggs are cracked directly into the simmering tomato sauce and poach/steam to cook, in menemen the egg is scrambled and stirred into the sauce for a more different texture. Usually I err on the side of pulling my shakshuka off the heat too early, so my eggs are only half-cooked (but I want that runny yolk), so I end up stirring the half-cooked egg into the sauce and end up somewhere halfway between shakshuka and menemen. Add beans, a squeeze of lime, and maybe some tortillas, and you've got huevos rancheros.
  • perryc05
    perryc05 Posts: 209 Member
    edited June 2022
    A selection of stuffed vegetables is nice. A bit like this:
    https://www.maisonmirabeau.com/recipes/provencal-stuffed-vegetables-legumes-farcis-a-la-provencale/
    Ratoutille or Caponata-type recipes are also good options:
    https://tasty.co/recipe/ratatouille
    https://www.themediterraneandish.com/caponata-recipe/
    Even though the above use eggplant you don't need to include it -- just use the same sort of method with the summer veg you have. I have made similar things but with a bit of extra vinager salt and sugar and then jarred/canned it for future use on pasta or in lasagnes.
  • https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/ginas-summer-tomato-pie-recipe-1917728

    This is so good! You could use low-fat cheese and maybe substitute 2 ingredient dough for the pie crust, it would probably be good without a crust.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 694 Member
    I love Panzanella, uses lots of tomatoes and bread thats passed its best.

    Lots of recipes online, example here https://www.nigella.com/recipes/panzanella
  • naturallykat
    naturallykat Posts: 115 Member
    I've just posted this on the Aubergine thread but it also goes well here. The sum is definitely greater than it's parts in this recipe, it's a firm favourite of mine!

    Lighter med veg lasagne

    1 aubergine
    1 red bell pepper
    1 courgette
    1 egg
    2 Garlic cloves
    1 tbsp cornflour
    Basil
    200g canned tomato frito (I sub passata)
    35g parmesan
    185g canned green lentils (I use a while 400g can)
    80g natural yoghurt
    1 veg stock cube
    Olive oil
    1 tbsp tomato paste

    Using a peeler, shred courgette into fine ribbons. Finely dice the core. Pre-heat oven to 220c/200 fan.

    Boil half a kettle of water. Finely dice aubergine and pepper.

    Chop garlic and basil if using fresh.


    Heat a non-stick pan with a drizzle olive oil and fry diced veg with a pinch of salt. When caramelised add garlic and continue to fry for 1 minute.

    Dissolve veg stock cube in 100ml boiled water. Add 1 tbsp tomato paste and the basil, and 1 tsp sugar (optional but don't skip, it's negligible per person but really enhances the flavour). Drain and rinse lentils. Add it all to the pan with the frito/passata and allow to bubble for around 5 mins until a thick pasta sauce type consistency.

    Mix cornflour with 1 tbsp cold water in another bowl. Beat in the egg, yoghurt and half the cheese, and salt and pepper.

    Layer the filling with courgette ribbons in a lasagne dish. Pour over the white sauce mix, and top with rest of cheese. Oven cook for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and browned.

    It's nice served with rocket/arugula salad.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,039 Member
    edited July 2022
    This is the time of year when freezer clean-out meets fresh garden veg. A lot of my garden bounty becomes ingredients for future meals. Most of the summer squash will be shredded and frozen for winter quick breads, chili, soup and stews. I freeze my excess of cherry tomatoes whole and chop them into everything from eggs to stir-fry.
    Right now, I've got a big pot of squash Thai curry soup on the simmer using homemade bone broth, coconut milk, last fall's butternut squash, ginger, garlic and chili peppers. The soup is so incredibly versatile!
    For dinner, I'll thicken some of the soup with taro root and a bit of yogurt for a yummy sauce to serve with stir-fried mushrooms, courgette, snap peas, and onions served over a bed of rice alongside a cucumber, beet stalk and purslane salad dressed with rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce and honey.
    Tomorrow for lunch, I may use the same soup base with a little sesame oil and nut butter added as a cold salad dressing over cucumbers and greens and topped with crushed almonds and sesame seeds. Then for dinner I may add a puree of some of last year's tomatoes along with fresh garden basil, thicken and serve over pasta or noodles.
    I may also use the soup as a chili base with tomatoes or... as soup! - usually frozen in single servings.
    Eventually, I'll won't be able to keep up and will begin canning and freezing and starting the whole cycle over again. Last year, I canned spaghetti sauce and blanched/froze the excess tomatoes, made stuffed peppers and froze quite a few chili peppers whole. This year will be a salsa and pickle canning year.
  • docconnie
    docconnie Posts: 5 Member
    I cut a zucchini in half hollow out a little of the center if zucchini is big Spread with pizza or pasta sauce. Cover with mini pepperoni or ham that I've cut into smaller pieces. Cover that with parmesan and/or shredded mozzarella and bake at 400 until zucchini is just tender. Usually 15-20 min
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,590 Member
    https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/5-minutes-zucchini-salad/

    Make up more sauce than you need and store it in the fridge so it is even quicker to make next time. I blanch the zucchini by placing in a salad spinner and pouring boiling water from the kettle over the courgettes. When the water has cooled several minutes later just lift them out onto a serving dish.
  • cbkeller831
    cbkeller831 Posts: 3 Member
    Slice the zucchini into thick slices any way you want. Brush with olive oil, salt and pepper, grill or broil. Yum.
  • cbkeller831
    cbkeller831 Posts: 3 Member
    https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9565-marios-eggplant-ragu

    This recipe is great for pasta and as a base for ratatouille. Great way to use your tomatoes. l l make it and freeze it.
  • GinLee61
    GinLee61 Posts: 1,189 Member
    I made this for dinner today. It was really good. I subbed Barilla protein+ farfalle for the cavatelli. https://www.skinnytaste.com/summer-cavatelli-with-corn-tomatoes-and-zucchini/
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,590 Member
    For dealing with a glut this recipe uses a ton of zucchini. I pan fried in a non stick pan instead deep frying which the recipe calls for.
    https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/285205/that-zucchini-spaghetti-stanley-tucci-loves-spaghetti-alla-nerano/
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    Pesto zoodles!
    My aunt made a tomato pie once that was delicious! I don't have the recipe, but I think we used tomatoes, basil, cheese, and mayo. Maybe you could find one online?
    I love roasting peppers and onions together