Zucchini recipes?

Seraph1120
Seraph1120 Posts: 194 Member
edited October 2 in Food and Nutrition
My sister gave me a HUGE zucchini from her vegetable garden and I have absolutely no clue what to do with it. It's very intimidating. I'm trying to expand my cooking capabilities, but haven't gotten very far from the canned veggies stage. lol. I've got virtually no experience with fresh veggies. Anyone have any fairly easy recipes I can try in order to use up this massive zucchini?

Thanks in advance!!!
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Replies

  • russellma
    russellma Posts: 284 Member
    I tried zucchini lasagna for the first time this year, and my family really enjoyed it. You substitute zucchini for the noodles.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Zucchini bread? I don't have a recipe, but it's yummy.
  • jb_2011
    jb_2011 Posts: 1,029 Member
    I have several more in my garden that I'll gladly give you! : ) I just throw the big ones in the compost bin, but you can chop them, steam them, fry them, bread them, stuff them, grill them and add them to soup. Some people grate them, squeeze out all of the liquid then freeze them for use in zucchini bread or soup during the winter.
  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
    I LOVE zucchini! Steam it or sautee it with some lemon pepper seasoning. Zucchini bread is good, but probably not the best nutritionally since it's more of a dessert type bread. It's also really good grilled - cut it in chunks and stick it on skewers or slice it in long slices and just throw it on.
  • SimplyDeLish
    SimplyDeLish Posts: 539
    Really large zucchini's aren't really good to eat...zucchini bread or cake is the best option.

    For smaller zucchini's I like to sautee them in just a bit of butter until they are just barely tender - season with salt and pepper and yummy!
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    zucchini bread is my suggestion especially with those huge ones that should have been picked earlier but were missed :)

    I use a banana bread recipe but use zucchini in place of the banana... nothing else changes. Batter makes bread or muffins just fine.
  • joyeaann
    joyeaann Posts: 39 Member
    Zucchini is usually better if you catch them before they are HUGE... but there are a number of options - zucchini bread is always good, slicing and grilling them with a light olive oil and herbs/garlic, or simple sauteing. i have even grated it up and supplemented/replaced some of the meat in pasta sauce or sloppy joes.
    I have always found good recipes on allrecipes.com you can even search by ingredient!
    Welcome to the world of fresh veggies. :happy:
  • caitymay1
    caitymay1 Posts: 73 Member
    I love it in stir fries (I just throw in whatever veggies I've got in the fridge, and it usually turns out pretty good haha)
    Or dip it in egg whites, then bread crumbs (or whatever) and bake for yummy zucchini sticks :happy:
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
    I tried zucchini lasagna for the first time this year, and my family really enjoyed it. You substitute zucchini for the noodles.

    Yeppers. . . or you can grate the zucchini an put marinara and some parmesan on it. . . again replacing the noodles.
  • Lotstoluv263
    Lotstoluv263 Posts: 62
    I brush a little olive oil, with salt and pepper, than I make a combo of wheat bread crumbs and parm cheese and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Super yummy, just like fried zuccinni with a lot less fat and calories!!

    I have also sauted onion, spinach, and zuccinni with egg for a yummy veggie scramble.
  • Seraph1120
    Seraph1120 Posts: 194 Member
    I brush a little olive oil, with salt and pepper, than I make a combo of wheat bread crumbs and parm cheese and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Super yummy, just like fried zuccinni with a lot less fat and calories!!

    I have also sauted onion, spinach, and zuccinni with egg for a yummy veggie scramble.

    Oooh...that sounds delicious!

    Thanks for all the options everyone. I thought about zucchini bread, but thought there might be a bit too much zucchini...didn't know what else I could do. My sister had marinated one of hers in some sort of mixture and threw it on the grill, but it was a little too sweet for me. Thought I'd see what everyone on here liked to make with them. Thanks for the feedback! =)
  • kbrogan78
    kbrogan78 Posts: 158 Member
    I got a MONSTER zucchini from my neighbor's garden last week. It's a variety that grows to the size of a small watermelon and it was so big that at first I was at a loss as to what to do with the darn thing.

    Then I realized I could I treat it like I do acorn squash in the winter- I stuffed it!

    First, split it in half and de-seed it. Rub a bit of olive oil on it and roast it, cut sides down at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (less time than for winter squash). While it's roasting, sautee up your filling. I did onion, green pepper and ground turkey with adobo spice this time. When the zucchini comes out of the oven, turn it right side up, fill the hollows with your stuffing mixture, and place back into the oven for about 15-20 minutes.

    It was fabulous and filling for very little calories.
  • ScrappyKat
    ScrappyKat Posts: 34 Member
    I used to make a stuffed zucchini recipe, and I'd slice the zucchini into rounds, take the seeds out of the middle and put them onan oven tray, so they are like little containers. Then I'd stuff them with a ground beef mixture, and top with a little grated cheese, and bake in the oven till the zucchini is soft. Yummy
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
    My favorite is veggie tacos--I saute zuchini, mushrooms and onions and eat it on corn tortillas with a little light cheese and some hot sauce. So good!
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
    If you want the best Zucchini Bread recipie, send me a message. My moms recicpe is a swiss one, and honestly she won a competition with it. Its AMAZING. Ill get it from her tommorow if you send me a message
  • loadsandloads
    loadsandloads Posts: 353 Member
    bump for later! Fabulous ideas
  • MandaKayMakesIt
    MandaKayMakesIt Posts: 81
    This isn't meant to be self-promotional, but I do have a great and super simple zucchini recipe on my blog: http://mandakaymakesit.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/summer-on-a-plate/

    Zucchini bread or muffins, shaving it and using it as noodles, roasting it off with some veg, making kabobs, etc. It's such a versatile and delicious vegetable, the options are endless!
  • pattisb1227
    pattisb1227 Posts: 1
    Dice it up and add Wegmans basing oil or olive oil with some Mrs. Dash and put it in the toaster oven, turning once until the zucchini is tender. it's also good grilled.
  • tabathaduvall
    tabathaduvall Posts: 17 Member
    bump! Our zucchini have been enormous this year!
  • aerochic42
    aerochic42 Posts: 843 Member
    If the zucchini is that big than I would recommend peeling it and possibly discarding much of the seeds as they are tougher than on smaller ones. They are normally pretty easy to cut or peel, but if it takes much effort than peel it prior to use. They also will have a different taste than the smaller ones, so if you are still working on the fresh veggie thing than don't discount a recipe or the vegetable (technically not but whatever) itself until you've tried it with smaller zucchinis.
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
    If you get some more and they are a bit smaller, I really like this recipe:

    http://wifeasaurus.blogspot.com/2012/06/zucchini-boats.html
  • lauralind5
    lauralind5 Posts: 133 Member
    Spray some Pam Butter in the bottom of a dish, slice the zuc, sprinkle pepper and seasoning and bake for 20 min. You can also add shredded parmesan cheese. Its my fav way to eat it !
  • binariiangel
    binariiangel Posts: 146 Member
    I cut the zucchini up in half moons, and add some yellow squash to the mixture, then I spray the whole thing with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder on them. Then I either saute them in a pan until they're soft, or I pop them in the oven for about 10 mins on broil. Zucchini and squash are amazing and good for you. Hope this helps!
  • mturgeon05
    mturgeon05 Posts: 204
    Skinnytaste.com- Chicken Rollatini with Zucchini and Mozzarella. To.Die.For.
  • Loulady
    Loulady Posts: 511 Member
    My mom just made us a zucchini gratin last night that was really tasty and super easy:

    Slice the zucchini into thin rounds and layer them in a small casserole dish, top with a layer of grape tomatoes cut into halves or quarters, drizzle a little olive oil on top, sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese, and some salt and pepper if you like.

    She just covered it with plastic wrap and threw it in the microwave and it was great, but I bet it would be better if you cooked it in the oven so the cheese could brown a little.
  • Erica27511
    Erica27511 Posts: 490 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/628245-15-calorie-zucchini-tots-pics
  • sarahannepriestley
    sarahannepriestley Posts: 5
    Very simple, but I like to strip them with a veggie peeler to make ribbons, quick dunk in boiling water and lots of seasoning - lean and delicious! :D
  • sarahannepriestley
    sarahannepriestley Posts: 5
    **that should say CLEAN and delicious!!
  • angienbecker
    angienbecker Posts: 10 Member
    Just cut a zucchini in half lengthwise and trim a little off the bottom so it sit still in a baking dish*** Scoop out the center where the seeds are with a spoon*** Brush the surface with a mixture of crushed garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper*** Arrange halved grape tomatoes into the grooves, sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes*** Remove and place diced fontina or mozzarella in between the tomatoes, place them back in, but now under the broiler til golden and bubbling***Remove and drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkling of grated parmesan. You will love this as a side dish!
  • amy_letsgo
    amy_letsgo Posts: 42 Member
    bump
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