51 All-Star Zucchini Recipes That Demand Your Attention This Summer
Of all the summer veggies, there's one that stands out from the pack as far as recipe versatility is concerned—and that's zucchini. This squash can be cooked in a myriad of different ways, is readily available all season long (not to mention affordable) and can be used for healthy meals or decadent pasta—whichever you prefer. Luckily we included lots of options for both below, in our list of 51 best zucchini recipes.
How to Cook Zucchini
Zucchini can be steamed for low-carb and keto-friendly side dishes, air fried for crunchy sticks, baked into gratins, casseroles and quiche, and of course, sautéed. Then there are the ever-popular zucchini noodle dishes to try. You can either spiralize your own zoods at home or buy them ready to go at the store. Just make sure you add them at the end of whatever recipe you're making—otherwise, they can tend to get a bit mushy. Raw zucchini can also be made into salads and soups, layered in lasagna and stuffed, or rolled for bite-size summer nibbles.
Best Zucchini Recipes
From zucchini pasta and bread to baked, stuffed, and fried zucchini, there are so many genius ways to use up that bounty of farm-fresh squash! For the kiddos, there are crispy zucchini fries and coins. There are also yummy cupcakes, muffins and cake that sneak in some extra veggies without them knowing.
And for the grownups looking for a few fancified dinner party recipes, try Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers with Zucchini-Tomato Sauté, Hot and Spicy Zucchini Slaw or Poached Shrimp with Zucchini Pesto Rotini Pasta.
If you're looking for low-carb, healthy, lightened-up zucchini recipes we have plenty of those in the form of veggie roll-ups, chilled soups and obviously, oodles of zoodles.
Zucchini is also the best in boats! Simply carve out the seeds in the middle to make a little trough, then fill them up with cooked meat, cheese and more veggies for easy, stress-free dinners.
Related: The Best Baked Zucchini Recipes
There you have it—the most mouthwatering recipes for summer when you have a lot of zucchini on hand. Browse through these easy ideas and don't forget to pin your favorites!
Grilled Zucchini Roll-Ups
Mark Boughton Photography / styling by Teresa Blackburn
Pro-tip for this recipe: Be sure you don’t overcook the zucchini, or it will get too watery.
Mediterranean Zucchini Roasted With Olives, Feta & Tomatoes
David Loftus
Zucchini can be unfairly maligned, but try this pantry dish and you’ll have new green-vegetable converts in your house. Add a bowl of lemony couscous on the side for a lovely light dinner.
Crispy Zucchini Pancakes with Cool Tzatziki Sauce
Photo by: CIA/Ben Fink
The delicious combination of cool tzatziki sauce and crispy, warm zucchini pancakes makes this a can't-miss dish.
Mozzarella-Zucchini Bake
CALLIE BLOUNT
Turn frozen mozzarella sticks into an easy side dish.
Zucchini & Goat Cheese Tart with Walnuts
MARK BOUGHTON PHOTOGRAPHY / STYLING BY TERESA BLACKBURN
This simple—yet special—side goes with just about anything you’re serving.
Zucchini Fries
Beth Moncel
Zucchini plants are a great addition to any garden because they're easy to grow and produce a big harvest of incredibly versatile squash. This recipe for baked zucchini fries is the perfect, kid-friendly way to use that bumper crop of zucchini this summer.
Chicken & Zucchini Couscous Casserole
Teresa Blackburn
Feed your family fast with this satisfying zucchini casserole.
Zucchini Carpaccio
Just Us Four
This is the perfect no-cook picnic dish: zucchini carpaccio! The wonderful thing about the zucchini carpaccio is that there is zero cooking required and the most difficult part of the recipe is cutting the zucchini, which takes almost no time.
Roasted Chicken and Tomato-Zucchini Panzanella Salad
MARK BOUGHTON PHOTOGRAPHY / STYLING BY TERESA BLACKBURN
Slice and serve these oven-roasted chickens to make Roasted Chicken and Tomato-Zucchini Panzanella Salad for a super simple, yet satisfying, summer meal.
Zucchini Lasagna Casserole
Ben Fink
This recipe gets two thumbs-up not only for being gluten-free, but also for allowing you to keep your blood sugar in check. By replacing lasagna noodles with thin layers of sliced zucchini, the carbs stay low, but the flavor is still full and zesty.
Linguine with Zucchini
iStockphoto
Zucchini adds a crunch (and pop of color!) to this flavorful linguine.
Black Bean and Grilled Zucchini Tostada with Annatto Sauce and Goat Cheese
Parade
Incorporating a hearty puree as a side dish, like this black bean agave puree, allows you to create a satisfying meal for the whole family. And don’t forget to make use of the grill! Thick, grilled veggies have so much texture and flavor that nobody misses the meat. Rub canola oil and chili powder on zucchini, olive oil and rosemary on eggplant, or homemade pesto on Roma tomatoes.
Mindy Kaling's Garden Spinach Ricotta Ravioli
HelloFresh
McDonald's might have cheered up Mindy Lahiri on The Mindy Project, but if there is one food we turn to for comfort, it's pasta. Like the actress, you do not have to be "really a chef" to whip up the 15-minute dish at home. The ravioli's ingredients include spinach ricotta ravioli, scallions and zucchini to name a few.
Blueberry-Zucchini Bread
Parade
Both blueberries and zucchini are everywhere right now—for a great price too. Take advantage of this delicious summer bounty and make this recipe for Blueberry-Zucchini Bread.
Related: 50 Blueberry Recipes To Devour During Summer
Avocado, Zucchini & Tomato Salsa
Getty Images
Toss chopped avocado, tomato and zucchini together for a new spin on salsa.
Butternut Squash, Zucchini and Tomato Gratin
Carrie Vitt
This recipe for Butternut Squash, Zucchini and Tomato Gratin comes from Carrie Vitt's cookbook, The Grain-Free Family Table, and it's basically a home cook's best friend for everything from basic staples to gourmet dishes, like this easy gratin recipe.
Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers with Zucchini-Tomato Sauté
Dasha Wright
The Monterey Jack cheese mixed into the ground turkey helps make these patties flavorful and moist. This dish has six main ingredients; staples to have on hand include olive oil, butter, salt, pepper and cooking spray.
Almost Keto Zucchini Lasagna Bolognese
Certified nutritionist and author of cookbook Almost Keto, Aimee Aristotelous says, "Batch cooking is a common term in the nutrition world when it comes to weight loss and wellness." Here's one of her favorite pantry-friendly lasagna recipes.
Zucchini with Orzo
Parade
This vegetable orzo dish is quick to make and big on taste.
Veggie-rific Noodle-Free Lasagna
dashrecipes.com
Thinly sliced zucchini, portabella mushroom, and eggplant are layered with tomatoes, Italian seasonings, soy crumbles and a blend of three kinds of cheese. You won't miss the noodles in this lightened-up, vegetarian take on lasagna.
Zucchini Poached Shrimp with a Zucchini Pesto Rotini Pasta
Parade
When Chef Rahaf Amer’s dinner guests asked her to create a recipe using rotini, shrimp, and zucchini, she did not disappoint!
Zucchini, Bacon and Gruyère Quiche
All of our favorite quiche ingredients come together in a breakfast or brunch dish worth getting up for.
Chocolate-Zucchini Cake Recipe
Parade
At this point in the summer, gardens are booming with zucchini crop. Gifting to neighbors is a great idea. And utilizing it in your own kitchen is an even better idea. Zucchini is wonderful to be eaten in so many ways, including cake!
Zucchini Sauté
Enjoy the flavors of the zucchini in this sautéed and simmered side.
Chicken Alfredo with Zucchini
Teresa Blackburn
Classic Chicken Alfredo gets a summertime spin with farm-fresh zucchini.
Best-Ever Zucchini Bread or Muffins
Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine
The trick is to buy zucchini when it's low in price, then shred it and freeze it! Voila—zucchini treats all year long.
Greek-Style Chicken & Couscous with Zucchini and Olives
MARK BOUGHTON PHOTOGRAPHY / STYLING BY TERESA BLACKBURN
Give plain chicken breasts a global twist with the help of colorful veggies and fast-cooking couscous. For extra flavor, serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over top.
Carrot-Parsnip-Zucchini Bread
Ditte Isager
This is a hearty bread—rich with traditional fall spices—that works perfectly during the summer or on the first chilly days of autumn.
Crispy Zucchini Coins
Skinny Sweets Daily
Delicious zucchini coins are a great recipe the whole family will love. They are simple, easy and ideal for busy weeknight meals for your family.
Bruschetta Zucchini Bites
Parade
Now is the perfect time to be using zucchini in tons of recipes. From zucchini carpaccio to zucchini noodles, July and August are when gardens are producing lots of great crops that are begging to be used in all of your recipes. Bruschetta zucchini bites are a great way to use up zucchini and have a fresh and delicious appetizer or lunch.
Chicken and Zucchini Tortas
Andrew Purcell for Dash; Food styling, Carrie Purcell; Prop styling, Heather Chontos
Add south-of-the-border sizzle to your next barbecue.
Chicken Zucchini Kebabs
Photo by: Con Poulos
Get veggies and protein on one skewer with these zucchini, bell pepper and chicken kebabs.
Chicken Penne with Grilled Zucchini
The Kids Cook Monday
Eggplant and zucchini are grilled and tossed with shredded chicken, tomatoes and whole wheat penne pasta. Kids will have fun tearing up basil leaves and crumbling tangy feta cheese with their hands.
Zucchini Bread
iStock photo
Two cups of grated zucchini are baked into this moist bread. Nuts are optional add-ins.
Cold Zucchini Soup
Photo by: Con Poulos
This chilled soup is the perfect dish to help counter summer heat.
Sweet and Sour Zucchini
Parade
This delicious dish is easy to make, is packed with vegetables, and is a great side at a small party. Just toss it all together, throw it in the fridge and forget about it until tomorrow.
Hot and Spicy Zucchini Slaw
Photo by Greg DuPree/Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey/Prop Styling by Mindi Shapiro
This light, easy slaw, from Chef Todd Richards' cookbook Soul, is a zippy way to use big, end-of-season zucchini. Look for sambal oelek, a spicy Indonesian chile sauce, in the Asian foods aisle at the supermarket.
Veggie Wraps with Zucchini
iStockphoto
These quick vegetable wraps can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.
Zucchini-Carrot Cupcakes
Photo by: Yunhee Kim
These easy after-school treats will make the grade with kids.
Zucchini Primavera
Parade
Primavera is French for spring, and this recipe features baby spring vegetables. You can, however, make this any time of year using the adult versions of these veggies. Cut them small, and be careful not to overcook them.
Vegetable Tian
Beth Moncel
Blogger Beth Moncel shares an inexpensive way to cook up a delicious, yet healthy vegetable side dish: Squash Tian.
Shaved Zucchini Salad
TERESA BLACKBURN
Beat salad boredom and put a fresh spin on the lunchtime favorite by slicing veggies super thin. This pretty Shaved Zucchini Salad with protein-rich chickpeas, fresh basil and a simple dressing is sure to become a staple in your go-to salad repertoire.
Baked Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Noodles
MARK BOUGHTON PHOTOGRAPHY / STYLING BY TERESA BLACKBURN
Lighten up the classic with this version from Kelly Smith, blogger at thenourishinghome.com. The meal meets lower-carb diet goals without skimping on flavor. Smith uses baked chicken and swaps pasta for spiralized vegetables (found in the produce section of most grocery stores).
Cheesy Italian Zucchini Soup
Parade
This bright green soup is a creamy (but cream-less!) way to welcome spring, from PARADE Chef Jon Ashton. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and is perfect for a light dinner, served with crusty bread.
Whole30 Ginger Shrimp and Zucchini Noodle Stir-Fry
Melissa Hartwig
Keeping a couple of 1-pound bags of peeled and deveined shrimp in your freezer means that with just a couple of fresh ingredients, dinner is a cinch to get on the table.
Curtis Stone's Grilled Chicken with Arugula and Zucchini Salad
Andrew Purcell for Dash; Food styling, Carrie Purcell; Prop styling, Heather Chontos
“This is something that we cook more day to day because it’s a really healthy dish.” — Curtis Stone
Super Quick Spaghetti with Zucchini and Roasted Peppers
A fresh summer pasta made with in-season zucchini and roasted red peppers. If you're short on time, feel free to use a jar of roasted red peppers instead.
Romesco Garlic Shrimp with Zucchini Noodles
Parade
This dish is just as delicious served cold, substituting pesto for the romesco sauce, and cold cucumber noodles instead of steamed zoodles.
Best-Ever Zucchini Fritters
What's Cookin Italian Style Cuisine
These fritters are delicious plain or dipped in tomato sauce as a bonus appetizer! You can eat these as a snack or side dish. Either way, you just found a keeper.
Zucchini Tuna Boats
Elizabeth Nyland/Cooking with Avocados
Lunches can get pretty boring if all you ever eat are leftovers, sandwiches or takeout. Tuna can be overlooked for many reasons, not least of which is the memory of being forced to eat your mom’s tuna fish sandwiches every day as a youngster. These awesome zucchini boats not only reinvent tuna for lunch but also appeal to a wide crowd.
Zucchini and Snow Pea Salad
Photo by: Con Poulos
The best part about this refreshing salad? It can be made two hours ahead and chilled.
Up next: How to Make the Best-Ever Creamy Coleslaw, According to Chef Andrew Zimmern (and His Mom)
