If you’re anything like me, you’ve over-planted zucchini yet again this year. Or perhaps you’re here because you have a neighbor or friend who has oh-so-kindly bestowed upon you their abundance.
When I am feeling guilty about all those green veggies sitting in the fridge, here are my go-to recipes for using them up quickly.
Grilled Zucchini
You probably don’t need a recipe for this – just slice zucchinis length-wise and brush on some olive oil and sprinkle your favorite veggie seasonings (we use salt, pepper, garlic powder and a touch of Italian Seasoning).
If I’ve waited too long to pick and have monster zukes, I’ll cut them in quarters to make long wedge-like pieces. My husband reports it works best to start on the skin side then flip to the open side. I’ll trust him on this one.
Zucchini bread
Note: This recipe makes TWO loaves.
As usual with recipes from AllRecipes.com, check the top reviews first and make modifications accordingly. For this recipe, go with half oil/half applesauce suggestion, plus sub in brown sugar and bump up to 3 cups zucchini.
Zucchini patties
We love this recipe for a quick, filling dinner. If you’re feeling ambitious, it pairs well with mac and cheese or basic grilled/baked chicken. Don’t forget to drain the shredded zucchini before mixing everything together! Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Sausage and Zucchini Skillet
This is a great, flexible recipe to fit your tastes or accommodate whatever you have on-hand. I’ve added tomato paste, and typically use regular ground sausage (does it make me lazy to avoid the whole “remove casings” situation? Probably).
Freeze it
If all else fails, shred it up and freeze it. I typically divide it into one-cup bags so I can grab whatever I need for a recipe (2 cups for fritters, 3 for bread, etc.)
BONUS: Zucchini Quesadillas, Scrambled Eggs and a Dessert
These will not help if you are overrun with zucchinis, but if you’re looking for a couple places to sneak zucchini in, try adding these ideas for shredded zucchini:
- Add to scrambled eggs in the morning.
- Saute it briefly and tuck it in a yummy quesadilla with some corn.
- One time I made this awesome chocolate zucchini bundt cake. It was a ton of work, but absolutely delicious and looked amazing.
Any other go-to uses or recipes for an abundance of zucchinis? Share in the comments! I think every year I’ve made strict notes to myself regarding next year’s planting – one zucchini plant only! But when I have all those hopeful little seedlings staring back up at me come mid-May, I can’t resist giving them a chance.
