Zucchini and other summer squashes are abundant in backyard gardens, farmers' markets, and grocery stores this time of year. Try these recipes to use up your supply.
A bumper crop of squash can challenge the inventiveness of the most dedicated cook. Use these tasty summer veggies in pasta
dishes, soup recipes, and more.
Get fresh flavor in about five minutes with this dish. Quick-cooking baby squash (you can substitute sliced regular squash
or zucchini) combines with basil and salty feta for a side that can match all sorts of dishes―try it with everything from
grilled salmon to pasta.
View Recipe: Sautéed Baby Squash with Basil and Feta
Though often used as a salad green, escarole benefits greatly from a quick sauté in this light main-dish salad. With white
beans for body (and a big nutritional punch), pancetta for meaty flavor, and zucchini and corn for freshness, this dish makes
a great choice for a home-cooked dinner on a busy night.
View Recipe: Sautéed Escarole, Corn, and White Bean Salad
When in season, yellow squash and zucchini grow in such abundance they're hard to use up, and even in the winter they're tasty,
readily available, and inexpensive. Take advantage with this simple, fresh soup. Fresh herbs, lemon juice, and pasta complement
the squash, while a generous topping of Parmesan adds distinctive nutty and salty notes.
View Recipe: Summer Squash Soup with Pasta and Parmesan
Crunchy, salty items are a must at any party, and these oven-fried zucchini sticks fit the bill. The Spanish-style sauce is
great on anything from chips to sandwiches to grilled seafood. It's also an easy way to sneak healthful food onto your party
menu, as Lisa did. "Seriously―make the sauce. It's easy and amazing. My husband ('not a veggie fan' is putting it mildly) ate an entire
zucchini because he kept going back for more and dunking in the sauce, which is―surprise!―more veggies.
View Recipe: Parmesan Zucchini Sticks with Smoky Roasted Romesco Sauce
With a wonderfully complex and flavorful sauce like this, the chicken and zucchini need almost no seasoning―just salt, pepper,
and the grill's flame. The salsa's combination of tangy, briny, herbal, and nutty flavors is perfect for chicken, pork, fish,
or shrimp, especially if they're grilled. To save soaking the skewers for a half an hour, use metal ones instead of wood.
View Recipe: Spiedini of Chicken and Zucchini with Almond Salsa Verde
Summery vegetables, protein-packed eggs, and melty cheese combine in this breakfast designed to sustain a hardworking rancher
all morning. This recipe is hearty enough for dinner, and also makes an excellent brunch entrée, but still has less than 250
calories per serving.
View Recipe: Huevos Rancheros with Zucchini and Green Pepper
You can use all zucchini or yellow squash for this grilled pie. Serve one slice as an appetizer or two with a salad for a
simple supper.
View Recipe: Summer Squash Pizza
Cumin is a key spice for authentic Mexican flavor, used here to flavor chicken, corn, and zucchini atop crisp broiled tortillas
with Monterey Jack cheese. The recipe only takes about 15 minutes, but you can shave even more time by skipping the broiling
step and serving as soft tacos instead. Serve with extra salsa and sour cream, and add your favorite variety of beans―black,
pinto, or refried―as a side.
View Recipe: Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas
This dish looks gorgeous on the plate, but it's super-simple: Shave ribbons of squash with a vegetable peeler and sauté with
onion and garlic for four minutes. The same ribbon technique will also work with zucchini or large carrots in this dish. If
you have fresh herbs like parsley, oregano, or thyme, sprinkle a bit on top at the end for a fresh zing.
View Recipe: Yellow Squash Ribbons with Red Onion and Parmesan
The oven-ready noodles and bottled sauce make this a quick recipe to put together.
Tip: Summer squash's mild taste and cool flavor make it a perfect for blending with other ingredients. Look for firm squash with
little blemishing; refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to three days.
View Recipe: Zucchini and Basil Lasagna
Fill this homemade pie crust with a mixture of summer squash, bacon and creamy mozzarella. It is hard to believe this decadent
quiche recipe has less than 300 calories.
View Recipe: Summer Squash, Bacon, and Mozzarella Quiche
A healthier version of a family dinner classic, these pan-fried croquettes will get the kids to eat squash. Make sure to drain
the steamed squash well for cohesive patties.
View Recipe: Summer Squash Croquettes
This moist and cake-like chocolate chip zucchini bread is the perfect way to make sure you are eating your vegetables but
still enjoying a sweet treat.
View Recipe: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
For a simple summer side, fire up your grill. Simple ingredients flavor these baby zucchini and squash for a satisfying accompaniment
to your favorite grilled entrée.
View Recipe: Grilled Summer Squash
Enjoy soup in the summertime by making this satisfying chowder with the season's produce. Top with cheese and bacon for kid
appeal.
View Recipe: Summer Squash and Corn Chowder
Eight-ball zucchini is a round, softball-sized variety of summer squash. You can find it at farmers' markets, or purchase
it from specialty produce purveyors. This recipe is equally delicious when made with the more commonly found long, slender
zucchini squash.
View Recipe: Eight-Ball Zucchini Parmesan
Here's a fantastic crust that you can swap in for a standard butter-based one. You can make the dough in advance, and chill
until ready to use.
View Recipe: Summer Squash and Ricotta Galette
For more tender zucchini, leave slices in the pan an extra 1 minute on each side. When the flesh starts to look translucent,
the zucchini is done.
View Recipe: Grilled Zucchini with Sea Salt
Summer squash is delicious raw when it's shaved and marinated with a bit of salt. Add salty prosciutto and you have the perfect
side dish.
View Recipe: Shaved Summer Squash Salad with Prosciutto Crisps
Cedar planks lend this dish a pleasant smokiness. If you don't have planks, cook the zucchini halves directly on the grill.
Use zucchini with some heft; if it's too thin, it may get too soft.
View Recipe: Plank-Grilled Zucchini with Couscous, Spinach, and Feta Stuffing
Breaded, oven-fried zucchini chips taste like they’re fried, yet they are baked and amazingly crispy. These chips make a healthy
substitute for French fries or potato chips.
View Recipe: Zucchini Oven Chips
You can also toss the ribbons with wide flat pasta, such as pappardelle, for a delicious entrée. While we recommend basil
and oregano, use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. Serve with a crisp sauvignon blanc and crusty bread.
View Recipe: Summer Squash Ribbons with Oregano, Basil, and Lemon
Using white balsamic vinegar helps maintains the salad dressing's pure golden color. Tip: Add the yellow squash and zucchini
to the pasta during the last minute of cooking.
View Recipe: Rotini, Summer Squash, and Prosciutto Salad with Rosemary Dressing
Make the most of the bounty of summer produce and cook summer squash on the grill. Marinate the squash and onion wedges in
a mixture of orange and lime juices, olive oil, honey, and a dash of hot red pepper, then serve the veggies with a drizzle
of the remaining marinade for over-the-top flavor.
View Recipe: Grilled Zucchini-and-Summer Squash Salad with Citrus Splash Dressing
The classic Caprese salad of juicy tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and fragrant basil makes for a fantastic vegetarian sandwich.
We've added grilled zucchini to up the game. Gooey mozzarella puts it over the top.
View Recipe: Grilled Zucchini Caprese Sandwiches
This makes a terrific side to just about any entrée–particularly roast chicken, grilled steak, or ham.
View Recipe: Summer Squash-and-Corn Sauté
This side dish–good for a summer brunch or buffet–highlights delicious squash and kitchen herbs.
View Recipe: Baked Couscous with Summer Squash and Herbs
A cornichon is the French version of a gherkin. You'll find these small, tart pickles in gourmet grocery stores; otherwise,
gherkins will work just fine. Or, if you have capers on hand, you may substitute 1 tablespoon drained capers for the pickles.
Make this potato salad recipe up to two hours ahead.
View Recipe: Potato Salad with Herbs and Grilled Summer Squash
The salty stuffing is offset by the subtly cool sweetness of the zucchini. If you're sensitive to spicy foods, seed the chile.
A small amount of chickpea flour, also called besan or graham flour, acts as a binder and provides a delicate nutty flavor.
Look for it in Indian or Asain markets, or substitute whole wheat flour.
View Recipe: Stuffed Zucchini with Potatoes and Peas
This zucchini quick bread has a tropical twist to it–crushed pineapple! Cinnamon and vanilla tie the flavors together and
make this a delicious treat for breakfast or a snack.
View Recipe: Zucchini-Pineapple Quick Bread
Sometimes the best "steak" comes in the form of ripe, juicy beefsteak tomato slices, as in this easy gratin. Serve with a
salad of fresh summer greens.
View Recipe: Tomato, Squash, and Red Pepper Gratin
These summer squashes offer meatier flavor and texture than traditional cucumber pickles.
View Recipe: Spicy Squash Pickles
Vegetable lasagna is a crowd-pleaser and a classic make-ahead dish. You can use precut onions, matchstick-cut carrots, and
broccoli, in addition to precooked noodles, to speed up preparation. If you make it ahead, let it cool completely, then cover
and chill. The next day, heat single servings in the microwave. Freeze leftovers for dinner.
View Recipe: Garden-Style Lasagna
These are tasty for breakfast or as a snack. For even portions, use a small ice-cream scoop to spoon the batter into the muffin
cups.
View Recipe: Zucchini Mini Muffins
Silky caramelized onions, which you can cook on the weekend, flavor this beautifully simple dish. Use a mandoline to quickly
turn zucchini into a pile of superthin slices.
View Recipe: Zucchini and Caramelized Onion Quiche
This simple side dish is tastiest at room temperature, so it's an ideal make-ahead. Any leftovers would be good the next day
for lunch with couscous.
View Recipe: Italian Grilled Zucchini and Red Onion
Fresh summer squash, eggplant, and tomatoes are the stars in this recipe. A crunchy breadcrumb coating atop layers of eggplant,
zucchini, and tomato give the fresh ingredients the ideal complement.
View Recipe: Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomato Tian
A traditional gremolata (garnish) features lemon rind, garlic, and parsley. We include briny capers in the mix to add excitement
to this side.
View Recipe: Roasted Summer Squashes with Caper Gremolata
You'll love this summer pizza from the very first bite. Fresh grilled veggies and refrigerated fresh pizza dough make this
recipe a winner. If you're not in the mood to light up the outdoor grill, cook the vegetables in a grill pan.
View Recipe: Summer Grilled Vegetable Pizza
Use the fragrant cheese stuffing with any mild vegetable, such as bell peppers, mushroom caps, baby eggplant, or tomatoes.
Save the scooped-out zucchini pulp for risotto or pasta sauce. You can use a mini chopper to chop the herbs quickly, but do
not use it to combine the mousse ingredients, as it will liquefy the ricotta.
View Recipe: Zucchini Boats with Ricotta-Basil Mousse
Garden-fresh summer vegetables will make this frittata a special breakfast or brunch treat.
View Recipe: Summer Vegetable Frittata
This vegetarian quesadilla dinner is perfect for a Meatless Monday option or to encourage your family to eat more veggies
any day of the week.
View Recipe: Zucchini, Olive, and Cheese Quesadillas
This delicious pasta dish is at once indulgent and light. If you're looking for a new way to use summer's zucchini, look no
further.
View Recipe: Penne with Zucchini Pistou
These coarsely chopped vegetables are a breeze to prepare and cook. Basil purée, added at the end, punches up the flavor.
View Recipe: Summer Vegetable Stew with Basil Purée
Ready in just 40 minutes, this easy pasta dish is overflowing with fresh summer veggies and can easily be made with other
types of pasta instead of pappardelle.
View Recipe: Garden Alfredo with Chicken
Packed with fresh ingredients, this dish is both filling and decidedly fresh. Reserving some of the cooking liquid for the
very end helps to keep the risotto creamy.
View Recipe: Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto
This easy side combines common flavors of Morocco: saffron-enhanced couscous balanced with zucchini and carrots. Serve it
with a tagine to soak up the sauce.
View Recipe: Zucchini Ribbons with Saffron Couscous
Zucchini is so mild, it's the perfect veggie to sneak into your kids' meals. In this recipe, shredded zucchini is stirred
into muffin batter, providing plenty of vitamins A & C without making a fuss. Grated lemon rind and a little sugar keep these
muffins delightfully light, fresh, and irresistible.
View Recipe: Zucchini-Lemon Muffins
Zucchini and peppermint may sound like an unlikely pair, but after one bite, you will learn the flavors lend masterfully to
one another. To purchase pane carasau, the paper-thin flatbread used in this recipe, visit Gourmet Sardinia.
View Recipe: Zucchini with Peppermint
A light and flavorful pasta toss, accented with crumbled bacon, is a quick and easy dinner solution for any night of the week.
Use whatever veggies you have on hand to add to the colorful dish. Serve with a mixed greens salad.
View Recipe: Cavatappi with Bacon and Summer Vegetables
Adding five vegetables and one fruit—avocado—to the romaine lettuce rounds out the nutrition in this side dish.
View Recipe: Summer's Best Garden Salad
When you're testing the chocolate zucchini cake for doneness, insert the wooden pick in several different places. You may
hit a melted chocolate, which might make you think the cake isn't done.
View Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Cake
This vibrant vegetable entrée is light and delicious. To ensure even grilling, cut the vegetables into large, similar-sized
pieces. After they're cooked, they're chopped into bite-sized pieces. You can substitute yellow squash for zucchini.
View Recipe: Pasta and Grilled Vegetables with Goat Cheese
Fresh squeezed orange and lime juice, balanced with honey and red wine vinegar make a light and refreshing dressing for garden-fresh
veggies. The vinaigrette would be good over salad greens.
View Recipe: Garden Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Casseroles are a delicious way to enjoy a number of fresh vegetables, and this zucchini version is no different. Layer your
sliced veggies with mozzarella cheese in a casserole dish and serve with crusty Italian bread drizzled with a sweet, tangy,
and creamy red-pepper aioli.
View Recipe: Zucchini Casserole with Red-Pepper Aioli
Pair flavorful pasta with olive tapenade breadsticks for a superfast and delicious meal in minutes.
View Recipe: Pasta with Zucchini and Toasted Almonds
The stack of grilled eggplant, red onion, and zucchini are quite a mouthful but still tasty to eat.
View Recipe: Grilled Farmers' Market Sandwiches
Serve with simple grilled pork, chicken, or fish. Add the vegetables to a hot cast-iron skillet, cover, and cook 5 minutes
without stirring so the natural sugars caramelize and add flavor.
View Recipe: Charred Summer Vegetables
The season's best vegetables and a variety of cheeses make this vegetable quiche a crowd-pleasing and healthy meal that can
be assembled the night before, refrigerated and cooked just prior to serving.
View Recipe: Garden Vegetable Crustless Quiche
This zucchini eggplant lasagna makes use of fresh summer produce in a filling meatless entrée.
View Recipe: Zucchini Eggplant Lasagna
This delicately flavored dish is a choice opener for a meal featuring seasonal vegetables. Chopped chives are a nice garnish
if squash blossoms aren't available. Make this up to one day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Gently reheat before serving.
View Recipe: Sweet Corn and Squash Soup
Basmati rice and feta cheese distinguish this updated squash-rice casserole from its classic counterpart. Serve with roasted
chicken or grilled chicken breasts.
View Recipe: Double-Squash Basmati Gratin
Miso–a thick, fermented soybean paste–adds worlds of savory depth to fresh grilled vegetables.
View Recipe: Miso Grilled Vegetables
Slice-by-slice this yummy roasted vegetable pizza will disappear before your eyes. Ingredients like ricotta cheese, cremini
mushrooms and fresh zucchini will keep you from ordering for delivery ever again.
View Recipe: Roasted Vegetable and Ricotta Pizza
More of a game plan than a set recipe, this dish lends itself to an assortment of ingredients you may have on hand.
View Recipe: Fire-Seared Antipasto Platter
A run under the broiler creates a crunchy crust, an essential for Persian rice dishes.
View Recipe: Persian Rice-Stuffed Zucchini with Pistachios and Dill
An adaptation of the classic Italian minestra, this recipe is full of late-summer produce: tomatoes, squash, fresh spinach, corn, and carrots. In cooler months, use peeled
acorn squash and Swiss chard in place of squash and spinach. We love this soup for its practicality, since it's convenient
for lunch or a simple dinner (just serve it with a tossed green salad and some crusty bread).
View Recipe: Garden Minestrone
Ground flaxseed is a novel addition to this dense and sweet breakfast bread. You can freeze individual slices on a baking
sheet, then transfer to a zip-top plastic bag to keep in the freezer for up to two months.
View Recipe: Zucchini-Pecan Flaxseed Bread
Tailor the types of vegetables to the bounty of your garden or that of farmers' market vendors.
View Recipe: Grilled Vegetable Salad
This quick and easy enchilada recipe is an easy weeknight family favorite. Prepare the Enchilada Sauce a few days ahead of
time, and refrigerate.
View Recipe: Black Bean, Corn, and Zucchini Enchiladas
This attractive, summery barbecue dish combines the vegetables of the famous Provençal stew with meaty grilled tofu. If you
don't care to use the wine, use an additional 1/2 cup of vegetable broth.
View Recipe: Grilled Tofu with Ratatouille Vegetables
A sprinkling of bright, sweet mint complements the smoky grilled vegetables in this dish.
View Recipe: Veggie Grilled Pizza
Grilling the vegetables deepens their flavors, which makes for a delicious vegetarian entrée. To speed preparation, use no-boil
lasagna noodles; the baking time remains the same.
View Recipe: Grilled Vegetable Lasagna
Healthy antioxidant rich vegetables get a flavorful punch when marinated in balsamic vinaigrette and grilled.
View Recipe: Grilled Vegetables with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Zucchini, carrot, and apples add moisture and flavor, eliminating the need for excess butter and oil. This simple garden harvest
cake only takes about 10 minutes to prepare the batter, and it works great for breakfast.
View Recipe: Garden Harvest Cake
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