5 Easy Zucchini Recipes

Because it's summer and it's everywhere

Hi friends,

It’s hot everywhere, school’s out, and the whole family still needs to eat. This was going to be one of our “make a big batch of _____” posts, but it’s too darn hot to make a big batch of anything. As such, we thought we’d put together a post akin to our Love Story for Cauliflower that’s entirely dedicated to this season’s most ubiquitous vegetable: zucchini (and its close relative, summer squash).

During peak season, zucchini is never hard to find, but it can be a little challenging to summon the inspiration to make the most of its bounty. Zucchini’s high water content presents a challenge, since water is often the enemy of flavor, but, properly handled, it’s easy to coax it into sweet, golden-browned, caramelized deliciousness. Its water content can also be an asset in recipes like our super-refreshing Flavor Crazy Raw Zucchini Salad or the Savory Squash Smush, which is perfect for babies and toddlers and is also one our favorite sides. Likewise, in our recipe for chicken meatballs, it’s the zucchini that keeps them tender and moist. But don’t worry, we’ve got crunchy covered too! Below, five excellent recipes to make the most of all that zucchini (and if you prefer summer squash—or just happen to have that on hand—you can sub that in to any of these recipes seamlessly):

1. Chicken + Zucchini Pesto Meatballs

2. Crispy Zuke Batons!

3. Savory Squash Smush (great for babies, great for non-babies)

4. Flavor Crazy Raw Zucchini Salad

5. Potato-Zucchini Scarpaccia