20+ Best Zucchini Recipes – Downshiftology

Your search for the best zucchini recipes stops here! Summer squash is incredibly versatile… you can bake it, grill it, spiralize it, and blend it! Hopefully these recipes spark a little inspiration for cooking zucchini in new and exciting ways.

How to Prep, Store, and Use Zucchini

It’s no surprise that my love for zucchini runs deep. It can mimic the texture of pasta, be pureed into a silky soup, be grated into crispy fritters, and the list goes on (and on). So when you’re overflowing with zucchini in the summer, here are a few ways to prep and store it:

• Spiralize into zucchini noodles: I love to use my spiralizer to make zucchini noodles for tons of gluten-free pasta-like dishes. And luckily, they’ll last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge! Just line a storage container with a paper towel, place the zoodles on top, and store them in the fridge.
• Freeze zucchini sliced or diced: Frozen zucchini works great in recipes like soups, smoothies, or even casseroles. To properly freeze them, just blanch the pieces in boiling water, cool in an ice water bath, pat them dry, and freeze in a flat layer on a baking sheet for 1 to 2 hours.
• Freeze zucchini grated: Grated zucchini is key for recipes like fritters or zucchini bread. So save some time by pre-grating and freezing! Just steam blanch the grated pieces, drain, and store in a freezer-safe bag or container.

Everyone’s Favorite Zucchini Recipes

Let’s start with my all-time favorite zucchini recipes! From crispy zucchini fritters to the best-ever zucchini lasagna, these are the essential zucchini recipes to have in steady rotation.

Zucchini Lasagna: I’m not kidding when I say this is the best zucchini lasagna. It’s made with layers of meaty bolognese, melty cheese, and sheets of sneaky zucchini.

Zucchini Fritters: These crisp, golden patties are to die for! They’re loaded with zucchini and herbs, plus a dip in the garlic chive yogurt sauce really takes it over the top.

Zucchini Soup: Yes, you can enjoy soup in summer. Especially when it’s this refreshing, light, and creamy zucchini soup!

Sauteed Zucchini: For a side dish that’s quick and easy, just give sliced zucchini a quick saute with parmesan and truffle oil. The results are mouthwatering.

Green Shakshuka: I love a classic shakshuka, but this green version ranks high on my list. It’s a delicious mix of shaved Brussels sprouts, spinach, zucchini and loads of fresh herbs.

Healthy Zucchini Noodle Recipes

The beauty of zucchini noodles is that they can easily replace pasta with a dose of extra veggies. So if you’re craving a classic shrimp scampi, but want a low-carb or gluten-free option zoodles will be your savior!

Zucchini Noodle Caprese: Zucchini noodles tossed with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil pesto makes for the perfect summertime meal.

Zucchini Noodle Spaghetti Bolognese: A healthier spin on spaghetti, enjoy the rich, meaty flavors of a bolognese sauce with loads of veggies instead.

Zucchini Pasta with Lemon Garlic Shrimp: Lemony, garlicky shrimp tossed with zoodles are what weeknight dinner dreams are made of.

Carrot and Zucchini Pasta: Toss some spiralized carrots into the zucchini pasta mix with my homemade avocado dressing for a super fresh and tasty meal.

Mexican Chicken Zucchini Noodles: If you love a little spice kick, this zoodle recipe with chicken and pico de gallo has the ultimate Mexican flair.

Zucchini Noodles with Chicken, Spinach, and Parmesan: This is my go-to for an easy, healthy, and family-friendly dinner.

The Best Zucchini Bread Recipes

When you’ve got an abundance of zucchini, you can’t not make zucchini bread. Believe me when I say, these recipes guarantee super moist and flavorful results!

Paleo Zucchini Bread: Give your morning slice of bread a nutrient boost with this easy, gluten-free, and dairy-free recipe!

Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread: For a zucchini bread on the sweeter side, you’ll love the chocolate version. It’s rich, moist, and you won’t even taste the sneaky greens in there.

Healthy Zucchini Muffins: This recipe turns my zucchini bread into grab n’ go muffins that are super fluffy, perfectly sweet, and gently spiced.

Easy Baked Zucchini Recipes

Let your oven work its magic with these fun and unique baked zucchini recipes! You can stuff zucchini for a hearty main, bake thinly sliced zucchini into chips, or add zucchini to breakfast egg muffins. The options here are endless.

Zucchini Chips: You can’t beat homemade veggie chips for a healthy snack. All you need to do is slice them up, drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and bake away.

Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats: Enjoy classic pepperoni pizza flavors, but in stuffed zucchini form. The kiddos love this recipe too!

Zucchini and Prosciutto Egg Muffins: Egg muffins are the best for using up leftover veggies in your fridge. So if you’ve got zucchini that needs to be used up, slice or grate it into your next batch of breakfast muffins!

Baked Zucchini Fries: There’s always room for fries right? Especially when they’re made of vegetables.

Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats: Another way to stuff zucchini is with your favorite taco flavors! This recipe is easy, flavorful, and perfect for your next taco Tuesday.

Roundup originally posted July 2021, but updated to include new recipes and information.