what do I do with all of this zucchini???
CSA season is upon us!
A Note
I got a note recently from a reader named Beth who is part of a CSA and asked if I could do a post re: “I have so much XYZ — what do I do with it?” Beth mentioned zucchini, tomatoes, and greens so I thought I’d devote a newsletter to each over this growing season.
Are there any other vegetables/herbs/fruit you’d like me to devote a newsletter to? Let me know in the comments!
Today I’m tackling zucchini!
If you’ve ever grown zucchini, you know that once it starts, it just never seems to stop. There’s a certain point in the season when you can barely give it away!
There is SO MUCH you can do with zucchini.
I think the easiest way to use up a lot of it is to simply cut it into thick slices or rounds, coat it with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and then either grill it or roast it on a sheet pan in a 425ºF oven until browned and tender.
Then eat as is or toss/top with:
garlicky vinaigrette
olive oil and fresh lemon plus roughly chopped herbs (basil, mint, cilantro and/or chives all work)
either of the above, plus toasted and chopped nuts and a little shaved parm or pecorino
fresh lime juice, a splash of fish sauce, a ton of chopped peanuts + fresh cilantro (serve on rice with a fried egg on top to make a complete meal)
halved cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and fresh mozzarella or burrata (add pasta to make a complete meal)
fresh lime juice, crumbled cotija cheese and lots of Tajín (serve with beans and corn tortillas to make tacos/a complete meal)
throw it in a blender with a splash of cream and some vegetable or chicken stock (or veggie stock and a can of coconut milk if you’re vegan) and you’ll have a lovely zucchini soup that you can enjoy chilled or hot!
But maybe you’re looking for more ideas? And specific recipes? I’ve got you!
Here are a bunch of ideas — keep scrolling for where you can find all of these recipes!!
RAW
zucchini salad with red onions + pistachios [Small Victories / page 91]
- ’s smashed zucchini with chickpeas + peanuts [gift link]
eric kim's zucchini panzanella [gift link]
SIMPLE GRILLED/ROASTED/SAUTÉED
sautéed zucchini with green goddess dressing [Now & Again / page 145]
peppery zucchini with whipped feta [What Goes with What / page 78]
hetty lui mckinnon's grilled zucchini with miso glaze [gift link]
yasmin fahr's sheet pan zucchini, tomatoes + feta [gift link]
FRITTERS!
zucchini + nigella fritters [Small Victories / page 107]
zucchini, green olive + feta fritters [Simply Julia / page 200]
MADE INTO A MEAL WITH OTHER THINGS
stewed chickpeas with peppers + zucchini [Simply Julia / page 66]
- ’s one pot cheesy zucchini pasta [link here]
MEATBALLS!
grilled beef + zucchini meatballs with tahini dressing [Now & Again / page 257]
springtime chicken meatballs [What Goes with What / page 216]
BAKED
- ’s ultimate zucchini bread [link here]
Can I help you find something useful?!
Here’s my video library of 125 cooking classes!
Here’s my all-time favorite class: a tour of my kitchen and also my mind! It includes a 2+ hour recording and an incredibly detailed companion document that details all of the tools, ingredients + more I use (it's over 20 pages long!), plus a ton of tips for day-to-day cooking (lots of mini recipes within).
Check out my ShopMy page for my favorite kitchen tools, ingredients, and even clothing items — it’s all there!
And I catalog all of my favorite books right here at bookshop.org.
Have a great day my friends! xoxoxo Julia
In case people want ideas where you can’t taste the zucchini, which tbh is me sometimes:
Smitten Kitchen’s zucchini butter pasta is amazing! https://smittenkitchen.com/2021/06/zucchini-butter-spaghetti/
I also love a good zucchini bread with chocolate chips!
i love this! i’m excited to try the smashed zucchini!
we eat smoothies for breakfast quite a bit and something we do is cut zucchini is cut them into rounds, steam them, freeze them, and pop them in the smoothies for a good deal of fiber. the texture is great, too!