20 Zucchini Recipes to Celebrate Summer’s Most Abundant Vegetable From pasta to baked goods, these summery dishes show how versatile the humble squash is. Close It's zucchini season—that time of year when we all need recipes to keep up with the glut of zucchini in the garden and at farm stands. Luckily, there are as many ways to prepare zucchini as there are cooks. We’ve got a variety of zucchini ideas here for your summer cooking, from appetizers, salads, and pastas to muffins and even a chocolate sheet cake. These are our favorite recipes for when the garden (or your neighbor’s) gives too many zucchini—though we think there’s no such thing as too much because it can always be put to delicious use! The Best Zucchini to Use If your neighbor gifts you some zucchini, you likely don't have much say in how large or small they are. If you're buying zucchini at the market or choosing ones in your own yard, look for slender, small squash with a taut skin and a bright shine. Larger zucchini can be spongy, and the seeds get big—they work fine in recipes calling for grated zucchini, such as muffins or zucchini bread. How to Cut Zucchini for Recipes A useful rule of thumb is to slice zucchini very thinly for raw, thin-to-medium for frying, and thin or thick is fine for grilling—as long as you flip them as soon as they brown. Grating zucchini is a great way to prepare them for fritters and all of the baking recipes that feature zucchini, and salting lets the excess water drain before mixing into batters. If you’re lucky enough to find small, freshly picked zucchini, slice them thinly and use them raw in salads. In this case, it’s ideal to use a mandoline if you have one. The Amazing Health Benefits of Zucchini and Yellow Squash 01 of 20 Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad Sauteed zucchini, corn, and red onions can be used in many summer dishes. Here, we toss cooked orzo with the combo, plus lemon and basil, and suggest saving some to use in a frittata, too. View Recipe 02 of 20 Grilled-Chicken-and Zucchini Salad Credit: Ren Fuller A tangy yogurt-dill marinade enhances grilled chicken breast and zucchini. It’s so simple to make if you have a grill or even a grill pan for cooking indoors. View Recipe 03 of 20 Zucchini Sheet Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting Credit: Ryan Liebe Zucchini has long held a place in the baking department, adding moisture and heft to homemade treats, but not the squash flavor. This large-format chocolate cake is our favorite. No one will guess the secret ingredient—and it's sure to be a hit at your next potluck. View Recipe 04 of 20 Pasta With Zucchini, Mint, and Pecorino Credit: Bryan Gardner A pile of freshly grated zucchini cooks down into a sumptuous sauce, practically melting in the pan as it cooks. With a hint of salty anchovies and pecorino Romano, this is a delicious summer pasta that you'll want to keep in rotation all season long. View Recipe 05 of 20 Zucchini-Scallion Fritters Sizzling and savory, fried zucchini pancakes are a fantastic appetizer. Salting and pressing the zucchini before mixing it into the batter prevents the fritters from getting soggy. View Recipe 06 of 20 Zucchini Bruschetta Credit: Aaron Dyer Sautéed zucchini with shallots in butter becomes sweet and luscious as a topping for crostini. If you salt and press the water out of grated zucchini before cooking, it will become golden brown in the pan. View Recipe 07 of 20 Ratatouille Credit: Marcus Nilsson Let our popular Ratatouille recipe become your standby. It’s classic, satisfying, and full of the sweetness of peak summer produce. View Recipe 08 of 20 Grilled Vegetable Agrodolce Credit: Ryan Liebe An assortment of grilled summer squash, including zucchini and eggplant, is dressed with a Sicilian-inspired dressing. Serve them as part of an antipasto platter with grilled rustic bread and the sliced meats and cheeses of your choice. View Recipe 09 of 20 Zucchini Muffins Credit: Bryan Gardner Sweet and pretty, these muffins with a sugary orange glaze will delight the kids in your life. The flavors of anise and cardamom will allure the adults, too. View Recipe 10 of 20 Zucchini and Yellow Squash Gratin Summer gratins are great for rainy evenings and times when the sea breeze is whistling through the screen door. This delectable dish is dusted with parmesan and crisp breadcrumbs. View Recipe 11 of 20 Zucchini Quesadillas These quesadillas have a sweet, summery filling of zucchini, corn, and onions. Add pepper Jack cheese for a bit of heat to the filling, or keep it mild with Monterey Jack. View Recipe 12 of 20 Campanelle With Zucchini and Mint Credit: Bryan Gardner A quick pasta with golden, pan-fried zucchini slices, olives, and lemon is a perfect summer meal. Campanelle are ruffled, short pasta shapes, but feel free to choose your favorite shape for this dish. View Recipe 13 of 20 Beef-Zucchini Meatballs Credit: Kate Mathis This is a healthier meatball, and tastier too, with the addition of grated zucchini. Serve with marinara sauce over roasted spaghetti squash if you’re avoiding pasta– or open a box of spaghetti if you prefer to keep it classic. View Recipe 14 of 20 Grilled Ratatouille Muffaletta Credit: Andrew Purcell Grilled slices of zucchini are layered with other grilled vegetables and a quick herb spread for a flavorful vegetarian take on the famous sandwich. It’s made in a whole loaf of bread and is absolutely portable. View Recipe 15 of 20 Zucchini Cornbread Muffins Credit: Aaron Dyer With the combination of zucchini and yellow cornmeal, we’ve hit upon a perfect summer side. These muffins would be great dipped in chili or served alongside fried (or grilled) chicken. View Recipe 16 of 20 Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops With Grilled Zucchini Thin slices of grilled zucchini sparkle when dusted with fresh lime zest and feta cheese. Serve them alongside grilled pork chops, as shown here, or grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu. View Recipe 17 of 20 Zucchini and Squash Salad Credit: Carson Downing It’s so simple, slicing and dressing the freshest little zucchini. Tossing the raw slices with lemon, pine nuts, and mustard results in a vibrant summer dish. View Recipe 18 of 20 Zucchini Almond-Flour Cake Need a gluten-free dessert to serve at your next gathering? Look no further than this ultra-moist zucchini almond-flour cake with a thick, pillowy cream cheese icing. If you need to serve a bigger crowd, you can easily make this into a two-layer cake by doubling the batter ingredients and tripling the frosting ingredients, like Martha did when she made this cake on Martha Bakes. View Recipe 19 of 20 Zucchini Dill Pickles Credit: Dana Gallagher One of the best ways to put your abundance of zucchinis to use is by pickling them! They are crisp and refreshing, and make the perfect summertime snack. You'll just need 15 minutes to prepare a whole quart of zucchini dill pickles. View Recipe 20 of 20 Perfect Frittata With Zucchini and Provolone Credit: Brie Goldman Breakfast is served! The zucchini in this satisfying frittata becomes incredibly tender, and when mixed with freshly grated provolone and eggs, yields a heavenly combination of flavors. Plus, you can make it dairy-free just by simply replacing the butter with olive oil and the whole milk with a dairy-free alternative. View Recipe Explore more: Recipes Ingredients Vegetables Zucchini Recipes