What to Do With All That Zucchini

By late summer, gardeners often face the same problem: more zucchini and yellow squash than they know what to do with.

Fortunately, summer squash is one of the easiest vegetables to use up.

It can be grilled, fried, baked, or eaten raw, and zucchini and yellow squash can usually be swapped for one another in most recipes.

One tip makes a big difference in many dishes: remove some of the water.

Grated squash holds a surprising amount of moisture. Salting it lightly and squeezing it dry in a clean kitchen towel can help prevent fritters, breads, and other recipes from turning soggy.

Here are five easy ways to put a bumper crop to work.

1. Put It on the Grill

Slice zucchini or yellow squash lengthwise into planks.

Brush both sides with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill for a few minutes per side until tender and lightly marked.

Serve it as-is, toss it with a splash of vinegar and fresh herbs, or pile the grilled slices onto crostini with goat cheese.

2. Make Zucchini Fritters

Fritters are a classic way to use a lot of squash quickly.

Recipe sites, including Natasha’s Kitchen and The Kitchn, recommend grating the zucchini, salting it, and then squeezing out as much liquid as possible.

Mix the drained squash with an egg, a small amount of flour, scallions, garlic, and grated Parmesan.

Form the mixture into small patties and pan-fry until golden on both sides.

Serve them with sour cream or tzatziki.

3. Turn It Into Ribbons or Noodles

Use a vegetable peeler to shave zucchini into long, thin ribbons, or use a spiralizer to make “zoodles.”

Toss them with pasta, pesto, and lemon for a lighter summer meal.

The ribbons can also be served raw in salads or lightly sautéed.

4. Bake Some Chips

Slice the squash very thin, season it, and bake or air-fry until crisp around the edges.

Serve the chips on their own or with marinara sauce for dipping.

Because squash contains so much water, thinner slices and careful cooking will help them crisp better.

5. Use It in Something Sweet

Zucchini works surprisingly well in baked goods.

Grated zucchini can disappear into zucchini bread, muffins, or even chocolate cake, adding moisture without giving the finished dish a strong squash flavor.

Again, squeezing out excess water can help keep the texture from becoming too heavy.

A few large zucchini can seem overwhelming when they are sitting on the kitchen counter.

But sliced, grated, or spiralized, they can easily become several meals, snacks, and desserts.

Sometimes the best solution for too much zucchini is simply to find one more way to cook it.