One of the most prolific vegetables at this time of year is zucchini, a versatile summer squash that never fails to deliver more than is expected. While Edmonton’s Food Bank is happy to accept donations of zucchini, we thought we’d offer a few of our favourite ways to use them in the kitchen.
Zucchini’s mild flavour makes it useful in a variety of ways. One of our favourites is to make zucchini fries. These are a crispy, satisfying, light alternative to fried potatoes and are a hit with all ages at our collective kitchens. They are easy to make and require only a few simple ingredients: zucchini, flour, bread crumbs, egg whites, herbs and spices. Try this recipe from Simple Nourished Living.
Zucchini on a counter.
Looking for heartier recipes? You can try stuffed pasta shells using zucchini, frozen corn, onion, basil, and cheese with marinara sauce. Here is a recipe from Delish. You can also use zucchini in a Minestrone Soup, which is a great way to prepare healthy meals ahead of time and use up a variety of vegetables. Try this recipe from All Recipes.
Another way to use up a variety of vegetables, including zucchini, is a good old stir fry. When paired with a protein, bell pepper, mushrooms and other vegetables in a sauce, zucchini makes a healthy quick meal people will love. We like this version from Tatyana’s Everyday Food. You can also thinly slice or grate zucchini to use it in salads or to cook and pair with your favourite pasta sauce for a low carb alternative to pasta.
Zucchini Fries on a baking sheet.
If you still have more zucchini than you can cook or share, preserve it for the long winter days when fresh garden produce is just a dream. When frozen at peak freshness, it will maintain its nutrients and taste better than anything bought fresh in store. Simply wash, chop and blanch the zucchini before freezing. Blanching is when you submerge washed and cut up fruit or vegetables in boiling water for a few minutes and then immediately put them in cold water to stop further cooking. This will preserve the flavour, colour and texture of zucchini. It also helps lock in nutrients and reduces the amount of any remaining microbes on the surface of foods. By doing this you can have zucchini throughout the year for any of the recipes above or others you discover.
Zucchini is an abundant and, thankfully, versatile vegetable that goes with almost anything. We hope this gives you a few new ideas on how to make the most of your harvest and enjoy the fruits of your garden year round.
