11 DELICIOUS WAYS TO ENJOY ZUCCHINI
It is the season for zucchini, and with each bumper crop, we look for 9, 10, or even 11 different delicious ways to enjoy it. And whether you’re celebrating National Zucchini Bread Day, National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month or Sneak Some Zucchini into Your Neighbor’s Porch Day, it’s always good to have options.
Full of Vitamin A, fiber, manganese, and potassium (among other nutrients), zucchini is a refreshing addition to our meals. Do you have zucchini to spare? Then look no further, we have 11 Delicious Ways to Enjoy this productive fruit.
Stir-fry
If you love a tasty stir-fry, then you need to be using zucchini. Not only does zucchini absorb the best flavors, but it also subtly complements the other ingredients. Simply slice or dice it and add it at the end of the cooking process.
Pasta
Add zucchini to just about any pasta dish. While making the sauce, add zucchini to bring texture and thickness to your sauce, or simply toss it into the pasta with your other ingredients. Include other garden-fresh vegetables and herbs for the most delicious results.
Fried or baked
No matter how you look at it, fried or baked zucchini offers a fresh and crispy way to enjoy our summer bounty. With the right seasonings and coating, you really can’t go wrong. Add a dipping sauce like ranch or marinara, and these snacks will be the hit of any celebration! Try this Crispy Parmesan Zucchini or these baked Zucchini Fries.
Pickled
Zucchini lends itself to pickling, much like cucumbers do. However, just about any garden vegetable can be pickled. Zucchini just does it with flair. Enjoy it as a relish, pickled slices, or even a colorful slaw like this one: Zucchini Slaw.
Grilled
Who doesn’t like the smokey flavor of grilling? Zucchinis offer an excellent canvas for grilling, too. A little olive oil, some garlic, basil, salt, and pepper bring a zucchini to life. Cut off the ends of a medium zucchini and slice lengthwise. Baste each slice with the olive oil mixture and sear both sides on a hot grill. Serve it with your favorite burgers, potato salad, and the slaw in the previous paragraph, and you’re all set!
Raw
Just like most vegetables from the garden, zucchini can be enjoyed raw. Slice it and dip it into some ranch dressing. Pack it in your lunch or add it to a vegetable tray for the next family gathering.
Noodles
Yes, we’ve already mentioned pasta. However, what we’re suggesting is replacing the pasta with zucchini. When it’s cut into thin strips, zucchini makes an excellent base for your favorite pasta sauces. If you’re watching your carbs, zucchini allows you to enjoy your favorite pasta dishes without the added carbohydrates. Add shrimp or chicken to make it feel more like a main course.
Fritters
With just a few ingredients, you can transform zucchini into an amazing fritter! Add sour cream for a little tang. If you prefer some zip to your appetizers, don’t hesitate to dip these mouthwatering morsels into some hot sauce, too.
Bread
Zucchini lovers know, baking with this fruit is as easy as 1-2-3. Pick the right zucchini, grate it, and add it to your favorite zucchini bread recipe. It even goes well with chocolate, as the many chocolate zucchini breads and muffin recipes out there prove. What’s so nice about baking your zucchini into a bread is that you can freeze it for a satisfying treat in the fall. However, you can shred and freeze your zucchini for later use, especially if you don’t have time to bake it now.
Eggs
Looking for something different to add to your morning omelet or scrambled eggs? Zucchini is your answer. Just dice it up and toss it in the frying pan. Add some onions, tomatoes, and peppers for the full course garden effect.
Soups
Fresh or frozen, zucchini makes an excellent addition to many soups. It even stars as the centerpiece in some soup recipes. Make refreshing gazpacho for a light meal on a hot summer’s day. In the middle of winter, that frozen zucchini will bring a taste of summer that will warm you right up!
While some of us may have strong opinions about zucchini, don’t you think it’s time to look at in a different light? This unassuming fruit (that we call a vegetable) is a powerhouse in our gardens and kitchen. Why do you think it likes to produce so much? It’s really trying to tell us, “Try me, you’ll like me!” So won’t you?
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