Zucchini a.k.a courgette is one of my favorite summertime veggies. It’s easy to grow and easy to love. On its own it’s pretty bland, but that’s not a bad thing! It means that it’s perfect for pairing with bold, big flavors. I have three zucchini recipes that will have you coming back for seconds all summer long.
1. Raw Zucchini Carpaccio Salad
I pretty much like all zucchini recipes, but have recently started loving raw versions, too. I also like it thinly sliced, drizzled with olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice as carpaccio.
Zucchini Carpaccio Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini cut into very thin rounds
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 Tablespoosn fresh lemon juice
- coarse salt and pepper to taste
- 8-12 fresh basil leaves cut into thin ribbons
Instructions
- Place half of the thinly sliced zucchini in a shallow serving dish.
- Drizzle with half the olive oil and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
- Top with the remaining half of the zucchini and drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice, seasoning again with salt and pepper. Top with the basil and serve immediately.
2. Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
And while one of the hottest food trends seems to be sweet potato fries, I like zucchini fries. We sprinkle them liberally with finely grated parmesan cheese, which seems to be everyone’s favorite.
Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini cut into sticks
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- Salt for sprinkling
- Ranch or marinara for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the zucchini sticks with olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper. Arrange in an even layer on the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the zucchini. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until fries are golden and the cheese is crispy. Serve immediately with your choice of sauce.
3. Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
When turned into zucchini noodles (zoodles) it’s a great gluten-free substitute for pasta.
Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini ends trimmed
- 2 Tablespoons homemade pesto or store-bought
- 1-2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut zucchini into "noodles" using a spiralizer or creating long, thin ribbons using a mandoline, very sharp knife, or vegetable peeler.
- Place in a bowl and add the pesto and vinegar or lemon juice. Toss well to coat the noodles. Season well with salt and pepper, to taste, and top with the halved cherry tomatoes. Serve immediately.
i think im gonna try these fries this weekend!!!!
All these recipes sound incredible! We get a ton of zucchini here in our CSA bin and I am always looking for different ways to use it. Thanks for the inspiration!
Trish
I have to make this for my grandmother. She loves zucchini!
Wow, this looks delicious! I need to get a spiralizer today!
Can’t wait to try this! I usually cut them in rounds but I love the idea of fries.
Which spiralizer do you use to cut the zoodles like that? They look perfect.
Thanks. That’s a serious machine! Added to my wish list.
Seeing this makes me want to try fried zucchini spirals that would be like fried calamari.