Are you asking yourself what to do with too much zucchini? If your bounty has been plenty this season, don’t worry. We have some great ideas to help you ensure nothing goes to waste!
Too much zucchini? Is there such a thing? Well, if you love it, then it may be hard to believe, but if you’re trying to use it up before it spoils, you may need some help. The good news is it is so versatile, there are tons of things you can make with it. These are all the ways I’ve personally used zucchini, as recommended by friends, family, and trusted online sources.
What To Do With Too Much Zucchini
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When you grow your own zucchini, you may find yourself with a lot on hand. But there’s no such thing as too much zucchini if you just learn what to do with it. From cooking it to storing it or even sharing it with friends and family, there are many ways for you to enjoy it. Let’s take a look.
1. Crispy Spiralized Zucchini Fries
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These crispy spiralized zucchini fries are a easy to make and a fun way to use up your zucchini surplus, especially those large zucchinis you forgot to pick on time.
Your kids will come for seconds, begging for more. Here’s how to make crispy spiralized zucchini fries.
2. Zucchini Bread
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A popular option is zucchini bread, and this is a tasty way to make use of all that extra zucchini. There are many different recipes for this, but most of them are quick and easy, using ingredients you probably have in your kitchen already. Here are 2 of my favorites:
3. Make Noodles for Zucchini Pasta
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Zoodles, or zucchini noodles, are a great way to use up that extra supply and also make healthier pasta. Pair it with your favorite pasta ingredients, such as fresh cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, and whatever else you like on your pasta.
Here’s a great zucchini pasta recipe.
4. Grill With Other Vegetables
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Grill them alone or with other vegetables, such as vegetables bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes.
Place veggie slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with oil and seasoning, some black pepper, and maybe even some lemon juice, and then grill to perfection.
5. Make Pickles
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Pickles are another great choice, and this makes them last a long time so you can enjoy them for many months. There are different pickling recipes, which can give slightly different flavors to the finished product.
This dill pickles recipe works great with zucchini and squash.
6. Freeze For Later
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Another great way to keep that extra zucchini is to freeze it. If you’re in a rush, just throw them in a bag and freeze them (use these first, within 3 months), but if you’d like them to keep longer, you need to blanch them first. Here’s more information about how to freeze zucchini.
7. Add To Salads
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Slice or dice some fresh zucchini and use it to add to any green salad. It’s a nice, refreshing way to enjoy the summer vegetable, as long as you use the smallest zukes.
Or, use a specialized peeler to make zucchini ribbons for a beautiful presentation, like the salad above.
8. Make Zucchini Lasagna
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And here’s another way to enjoy zuke pasta – make lasagna from it! To keep your zucchini lasagna from being too watery, be sure to cut thinner slices and also salt the zucchini first for about 15 minutes to help draw the water out of it.
Here’s a great zucchini lasagna recipe.
9. Zucchini Soup
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Soup is a longtime classic and zucchini soup is a great way to use up the veggie and it tastes great, too! You can make a simple recipe with chicken broth, garlic, onion, and zucchini cooked over medium heat, then pureed in your favorite blender. Takes less than 30 minutes.
10. Give Them Away
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And finally, if you just have way too much zucchini to ever eat it all yourself, you might consider sharing it with friends, family, and neighbors. Most people would appreciate the gesture and if you also point them to this article, they’ll be able to learn of some fun ways to eat them, too!
If you’re new to growing zucchini, you might be surprised by how well they do and how quickly they multiply. For most people, it’s recommended you only plant a couple of them because they will produce a lot of zucchinis from even just one or two plants. A new well-meaning gardener may easily end up with way more zukes than they know what to do with.
More Ways to Use Zucchini
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There are many more ways to use an abundance of zucchini, but hopefully you got a few ideas to get you started.
Here are a few more things to try, if you’re still looking:
- fried zucchini recipes
- baked zucchini recipes
- add to your spaghetti sauce
- make zucchini butter; here’s a yummy recipe!
As you can see, there are many great ways to make the most of your harvest. If you find yourself with an overabundance of zucchini, try out some of the things on this list. You’ll be able to enjoy your delicious bounty of summer zucchini all throughout the year.
From shredded zucchini to grated zucchini, zoodles, and more, you can enjoy these summer vegetables now and even into the winter season. If you have an abundance of zucchini, you now have a plethora of ways to make it and preserve it so that none of it ever has to go to waste!
