Zucchini

Zucchini Recipes

 

Availability: August-September

Storage tips: Refrigerate by wrapping paper towels around the fruits and storing in the crisper drawer or store at room temperature for short term.

How to eat: Zucchini is a type of summer squash, folks, and they can be used interchangeably in recipes for the most part.  So, all summer squashes are best eaten at a small to medium stage and very fresh. The best way to cook them is to slice them on the round (or also quartered if too wide) and sauté them gently in butter 5-10 minutes until soft and top with grated parmesan cheese and salt and pepper. They are also great raw with dips or put into vegetable soups.

How to preserve: Frozen! You can either cut your squash into rounds and blanch it for 2-3 minutes, cool, and freeze in freezer bags. I use this it that way in soups in the winter.

OR you can grate it raw and freeze it that way in freezer bags. Take it out of the freezer to make zucchini bread or pizza crust!

2 lbs. summer squash, grated or spiralized
¼ - 1 cup water
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or to taste)
2 TBLS milk
1 TBLS butter

Put squash and water into skillet.  Simmer until desired tenderness.  Drain any extra water.  Add rest of ingredients and mix together.  Serve hot and eat it up.  Leftovers are not as good.

4 cups chicken stock (or water)
1 cup cooked chicken meat, diced
1 cup green beans, chopped to 1-inch pieces
1 cup carrots, diced
4 TBSP tomato paste (optional)
1-2 cups zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbls parsley, minced
Salt and pepper

Bring stock to a boil, reduce heat and add carrots. Simmer for 5 minutes, add beans, zucchini, and chicken and simmer for about 10 minutes until vegetables are just tender and still green. Stir in parsley, season to taste and serve. You can substitute any cooking vegetable for the ones in the soup (celery, leeks, turnips, etc.). You can also add the tomato paste at the beginning with the carrots, which is especially a good idea if you are using water instead of chicken stock (or if you omit the chicken meat also).

Assitant Farmer Andrea shared this Greek recipe with us.  You can use the topping crust or not.  You can add tomatoes to it.  Play around with it and it will still be delicious.

Equal parts zucchini/Summer squash and potatoes, cut in fine round slices
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh mint or parsley, minced
Feta cheese
Olive oil + sesame seeds to garnish
Optional phyllo sheets to top

Oil casserole dish. Layer seasoned potatoes in the bottom. Top with feta cheese. Layer seasoned zuke/sum. squash next. Top with feta and herb. Place optional phyllo sheet on top. Drizzle with olive oil and sesame seeds. Bake (covered if not using phyllo) in oven at 350 degrees until all is tender, 1+ hour.
 

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 TBLS butter
  • 3 TBLS flour
  • 1 cup broth
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 med. zucchini/summer squash, grated
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • salt and pepper to taste

Gently sauté onion in butter until tender. Add flour, cook 1 min, stirring. Add broth, milk, salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and add veggies. Reduce heat, simmer, while stirring, until veggies are tender. Serve warm.

  • 6 cups summer squash, grated
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons minced onion/shallot/scallion
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Mix grated squash with 2 tsp salt and let sit to drain in a colander for 5 mins. Squeeze out juice in clean kitchen towel. Heat olive oil and butter in skillet. Saute onion for 1 min. Add squash and cook until tender, about 4-5 min, stirring.

Optional: add garlic, basil, and tomatoes at the end or add cream and simmer until absorbed.

1 cup red lentils, washed
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
2-4 tablespoons cooking oil
4 whole cardamom pods (or ¼ teaspoon ground)
1 inch cinnamon stick (or 1 teaspoon ground)
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon ground cumin (or whole seeds)
1-2 cups finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
¼+ teaspoon cayenne powder
 

Bring 4 cups vegetable broth or water (or a combo) and lentils to boil.  Skim foam, add turmeric, and cook until tender, about 45 mins.  Heat oil on medium in skillet, add cardamom, cinnamon, bay, cumin.  Stir, add onions, & cook 15 min, stirring.  Add the rest of the ingredients, ½ cup water, and simmer until zuke is tender, about 10 minutes.  Combine with lentils & check salt.

This can be made with any kind of summer squash! 

  • 2 TBLS olive oil
  • salt
  • 1 ½ lbs zucchini and/or summer squash, halved lengthwise
  • 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 4 TBLS butter
  • 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup basil, shredded

Salt the squash halves. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high. When hot, add squash, cut side down and cook 3-4 minutes until golden. Flip and repeat. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, in small skillet, heat pepper until aromatic, about 2 min. Add butter and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat and add Parmesan, stirring briskly. Spoon this mixture over squash halves, sprinkle with basil and serve hot.

This recipe was given to us by a friend of the farm.  Thank you to Cathy for sharing it!  It is creamy, delicious, easy to make and good hot or cold.  Try it!

1-4 TBLS butter
1 onion, sliced
1-2 bulbs garlic, cloves peeled and sliced
4 medium zucchinis (or summer squash), about 1.5-2 pounds, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp ginger powder

Saute onion and garlic in butter until soft and translucent.  Do not brown.  Add zucchini and saute, stirring, until softened.  Add chicken broth and simmer until very tender, 30-45 minutes.  Puree.  Add salt pepper, and ginger powder to taste.

  • 8 cups medium summer squash/zucchini, halved and sliced into ¼” half moons
  • 1 TBLS olive oil
  • 1 TBLS garlic, minced
  • 2 TBLS fresh herb, minced (thyme/basil)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup+ feta, crumbled
  • 2 TBLS parmesan, grated
  • 1 TBLS lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté garlic and herb in oil for 45 seconds. Add squash and cook 4 min, tossing. Mix eggs, feta, sour cream, parmesan, lemon juice, seasonings in small bowl. Layer half of squash in greased 2 qt casserole dish. Pour over half of egg mixture. Layer other half squash and egg mixture. Bake at 375 for 45 min until bubbling. 

  • ½ cup onion, chopped
  • 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound zucchini, chopped
  • Pinch ground nutmeg and chili flakes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup white wine (or replace with broth)
  • 1 1/3 cup chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • Parmesan cheese and yogurt for serving

Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic, zucchini, spices, and seasonings. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring. Add wine, broth, and basil. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer until very tender. Puree. Whisk in parmesan cheese and plain yogurt to taste to each bowl. Serve hot.

A easy breakfast option that can be served warm or cold.  

  • 10 eggs
  • 1 cup grated zucchini, squeezed to remove as much liquid as possible
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese or cottage cheese or homemade yogurt/kefir cheese
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1-2 scallions, chopped or handful of chives or 2 TBLS minced onion
  • 2 TBLS dill, chopped
  • 2 TBLS parsley, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Mix all above ingredients well.  Pour into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish.  Bake at 375 until set, about 25 minutes.

This recipe is very yummy and comes recommended by our family members!  I like to prepare this the night before, put it in the fridge overnight and then put it in the oven for dinner for a very easy and delicous hot meal!

½ large onion, halved and sliced very thin
1-2 medium zucchini or summer squash, sliced very thin
1 pound ground beef (or meat of choice)
12-16 oz tomato sauce or salsa
1-1 ½ cups grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

In the casserole layer some tomato sauce, onion, zucchini, beef, tomato sauce, and cheese.  Repeat another round of the same layer topping off with a good layer of cheese.  Season with salt and pepper, bake in 350 degree oven for 1.25-1.5 hours, and serve.

Sara, our employee, contributed this recipe.  When I made it I used farm fresh tomatoes which made for a juicier and still very delicious lasagna!  You can leave out the beef to make it vegetarian or add any other veggie you like!  Enjoy!

1 pound ground meat (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28-ounce can tomatoes
2-4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3-4 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise very thinly (approx 1/8")
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1-2 eggs
3 cups mozzarella cheese

Brown the meat adding salt until cooked through.  Drain and reserve on plate.  Saute onion in oil until softening.  Add garlic, meat, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer uncovered on medium-low until saucy and thickened.  This took me a while since I was using fresh juicy tomatoes.  If you use canned it will be less time.  Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.  Meanwhile lightly salt zucchini slices and lay on paper towels in one layer for at least 1/2 hour to draw the water out of them.  You should have at least 30-40 slices of zuke.  Combine ricotta, parmesan and egg.  Make layers until you reach the top of a baking dish in this order: meat/tomato sauce, cheese mixture, grated mozzarella, zucchini slices.  Repeat.  Finish with meat sauce at the top.  Bake at 375 for 45 min (part of that covered with foil to prevent too much browning).  Add more mozzarella cheese and bake another 15 mintues until cheese is melted.  Serve!  Also makes good cold leftovers for lunch the next day.

3 ½ cups grated zucchini (if using large ones, remove seed cavity first)
½ sweet pepper, diced
½ cup onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon each of spices like ground mustard, Chinese five spice powder, allspice, cumin, chili flakes
1 hot pepper, minced (optional if you like it hot!)
1 tablespoon salt

In bowl, mix all ingredients.  Transfer to quart jar and pack down leaving at least 1 inch of head room at the top of the jar.  Cover tightly with lid.  Leave at room temperature for 2-5 days and then transfer to the refrigerator.  Check early and often!  Start tasting your relish before 2 days if it is hot because fermentation can happen really fast sometimes!  When you like the taste, chill and enjoy out of your fridge for weeks to months to come.  If it you don't eat it up too fast :)

3-4 medium zucchini or summer squash, cut in half (after roasting you should have 1 1/2 cups chopped)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt to taste

Place zucchini cut side up on baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for about 1 hour or until very soft.  Let zucchini cool, then chop and place with all other ingredients into a food processor.  Process until a smooth and creamy.  Check salt and serve!  Great substitute for mayonaise or can be used as a dip or spread.  Store in the refrigerator.