Summertime is when the quality of our fave green summer squash really shines, and it becomes apparent zucchini can be great for more than just zoodles (though we love those too). That said, we’re big fans of zucchini all year long, and not just because they’re an incredible low-carb substitute (second only to superstar cauliflower). Whether you’re new to the vegetable, have a huge summertime bounty you’re trying to get through, or are just looking for some zucchini inspiration, we’ve got a recipe for you. Check out our 66 zucchini recipes for ideas—there’s everything from appetizers to dinners to dessert (really!).
We bet you’re familiar with green zucchini squash, but did you know there are actually a ton of different kinds of summer squash? In addition to green zucchini, there’s yellow squash, costata romanesco (not to be confused with romesco sauce), yellow and grey (sort of light green) zucchini, crookneck and straightneck squash, patty pan, and more. They’re largely interchangeable (though patty pan is a different shape), and you can swap them in and out for these recipes. Who knows, you might find a new favorite!
Let’s start with the basics: you can sauté, grill, or bake zucchini, all to great effect. From there, you can truly use it in anything. Looking for appetizers? Try our spinach artichoke zucchini bites, our air fryer loaded zucchini skins, our air fryer squash, or our cool ranch zucchini chips. Want something low-key for lunch? Try our zucchini grilled cheese, our zucchini salad, our burrito zoodles, or our zucchini taco shells. Looking for a more substantial dinner? You gotta go stuffed zucchini or foil packs. We’re filling ours with all kinds of ingredients, like Italian sausage, , or burrito-fillings in our zucchini boats, or honey mustard chicken or honey-chipotle salmon in our foil packs. Zucchini makes for a great condiment too, like in our zucchini pickles or zucchini relish. You can even use it in dessert! There’s zucchini bread, of course, but we’re also sneaking it into chocolate chip cookies and zucchini brownies too. They’re a great way to sneak some greens into your (or your kids’) diet.
Want more summertime fruit and veggie inspiration? Check out our peach recipes, our eggplant recipes, our savory pineapple recipes (and pineapple desserts), and our tomato recipes too.
1
Zucchini Lattice Lasagna
Yes, classic lasagna is delicious, but when we're craving something a tad less carb-heavy, we turn to this summery zucchini version. Pro tip: Zucchini releases a good amount of water, so we like to dab it with a paper towel when the lasagna is done cooking, and then broil until the cheese is bubbly and crispy. 😍
Get the Zucchini Lattice Lasagna recipe.
2
Zucchini Fries
Light and crispy fried zucchini is one of our favorite Italian appetizers to order out. Deep-frying them at home? Not so much. Instead, these zucchini fries are packed full of the flavor you love without a drop of oil.
Get the Zucchini Fries recipe.
3
Ratatouille Casserole
Ratatouille, a classic end of summer dish from the South of France that features our favorite late-season produce, takes on a new form in this beautiful spiraled casserole that's easier than it looks.
Get the Ratatouille Casserole recipe.
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4
Zucchini Bread
Though zucchini bread sometimes feels like the forgotten cousin of banana bread, we’re here to say—come summertime, this squash-filled quick bread deserves its time in the spotlight.
Get the Zucchini Bread recipe.
5
Air Fryer Loaded Zucchini Skins
These loaded zucchini skins are a fresh twist on potato skins. They're stuffed with cheddar, tomato, and avocado for intense flavor you're gonna love.
Get the Air Fryer Loaded Zucchini Skins recipe.
6
Caramelized Lemon & Zucchini Pasta
This is our “I feel like cooking with a glass of wine in hand” pasta. Boiling the lemons first will help get rid of the excess bitterness, and you can use the same pot of water to cook your pasta in, so really, it barely feels like an extra step (so don't skip it!).
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7
Grilled Zucchini
Zucchini is one of our favorite vegetables to grill in the summer. Why? It's healthy, it's easy, and it cooks SO FAST. This recipe takes just 10 to 15 minutes from start to finish!
Get the Grilled Zucchini recipe.
8
Spinach Artichoke Zucchini Bites
These little guys are the perfect healthy summer appetizer. As the zucchini becomes tender, the spinach and artichoke topping gets nice and melty. If you want a little extra color on your bites, switch the oven to broil on medium and cook them a couple minutes more. (Just keep an eye on them.)
Get the Spinach Artichoke Zucchini Bites recipe.
9
Turkey Zucchini Enchilada Casserole
There are few things zucchini can't do, it seems. Here, the summer squash is standing in for corn tortillas in this lightened-up enchilada-inspired casserole.
Get the Turkey Zucchini Enchilada Casserole recipe.
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10
Burrito Zucchini Boats
You won't miss the tortilla in these stuffed zucchinis. They've got everything you love about your favorite burrito—black beans, corn, CHEESE—minus the carbs!
Get the Zucchini Burrito Boats recipe.
11
Sautéed Zucchini
This easy, quick-sautéed garlic Parmesan zucchini is the perfect summer side dish. It's full of flavor, and the zucchini slightly caramelizes as it cooks in the cast-iron pan. It's our favorite way to use up zucchini (beside chocolate zucchini bread, of course).
Get the Sautéed Zucchini recipe.
12
Summer Bowtie Pasta & Chicken Sausage Skillet Bake
We believe that summer dinners should be both quick and easy, so this skillet pasta dinner requires just a handful of ingredients—bowtie pasta, marinara sauce, chicken sausage, zucchini, bell pepper, spinach... SO EASY.
Get the .
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13
Air Fryer Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Birthday Cake
This cake has a lot of secrets: Zucchini keeps it super moist, instant espresso powder makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey, and apple cider vinegar helps add lift. You won't believe it's vegan!
Get the Air Fryer Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Birthday Cake recipe.
14
Zucchini Tater Tots
Nix the potato for green zucchini to make these keto-friendly tots. You might just like them better than regular ol' tater tots.
Get the Zucchini Tater Tots recipe.
15
Grilled Honey-Chipotle Salmon Foil Packets
Grilling fish can be intimidating, but with foil packs, there's no need to stress. It doesn't have to be just fish inside, either—there's a medley of zucchini and yellow summer squash with a smoky honey-chipotle sauce in this one. 😍
Get the Grilled Honey-Chipotle Salmon Foil Packets recipe.
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16
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Zucchini
If you love all-things "Buff chick," this simple mixture of rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, and Buffalo sauce will make you melt.
Get the Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Zucchini recipe.
17
Zucchini Bolognese
When you cook zucchini low and slow for 4 hours, something magical happens—it turns into an ultra-creamy sauce, perfect for pasta. There's no actual meat in this Bolognese, so feel free to add ground beef or lamb if you want!
Get the Zucchini Bolognese recipe.
18
Lemon Poppy Zucchini Bread
Zucchini bread is always the first thing on our list to make with summer’s squash bounty, but we wanted to switch it up this time. This lemon poppyseed bread is still super-soft, like a zucchini bread should be, with a little bit of tartness thanks to the lemon. Yum!
Get the Lemon Poppy Zucchini Bread recipe.
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19
Zucchini Enchiladas
We created a recipe that will satisfy your craving for cheesy, saucy chicken enchiladas while still keeping things light. Instead of using flour tortillas, we use tender, thin slices of zucchini to wrap up the chicken. Smothered with melted Monterey Jack and spicy enchilada sauce, you'll barely notice the difference!
Get the Zucchini Enchiladas recipe.
20
Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups
This recipe takes some time and patience, but it's just about the prettiest "pasta" dish you'll ever see. If you have mandoline, use it to make the noodles; if you don't, practice your knife skills. 😉
Get the Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups recipe.
Camille Lowder
Digital Food Producer
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
