I actually have a zucchini plant this year that so far has not been attacked by vine borers. Hooray! As I sat down to a plate of fried zucchini at lunchtime, I thought we could use a thread for all our favorite ways to fix zucchini.

Those with bumper crops may be less tempted to leave squash anonymously on doorsteps... or at least print out a recipe to go with it!

The zucchini harvest photo at the top of this thread was contributed to Wikimedia by Touzrimounir, November 2, 1014, and is used under the Creative Commons Atrtribution Share Alike 4.0 license.

Mom's Zucchini with Breadcrumbs

My mom tried many recipes for fried zucchini, and the crumb coating always came off. This is the easy version! Amounts of breadcrumbs etc vary according to personal taste as well as to the amount of zucchini you're making.

preparation time: how fast can you slice zucchini
cook time: 5-10 minutes

fresh zucchini, sliced 1/8-1/4" thick
1-2 handfuls Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 - 1 handful grated parmesan cheese
1-2 tbsp mixed dried Italian herbs
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste.

Slice the zucchini as evenly as possible. I use a big pan so the zucchini can be in a single layer. If your pan is smaller, that's fine, you'll just need to cook it longer and flip it around more.

Preheat frying pan on high, then add oil, heat until oil shimmers or barely starts to smoke. You can do this in a nonstick skillet using less oil, but a little oil does help brown the breadcrumbs. Add zucchini. Use a spatula to flip it around the pan every minute or two. When zucchini is halfway done (translucent around the edges), add the breadcrumbs. I like to add half, flip the slices, then add the other half. When the breadcrumbs start looking toasted, the zucchini should be tender. Add the parmesan and flip around once more to distribute.

Pass the salt & pepper at the table. Yum!

That sounds great, Jill.
I just cooked some in a skillet. Cubed, Tossed with oil, salt, pepper, a little Goya Adobo, then skillet. Had a lot of water to release.

I have made spears and speinkled on a similar seasoned breadcrumb and parm topping then baked in hot oven. ( baking in a cold oven never seems to work well)

We fry them here. Egg, seasoned flour and oil. As soon as they pop out we're nabbing them. I have grown zucchini before and never had issues with SVB. Now if I grow yellow squash they'll be there before I can even get any so I quit those. No time for zukes this year but hopefully next year I can do a plant or two.

Here's one of my favorite zucchini recipes; it was originally a recipe for eggplant, from an old (1970s) Pillsbury Bakeoff cookbook...

The original recipe calls for using a pie crust, I personally do not think the crust adds much to the dish.

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups sliced and quartered zucchini
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Saute green pepper and onion in butter in medium skillet until tender. Blend in tomato sauce, salt and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil. Add zucchini and cook stirring occasionally, until zucchini is almost tender. Place half of mixture in (sprayed) pie plate, top with half of cheese. Add remainder of zucchini mixture and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

yum, yum, and yum!

My favorite way to prepare eggplant also involves zucchini. I've found that vodka marinara sauce pairs perfectly with eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash. Proportions below are approximate and adjustable. If you add the optional tomatoes (fresh or canned), then you'll want to use 1-2 Tbsp dried Italian herbs (1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp oregano, 2 tsp basil if you don't have a blend on hand). There's no need to remove the skin on the eggplant or squash unless it's exceptionally tough or bitter. If you leave the skin on the eggplant, you may need to simmer it a few extra minutes so it softens. This is easy to make, because you keep chopping and adding the veggies -- first the eggplant, then the squash, then the onion & mushrooms & peppers. By the time the peppers go in, the eggplant should be about done.

Jill's summer veggie pasta
1 jar vodka marinara sauce
4 oz wine (red or white, just not sweet)
1-2 cups diced tomatoes or 1 can tomatoes (optional)
1-2 Tablespoons mixed dried Italian herbs (if using optional tomatoes)
1 pound eggplant, cubed
1 pound zucchini and/or summer squash, cubed
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 pound pasta, cooked and drained
1/4 cup or more shredded mozarella

Combine marinara sauce and wine in a large skillet or pot, over medium heat. Add tomatoes and additional seasoning, if using. When it starts simmering, add the eggplant. When the eggplant begins to soften (8-12 minutes), add the squash and continue to simmer 5 minutes more. Add peppers, onion, and mushrooms (if using) and simmer another 5-10 minutes until all veggies are tender. Stir in cooked pasta (we like to use tortellini or Barilla Protein Plus pasta if this is a main dish). Add shredded mozzarella just before serving.

Mm, I have small eggplants to use. Sandy, I imagine you could use a mix of eggplant and zucchini in that.

Yes, I think Sandy's oven recipe is similar to my skillet recipe. However, I have to say that there's something about vodka marinara sauce that pairs perfectly with eggplant.

We dip sliced zucchini in egg,milk,flour,salt and pepper with butter on tin foil on the grill.

That looks delicious! Clever way to cook them and be able to turn them without losing the coating.

Does anybody have Medody's chcoolate zucchini cake recipe? I may have to go to DG and see if I can find it...

Chocolate Zucchini cake should be google able. I made that in High school times.

Roasted
I cubed a pound of zucchini and not quite half pound of eggplant ( 2 small skinny ones) chopped 3 cloves garlic, about a dozen cherry tomatoes, tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper, splash of balsamic vinegar, and Goya Saisonador Totale. Baked 450, half hour, then oven off and sprinkled shredded Parmesan over and let oven heat melt it. Deee licious.

"Goya Saisonador Totale" ??

I think I might have to go online for that one, rather limited in our grocery stores here!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IM0EO8/

A seasoning mix with MSG, I see.. You could sub for it. I cant say how much it added to my dish above, or not. Its handy to add to plain vegetables or sandwich.

Hi Yall!

Zucchini recipes caught my attention with this thread in the newsletter!

I copied and pasted a recipe that I posted on Chow Time.

While watching a cooking contest on public tv,
I was interested in 3 sisters soup, that combines corn, beans, and squash,
recipe story said this is a Native American soup
that can use different varieties of these vegetables.

On the cooking contest, chef used butter nut squash

This recipe for 3 Sisters Soup uses zucchini!

Back to cooking contest for 3 Sisters Soup!

On the cooking show, the chef used butter nut squash cooked in boiling water.
The judges suggested roasting butter nut squash for extra flavor!
If I remember correctly, it was butter nut squash,
though I think other types of squash, like zucchini, can be used.

This is a recipe I found for Three Sisters Soup!

Three Sisters Soup!

EQUIPMENT
A large soup pot or Dutch oven
INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb red potatoes, diced (no need to peel)
1 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin
2 bay leaves
32 ounces chicken broth (vegetable broth can be used)
28 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1 jalapeño pepper, minced (leave out for less heat)
1 zucchini, diced (do not peel)
1 summer squash, diced (do not peel)
3 ears corn, kernels removed
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
(can use other types of veggies and beans)
GARNISH (OPTIONAL)

fresh parsley
grated cheese such as Parmesan or Asiago
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven and add the diced onion. Saute for five minutes, stirring often, until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook a minute or two longer.
sautéing onions and garlic

Add the potatoes, chipotle powder, cumin, and bay leaves to the pot and cook a couple of more minutes, stirring almost constantly.
sautéing vegetables for six sisters soup
Add the broth and tomatoes to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the jalapeños, if using, at this point too. Bring to a boil.
adding broth and tomatoes to soup pot
Lower the heat and simmer just until the potatoes are just tender, about 8-12 minutes. You can cover the pot if you like, but make sure you're cooking at a simmer, not a full boil.
simmering broth for six sisters soup
Add the zucchini, summer squash, corn and beans, and bring the soup back to a bubble. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add more chipotle or cumin at this point if you like. Cover and let the soup simmer for just a few minutes. You just want to take the raw edge off your veggies. When they taste just barely tender, the soup is finished. Add water if your soup seems too thick.
adding corn, beans, and squash to six sisters soup
Serve the soup topped with fresh parsley, and a sprinkle of cheese, if you like.
Three Sisters Soup in a black bowl

NUTRITION
Calories: 162 kcal · Carbohydrates: 28 g · Protein: 7 g · Fat: 4 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 456 mg · Potassium: 805 mg · Fiber: 6 g · Sugar: 8 g · Vitamin A: 371 IU · Vitamin C: 27 mg · Calcium: 56 mg · Iron: 3 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Source: https://theviewfromgreatisland...

Savor this souper soup!

I often do breaded fried slices of zucchini.
Also as pancakes: peeled, grated zucchini - salt and let stand for half an hour, then drain and wring out in a tea-towel; mix with beaten eggs, flour (I add chick pea flour and hemp protein) fry on a crepe pan with thin coating of oil.
Finely diced with chopped onion, carrot, bok choi stems if there happen to be any, maybe some frozen peas, sauteed and added to the slow cooker with rice.
The ones that get away and grow too big: hollowed out and stuffed with a sauteed mix of finely chopped onion, green pepper and TVP, chopped tomato, cilantro; roasted; topped with cheese just before it's finished baking.

good ones, Serpent. I keep thinking I want to make fritters of all sorts of veg.

something on facebook started a video where they made lengthwise slices, and pounded with a meat mallet- it was so slow paced I quit watching.

I think one plant is going down with SVB.

Zucchini Bread
Mix and beat til creamy: 2 c. granulated sugar, 1 c. veg or canola oil, 2 tsp vanilla, 3 eggs
Add 2 cups shredded zucchini
Mix these dry ingredients and add to above mixture:
3 c. flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
Fold in: 1 c. drained crushed pineapple, 1 c. chopped nuts, 3/4 c. golden raisins
Mix well and pour into two greased/floured loaf pans.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or so til tests done with pick insert.

Zucchini Lasagna
1 lb lean ground beef
15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried Basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 c cottage cheese
1/4 c grated Romano or Parmesan
1 egg
1 1/2 lb zucchini cut lengthwise into 1/4" slices (about 2 medium sized ones)
2TB flour - divided
4 oz shredded mozzarella - divided
1/4 c Romano or Parmesan

Heat oven to 350
Lightly grease 9x9 pan or 10" square
Cook and stir meat in skillet til brown, drain fat and return to skillet. Add tomato sauce, garlic salt, basil & oregano. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered til consistency of spaghetti sauce (about 10 minutes).
Mix: cottage cheese, 1/4 c Romano/Parm, and egg.
Layer HALF of each in pan: zucchini slices, flour, cottage cheese mix, meat sauce, mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with 1/4 c Romano or Parmesan
Bake uncovered 45 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes to serve.

Hi Yall!

all recipes sound tasty!

I have zucchini in fridge,
so need to be sure to use them!

"zoodles" are popular as noodles.

I think there are "tools" to help make zoodles.

Serpent's use of stuffing zucchini reminds me of zucchni boats.

I "googled" zucchini boats and saw many recipes,
stuffing with ground beef, turkey, chicken, sausage
with marinara sauce and topped with cheese, then baked.
You can also use a grain like quinoa (sp?).

Wish I have fresh zucchini!

Do yall have tips for buying them?

I try to get smaller (skinny) zucchini when I'm at the store. Other than that, look for ones that are firm all over, no brown or soft spots.

Love the idea of 3 sisters soup!