Whether it grew out of control while you were away for the long weekend or a coworker sneakily left one on your desk and won't own up to it, you're probably stuck with a giant zucchini or two right now! If you're over the zucchini and chocolate muffin combo, here are some other delicious ideas for using up a lot of zucchini. I have stuck mainly with ideas that use grated zucchini as this is a great way to use a lot at once since it cooks down so quickly.
1. Sweet baked goods that aren't double chocolate zucchini muffins
While it seems our go-to is always chocolate and zucchini, there are infinite recipes online for using zucchini in baked goods without chocolate. Zucchini-carrot cake, zucchini lemon scones, zucchini banana bread - if you think sounds good, Google it and you'll probably find a recipe!
2. Zucchini pancakes/fritters
I personally LOVE this recipe for Chinese Zucchini Pancakes, but there are hundreds of other recipes out there that mix zucchini with other vegetables such as potatoes.
3. Zucchini butter
Zucchini butter involves cooking down shredded zucchini in butter or olive oil until it's got a spreadable consistency. Then you can use it as a delicious spread or dip (try in a grilled cheese), in an omelet, as a pizza/flatbread topping, or even as a pasta sauce.
4. Zucchini frittata or zucchini slice
What is easier than mixing some grated zucchini and cheese with eggs and throwing it in the oven? If you want to get a little fancier (but just barely), the zucchini dish I've been most obsessed with this summer is Australian zucchini slice - recipe at the end of this post!
5. Zucchini casserole
Grated, sliced, cubed, with cheese or without, straight zucchini or mixed with other vegetables, there are endless options for zucchini casserole. Make a big batch for lunches all week!
6. Freeze it for later
If you just don't have time to make all the things right now, use the squeezing method described in the recipe below to remove excess water, and then freeze grated zucchini to use during the winter months.
Zucchini Slice Recipe
This is a popular Australian recipe that I just discovered this summer and I can't get enough! It makes amazing leftovers and is perfect for a packed lunch or quick breakfast. I initially got the recipe from Budget Bytes but have adapted it for my own preferences.
Makes 8 servings
Preheat oven to 375
Ingredients:
- Approximately 2 cups grated zucchini
- 1/2 cup green onion, chopped small
- 1/4 cup green pepper, sliced thin (optional)
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded cheddar (or other sharp cheese)
- 1 cup flour (white or whole wheat is fine)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 150g ham, sliced or cubed (about 1 cup)
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp salt
Put the zucchini in a colander, add the salt, mix in with your fingers, and set over a bowl or sink to drain for 10 minutes.
Mix the onion, green pepper, eggs, cheese, ham, and oil.
Mix the dry ingredients.
Squeeze the liquid out of the zucchini. There are a few options for this - you can put it into a tea towel or cheesecloth and wring it out, just squeeze handfuls of zucchini with your bare hands, or use a potato ricer. Do not rinse the zucchini before (or after) to remove salt - any excess salt will drain off, and you want to keep some salt for flavour.
Mix the zucchini in with the wet ingredients and then add the dry ingredients.
Spread batter into a 9x13 pan, either greased or lined with parchment. Bake for 30-40 minutes until it is firm to the touch. Allow to cool and slice into 8 pieces. Can be served at any temperature.
