Too much zucchini? These are the smartest ways to use it up

Every summer, gardeners and farmers’ market shoppers face the same problem: more zucchini than they know what to do with. The good news: There’s so much you can do with it. And not all zucchini is alike. There are over 100 varieties of zucchini, ranging from the standard dark green zucchini Americans may be most familiar with at supermarkets, to the popular ridged Italian variety cocozelle to rounder Mexican calabacitas. Whether you’re stocking up every shopping trip or find yourself literally knee-deep in zucchini in the yard, here’s what to do with all that good summer squash.

Pro tip: Zucchini can be up to 95% water, meaning there’s a lot of liquid to cook off. There are plenty of ways to avoid that making your cooked zucchini watery. Before cooking, sprinkle salt over sliced zucchini and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Then, pat it dry with towels to remove all the moisture the salt drew out. Cooking zucchini more quickly at high heat also helps lock in hydration inside the zucchini and prevents a watery pan. And speaking of water, don’t crowd zucchini in any vessel you’re cooking it in, as the water escaping it will steam any overlapping zucchini or even create a pool of water in your cookware.

Make butter

If you’ve got more zucchini than you know what to do with, there’s one tried-and-true way to cook down a big batch into something incredibly versatile: zucchini butter. This savory, spreadable condiment transforms pounds of this fruit (yes, it’s technically a fruit!) into a rich, concentrated mixture that can be stirred into pasta or grains, spread on sandwiches and toast, folded into omelets, swirled into sauces, or used anywhere you want an extra boost of savory flavor.

Sometimes called zucchini jam, zucchini butter works by slowly cooking grated zucchini until its moisture evaporates and the natural sugars caramelize, creating a deeply flavorful spread. It’s also one of the most efficient ways to use several pounds of zucchini at once.

1. Grate as much zucchini as you’d like, either by hand or with a food processor.
2. Transfer the grated zucchini to a colander, sprinkle generously with salt, and let it drain for 15 to 30 minutes. Squeeze out any remaining excess moisture with your hands or a clean kitchen towel.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter or olive oil.
4. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until it has cooked down significantly and is soft, jammy, and lightly caramelized, 30 to 45 minutes (depending on the amount). If the zucchini begins to brown too quickly, reduce the heat.
5. For extra flavor, cook finely chopped garlic, shallots, or onions in the pan before adding the zucchini, or stir in fresh herbs, black pepper, lemon zest, or grated Parmesan at the end.

Store zucchini butter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. It can be enjoyed warm or cold, and it also freezes well for several months. Thaw and stir it into soups, sauces, pasta, risotto, or other cooked dishes whenever you need an easy hit of summer flavor.

Bake it into sweet treats

Because it’s so moist and able to take on so many different flavors, zucchini is a great addition to baked goods. Try making an easy zucchini bread, zucchini cookies, or chocolate-zucchini bran muffins. These mini zucchini sesame loaves are perfect for snacking on all day long.

Zucchini can be shredded with a food processor or by hand, salted, and squeezed to remove extra water before stirring it into your favorite pancake batter or cookie dough for extra fiber too.

Turn zucchini into easy dinners

Having good zucchini on hand can be a gift on busy weeknights.

These zucchini fritters with ricotta make a great side dish or main, and zucchini linguine is always a good idea. Or break out the spiralizer to make zoodles. Sausage-stuffed zucchini boats or chorizo-stuffed zucchini are a quick way to pack in the protein, and soy chorizo is a nice plant-based option. Summer minestrone is a cozy, simple dinner option.

Even if you don’t want to cook, this stone fruit and zucchini corn salad is refreshing and quick to make, and zucchini panzanella is another classic. This lemon orzo salad takes just minutes to make and is a great side or base for a grain bowl.

Put the grill to work

Grilling is a great way to cook a large quantity of zucchini at once and achieve a concentrated zucchini flavor. Zucchini can be simply sliced and set on oiled grill grates for a quick grilled zucchini, or made into more elaborate dishes like pesto shrimp and zucchini skewers or grilled basil chicken and zucchini. This grilled zucchini with coconut chile drizzle and fresh mint looks super elevated, or grilled zucchini pizza is perfect for a slow summer night. Shaved zucchini is also a nice addition to veggie skillet lasagna, which can be heated on the grill.

Freeze zucchini for later

Freezing zucchini is one of the easiest ways to enjoy it long after peak season. You can freeze it shredded, sliced into rounds or planks, or diced, depending on how you plan to use it.

For sliced or diced zucchini:

1. Cut the zucchini into your desired shape.
2. (Optional) Blanch the pieces in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer immediately to an ice bath. Blanching helps preserve the zucchini's texture, color, and flavor during long-term storage.
3. Pat the zucchini completely dry.
4. Arrange the pieces in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
5. Transfer to freezer-safe bags or airtight containers and store for up to 6 months.

Frozen zucchini is best cooked directly from frozen, as thawing first can make it mushy.

For shredded zucchini:

1. Grate the zucchini and gently squeeze out some of the excess moisture.
2. Spread it in a thin, even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid.
3. Break the frozen zucchini into smaller pieces or portions, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container.

For baking, thaw the shredded zucchini first, then squeeze out any excess liquid before adding it to your batter. For soups, sauces, casseroles, or other cooked dishes, you can add it straight from the freezer.

More creative ways to use every last zucchini

Once you start using zucchini in more creative ways, it’s a challenge to not use zucchini in everything.

You can use zucchini in plenty of recipes that typically use eggplant, whether it’s thinly sliced and wrapped as zucchini rollatini, breaded in zucchini parm, or cubed and fried for rigatoni alla norma. Zucchini can also be shredded and used instead of or in addition to potatoes in homemade gnocchi, or grilled in thin planks and added to summer sandwiches, like a fully loaded BLT with zucchini or in a pita with protein.

Diced or halved zucchini can be added to pretty much any stir-fry, and thinly sliced zucchini rounds can be adorned with citrus dressing and fresh herbs to make a zucchini carpaccio. Zucchini can also be added to egg dishes, like quiches and frittatas, shredded or thinly sliced on top.

With so many possibilities, the hardest part might be saving enough zucchini to make zucchini bread.