Zucchini
Zucchini is a mild, tender summer squash that absorbs seasonings beautifully. Pick them young for the best texture—larger ones get watery and seedy.
Storage
Store unwashed in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer. Keep away from ethylene-producing fruits like apples and tomatoes, which speed up decay. Don't wash until ready to use—moisture encourages mold.
Keeps For
5-7 days refrigerated. Use within a few days for best texture; older zucchini get spongy.
Flavor Profile
Young zucchini are mild and slightly sweet with firm, moist flesh. The skin is tender and completely edible. As they grow larger, the flesh becomes more watery and seedy, and the skin toughens, but some varieties develop richer flavors. Cooking concentrates the flavor and brings out a subtle nuttiness.
How to Prep
When young, no need to peel. The skin is thin and adds color. For sautéing or grilling, cut into even pieces so they cook uniformly. Salt sliced zucchini and let it drain for 15-20 minutes before cooking to draw out excess moisture and prevent soggy results. Pat dry before hitting the pan. When working with more mature fruit, it's sometimes best to peel it and remove any woody seeds from the central cavity.
Ways to Cook
- 1 Grill thick slices brushed with olive oil
- 2 Sauté with garlic as a quick side dish
- 3 Spiralize into noodles for a low-carb pasta swap
- 4 Slice thin for raw salads with lemon and parmesan
- 5 Bake into zucchini bread, muffins, or chocolate cake
- 6 Add to stir-fries in the last few minutes
- 7 Stuff halves with grain fillings and bake
- 8 Grate into fritters or pancakes
Pairs Well With
Good to Know
Larger zucchini (over 8 inches) have tougher skin, more seeds, and waterier flesh. In the U.K., they call these large vegetables "marrow". If you find yourself with a large zucchini, don't shy away. There's a lot of flavor there! One of our favorites is making bread-and-butter pickles with overripe zucchini. If you can get your hands on the blossoms of zucchini, they are delightful. Don't throw away the zucchini stem! They have a lovely flavor, sort of like artichoke.
Did You Know?
Zucchini was bred in 19th-century Italy—a relatively recent addition to the summer-squash family, selected for tender skin and mild flavor. The name comes from the Italian zucca (squash) with the -ini suffix meaning 'little.' The British call it courgette (from French), while in much of South Asia it goes by turai or tori. The most universally known fact about zucchini may be that a single plant can produce 20-40 pounds over one summer, which is why mid-August neighbors start avoiding eye contact with anyone carrying a grocery bag.
Recipe Inspiration
Common Questions About Zucchini
Can you eat zucchini raw?
Absolutely. Raw zucchini is mild and refreshing—slice it thin for salads, cut into sticks for dipping, or spiralize it into cold noodles. It's less watery than cucumber with a subtle sweetness. Young, small zucchini are best for eating raw.
Do you need to peel zucchini?
Usually, the skin is thin, tender, and completely edible. It adds color and a little extra texture. If your zucchini is on the larger side and the skin feels tough, you can peel it, but for most zucchini it's unnecessary work.
Can you freeze zucchini?
Yes, but the texture changes. Raw frozen zucchini turns mushy when thawed—fine for soups, smoothies, or baking into bread, but not great for sautéing. For best results, grate it, squeeze out excess moisture, and freeze in measured portions for baking.
Can you freeze zucchini noodles?
You can, but they'll be softer when thawed. Blanch them briefly (30 seconds), ice bath, dry thoroughly, then freeze flat on a sheet before bagging. Use them in cooked dishes rather than cold salads. Honestly, zucchini is so abundant in season that making them fresh is usually easier.
Does zucchini need to be refrigerated?
Yes. Unlike winter squash, zucchini is a summer squash with thin skin and high moisture—it'll get soft and wrinkly at room temperature within a couple days. The crisper drawer keeps it firm for about a week.
Does zucchini bread need to be refrigerated?
At room temperature, it'll last 2-3 days wrapped well. For longer storage, refrigerate (up to a week) or freeze (several months). The moisture from the zucchini keeps it tender but also means it can mold faster than drier quick breads.
How do you know when zucchini has gone bad?
Soft spots, wrinkling, and sliminess are the main signs. A little give when you press it means use it soon; actual mushiness means it's past its prime. Slimy zucchini should go to the compost. A few small soft spots can be cut away if the rest is firm.
Why is my zucchini bitter?
Bitter zucchini contains cucurbitacins—compounds that develop from plant stress (drought, temperature swings, cross-pollination with ornamental gourds). This is rare in store-bought or farm zucchini, but taste a small piece before cooking a big batch if you're unsure.
What do you do with too much zucchini?
Peak season zucchini abundance is real. Grate and freeze it for winter baking (measure into 1-2 cup portions). Make zucchini bread, muffins, or chocolate cake. Grill big batches and serve all week. Give it to neighbors—they'll be grateful until they're not. Or our favorite, make bread-and-butter pickles!
Is zucchini a fruit or vegetable?
Botanically it's a fruit—the mature ovary of a flower containing seeds. Culinarily it's a vegetable because we cook it like one. This is true of tomatoes, peppers, and most 'vegetables' that have seeds inside.
Are zucchini and cucumber related?
They're both in the Cucurbitaceae (gourd) family, along with melons, pumpkins, and squash. But zucchini is a summer squash while cucumber is its own thing. They look similar but taste and cook differently—zucchini holds up to heat, cucumber doesn't.
What is zucchini called in England?
Courgette. The British use the French name, while Americans use the Italian. Same vegetable, different word. If a recipe calls for courgettes, it means zucchini. When they get really large, they call them a marrow.
Why put zucchini in chocolate cake?
Same reason you put it in bread—the moisture keeps baked goods incredibly tender. You can't taste the zucchini at all; it just disappears into the crumb. It's a clever way to use up the summer glut and makes a surprisingly moist cake.
Should you peel zucchini for bread?
No need. The skin gets soft when baked and the green flecks look nice. You'll grate the whole thing, skin and all. Just wash it first and trim off the ends.
How do you make zucchini noodles?
Use a spiralizer, julienne peeler, or vegetable peeler for ribbons. A spiralizer gives the most noodle-like results. Salt the noodles and let them drain for 10 minutes to reduce wateriness, then eat raw with pesto or quickly sauté (just 1-2 minutes—they cook fast and get mushy if overdone).
How much zucchini makes a cup of noodles?
One medium zucchini (about 7-8 inches) yields roughly 1.5-2 cups of spiralized noodles. They shrink a bit when salted and drained, and more if you cook them. Plan on one medium zucchini per person as a main dish, or half as a side.
What's the best way to cook zucchini?
High heat and don't crowd the pan. Zucchini is mostly water—if you pile it in, it steams instead of browning. Slice into thick rounds or planks, get your pan or grill ripping hot, and give it color on each side. Salt after cooking, not before, or you'll draw out moisture and end up with mush.
Is zucchini a type of squash?
Yes—it's a summer squash, meaning it's harvested immature with soft, edible skin. Winter squash (butternut, acorn, pumpkin) are left to mature until their skin hardens. Zucchini's closest relatives are yellow squash and pattypan.
Are zucchini flowers edible?
Yes, and they're a delicacy. The yellow-orange blossoms that appear on zucchini plants can be stuffed with ricotta and herbs, battered and fried, or chopped raw into salads and quesadillas. Male flowers (the ones on longer, thinner stems without a baby zucchini attached) are the usual pick since they don't produce fruit anyway. Use them the day you pick them—they wilt within hours. Most farmers' markets sell them in summer, and good Italian restaurants put them on specials menus in July and August.
Should I salt zucchini before cooking?
For some uses, yes. Salting sliced zucchini and letting it drain for 15-30 minutes pulls out excess moisture, which helps it brown instead of steam when you sauté or grill. Pat dry before cooking. This matters most for high-heat, dry cooking methods; for stews, soups, or zucchini bread where moisture is welcome, skip the salting. Don't salt before roasting at 425°F either—the high heat handles moisture fine on its own.
What does zucchini taste like?
Mild, slightly sweet, slightly grassy, and rich. Grocery store zucchini tends to taste pretty bland, but a food farm's fresh zucchini can really pack some flavor. Raw, it's crisp and watery like a cross between cucumber and summer squash. When cooked, it becomes tender and takes on a subtle nuttiness, especially when browned. The flavor is why zucchini goes with almost everything and why it disappears into baked goods without making them taste like vegetables.
How long does zucchini last in the fridge?
About a week in the crisper drawer, with peak quality in the first 3-5 days. Past that, the skin can wrinkle and the flesh gets soft. Zucchini doesn't tolerate room temperature well—it'll go soft in 2-3 days on the counter in summer. Keep it dry (don't wash until you're ready to use it) and the fridge is fine.
How do you make zucchini fries?
Cut zucchini into thick stick shapes (about the size of steak fries). Dip in beaten egg, then dredge in seasoned breadcrumbs or panko. Bake at 425°F on a parchment-lined sheet pan for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. Or fry in shallow oil for 3-4 minutes per side. Salt immediately out of the oven. The coating keeps them from going soggy, which is the usual zucchini problem.
Does zucchini cause gas?
It can for some people—zucchini contains complex sugars and some fiber that can ferment in the gut and cause bloating. This is usually mild compared to broccoli or beans. Cooking makes zucchini easier to digest than raw. If you're sensitive to FODMAPs, zucchini is generally considered low-FODMAP and well-tolerated, but individual reactions vary.
What are zucchini noodles called?
Zoodles is the common nickname. They're spiralized strands of raw zucchini used as a pasta substitute—lower-carb than traditional noodles and a good way to use up the summer glut. Eat raw with pesto or sauce, or sauté briefly (1-2 minutes max, they go mushy fast).