20 Zesty, and Some Zany, Zucchini Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a giant zucchini called? ›

When zucchini becomes overgrown, it is called a marrow. These large squashes are excellent in a variety of recipes-especially muffins, bread, and cakes due to the structure of the fruit. You can also use the huge zucchini as a stuffed squash.

Of course, large zucchini are still edible, but they lose the delicate flavor and tender texture of their smaller counterparts, which is important in summer favorites like Shaved Squash Salad, Marinated Squash With Hazelnuts and Ricotta and Summer Squash Frittata with Herbs where they're the star.

Save your summer zucchini for the winter by chopping it up and freezing it.

If you've got the time, try salting and draining your zucchini. This method involves liberally salting your sliced zucchini and allowing it to set in a colander (over a bowl) for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour, before patting dry with paper towels or a tea towel.

Cocozelle has one of the tastiest flavors and is far superior to our regular ole' American zucchini if you ask me. They are uniformly straight and best harvested at 6-8” in length. The bush-habit plants are highly productive and very easy to grow.

While freezing zucchini is a great way to extend its life, it's not as simple as just popping a few squash into your freezer. Raw zucchini gets weepy and watery after thawing. To effectively save it, you should chop and blanch it first. This helps set the texture and color and makes it last longer.

Giant zucchinis can sometimes be bitter if raw, so they're best eaten cooked. They would be excellent in baked goods, like cake, bread, or brownies. You'll have plenty of zucchini, so double the recipe and freeze half for later or give some to a friend.

For the best zucchini cake, harvest the squash before it hits the 8-inch mark. Gently wash off any dirt and then cut off the ends, leaving the peel and seeds intact.

Potatoes can also spread diseases such as late blight, which can also affect zucchinis. Cucumbers and pumpkins should not be planted next to zucchinis as they belong to the same family (Cucurbitaceae) and therefore attract similar pests and diseases.

Zucchini and tomatoes can be grown as close neighbors and will make satisfactory companion plants. Both vegetables thrive in the same environmental conditions, so a garden plot that is ideal for one plant is therefore ideal for the other. They both need a location with full sun and benefit from nutrient-rich soil.

How do you store large zucchini? ›

Store them in a plastic or paper bag with one end open to encourage air circulation, and pop them in the refrigerator crisper drawer. They'll keep there for 1 to 2 weeks, though you'll probably see the skin start to shrivel over time.

Trim one end of the zucchini. Working on a cutting board, hold the box grater firmly in one hand. Grip the zucchini a few inches away from the cut end, then grate it, scraping the cut end downward along the side of the grater. Take care to keep your fingers from getting too close to the grates as you work.