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Here are all the best zucchini recipes for the season! There’s something for everyone, from simple side dishes to bread, muffins and cake.

Easy sauteed zucchini

Got zucchini to use up? Here are all the very best zucchini recipes to try! These work in any season, whether you’ve got a boatload of this summer veggie or just bought some at the store. There are so many ways to enjoy this mighty green veggie. Zucchini works with both savory and sweet flavors, so there’s a little something for everyone here. Start with tasty stuffed zucchini for dinner, try a batch of zucchini bread and muffins, and don’t forget chocolate zucchini cake! This veggie makes an unforgettably moist baked goods everyone will be talking about.

And now…the best zucchini recipes to try!

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Zucchini Boats

25 Favorite Zucchini Recipes


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Description

This stuffed zucchini boats recipe has a hearty filling topped with gooey cheese. It’s a tasty dinner idea that pleases everyone!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 medium zucchini
  • Olive oil, for rubbing
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, divided
  • 14 to 16 ounces plant based sausage, crumbles, or standard Italian sausage (or substitute 2 cups Vegan Taco Meat)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 15-ounces fire roasted crushed tomatoes**
  • ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 6 tablespoons grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
  • ½ cup whole milk mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoned panko (or plain panko; omit or use gluten-free breadcrumbs for gluten-free)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil or parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Cut off the stem ends of the zucchini. Cut them each in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides with a spoon: you’ll want a thin edge around the outside of the boat. (Discard the pulp, or use it in smoothies or for another purpose.) Place the boats on a baking sheet and rub each with a bit of olive oil. Then sprinkle all 8 boats with a heaping ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon oregano and fresh ground black pepper, divided between the boats. 
  3. Place the sausage in a medium skillet and cook according to the package instructions, 2 to 3 minutes for plant-based and 6 to 7 for regular sausage (for regular sausage, drain any excess fat after cooking). Add the garlic to the pan with the sausage and cook 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes, fennel seed, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Heat for 1 minute until warmed through. 
  4. Scoop the filling into the zucchini boats. Top with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Then sprinkle with the panko. 
  5. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes before serving. Leftovers store up to 3 days refrigerated. 

Notes

*For plant-based crumbles or sausage, we like Impossible or Beyond (we used Impossible sausage here). For a homemade version, try Vegan Taco Meat: omit the cumin and use ½ tablespoon dried oregano.

**Fire roasted tomatoes add the best flavor here: they taste sweet and smoky right out of the can. If you can’t find them, substitute best quality tomatoes with 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika. Or, use 1 ½ cups best quality marinara sauce.

  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Zucchini Recipes, Easy Zucchini Recipes, Healthy Zucchini Recipes

More summer vegetables

Zucchini is a quintessential summer vegetable that’s everything summer! Here are a few more tasty recipes that are perfect for highlighting summer veggies:

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you’ll want to make again and again.

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