20 Baking Recipes to Use Up Your Zucchini (2024)

FAQs

Do I need to peel zucchini before baking? ›

Nope! There's no need to peel zucchini. In fact, the skin is a big source of zucchini nutrition (the deep green color is a dead giveaway) so you definitely want to leave the skin on. How to cut zucchini: after giving the zucchini squash a good rinse under cold water, slice off the stem and discard it.

What Does Zucchini Replace in Baking? Zucchini acts as a wet ingredient in baking. It doesn't necessarily replace a fat like oil or a binding ingredient like eggs, but it does add moisture and volume.

Grate your zucchini (no need to remove the peel) using either a box grater or a food processor with a grating attachment. Drape a clean dish towel over a large pot or bowl and place the shredded zucchini on top of the towel.

We're sometimes asked, "Can I freeze a whole zucchini?" You certainly can, but it will be much more challenging to thaw and use later. (Imagine trying to shred a soggy whole thawed squash.) So instead, we recommend tackling the shape in advance so you can put the frozen zucchini to quick use when you're ready.

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.

Zucchini is made of over 90% water. When cooked, it gets soft and slowly releases that water into whatever dish you're cooking. If zucchini is overcooked, it will have a mushy, soft texture. In certain recipes, the author may recommend that zucchini be patted dry or salted and drained before cooking.

ELEVATE THE ZUCCHINI by placing it on a baking rack, then setting that baking rack on top of your regular baking sheet. This allows air to circulate on all sides of the zucchini and helps water evaporate so the zucchini is beautifully caramelized, not soggy.

Slice and salt zucchini in advance of cooking to draw out some of the vegetable's excess moisture (while also seasoning it more thoroughly). To do this, cut up a pound of zucchini and toss it with ½ teaspoon of table salt. Let it drain in a colander for about 30 minutes before patting it dry and cooking it.

Zucchini contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds. Cooked zucchini is particularly high in vitamin A, though raw zucchini contains slightly less.

In baking, consider zucchini as an ingredient similar to bananas or applesauce. It adds a wonderful texture and moistness to baked goods, and helps bulk up cakes and breads and muffins with a boost of nutrition, too! Zucchini has such a mild flavor that it pairs beautifully with everything from cinnamon to chocolate.

How many zucchini equal 2 cups shredded? ›

A medium zucchini will result in approximately 1 cup of shredded zucchini. If you happen to be using a larger zucchini and the seeds are large, cut the zucchini lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

To store zucchini in the fridge, keep the squash whole, dry and unwashed. 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.

How Do You Keep Zucchini From Getting Soggy When Frozen? If you are freezing shredded zucchini then the best way to is REALLY squeeze out as much of the water as you can using a cheesecloth. If you are freezing slices or quarters then make sure you blanch them first and them pat them dry before freezing.

If you have more fresh zucchini than you can eat, freezing it is the fastest & easiest way to preserve it. Today, I'm showing you how to freeze zucchini (in just minutes!), and how you can use frozen zucchini, once you have it.

Got a green wave of zucchini heading your way? Use that bumper crop to stock your freezer. Shredding and freezing will keep you happily cooking and baking with it for months to come. Here's the quick, easy way to build a stash.

Yes, you could chop up your zucchini and freeze it just as it is, but I think it's worth your effort to blanch it first. Blanching — giving the zucchini a quick dunk in boiling water — deactivates the enzymes that would otherwise cause the zucchini to become mushy and discolored.

Blanch and store in the freezer

Zucchini will keep for about 3 months in the freezer, which is your best bet if you've got more squash than you can deal with in the foreseeable future.