No Such Thing As Too Much Zucchini: 10 Great Uses

No Such Thing As Too Much Zucchini

10 Great Uses for Summer Squash (or Zucchini)

No Such Thing as Too Much Zucchini


 

1)      In baked goods

You so knew I was going to say this one!  Experiment, though; don’t just stick to zucchini bread, and if you are—please use chocolate chips!  Anyway, I’ve slipped shredded zucchini into cookies, muffins, and regular yeast breads.  I’ve also put it into apple cake before, too.  Just remember that you are adding some moisture and so you will need to adjust the recipe ever-so-slightly.  Don’t be afraid to try something new with it.


2)      Soups & Casseroles

Yes, okay…I’m getting the obvious suggestions out of the way.   Most of us eat who preserve our own foods eat so much soup in the winter that we like the summer break from it.  Truthfully, I haven’t made soup in over a month and don’t plan on it during zucchini season.  I did, however, make great cabbage rolls and rolled lasagna noodles—both dishes lend themselves to hidden zucchini is shredded form. 


3)      In the freezer— for future baked goods, soups, & casseroles.

Cuz’ yeah, I already said.  No soup for you…at least, not in the summer when fresh, crisp garden veggies abound!  No prep work needed; I recommend peeling them before shredding.  Then place the shredded zucchini into cheesecloth and squeeze the ever-lovin’ moisture out of them; better choices are  the  stainless steel chinois  or the jumbo potato ricer, which does wonders with less wrist-and-hand action.  Use a vacuum sealer to ensure that they are air-tight before freezer storage.  Anything inherently wet like zucchini  is ripe for freezer burn, so taking a few precautions will prolong the freezer life. 



CheeseclothStainless Steel Chinois with Wooden PestlePotato Ricer



4)      Side Dish


Saute by One Ash Farm


This is the last “well, duh” answer, I promise.  But there are multiple things to do with this!  Read One Ash Farm’s recipe for sauteed summer squash here.  These veggies also have a long history of being deep-fried, oh-yeah….I’m having a Midwestern craving now.  You can use a spiral slicer or a julienne slicer (triple peeler)  to make “spaghetti”—a common paleo take on the old Italian fave.  You can slice thinly and serve over rice noodles, along with chopsticks and a dipping sauce made of soy sauce (we use Amino Acids—much healthier) and peanut oil.  An old Japanese friend taught me this one and it’s brilliant in simplicity and flavor.  It can be rather fun watching others splash their noodles attempting to “dip” with chopsticks. 


5)      Powdered

This mixes well into pastas or chuck it into the crock pot for a ‘little-of-this’ soup or stew.   Since zucchini has a substantial amount of Vitamin C, Manganese, and the B12 vitamins, it’s a great food storage item!  Pantry Paratus has a great post about vegetable powders that explain it in detail.  Here is a warning, though; because zucchini is very moist, you will get a lot of shrinkage.  Use paraflexx sheets with shredded zucchini, it will keep the mess down considerably.



6)      Zucchini chips—my favorite use!

With a long life history of pre-processed junk food, I suffer from uncontrollable cravings at times.  I have zero self-control with potato chips; I cannot go near them.  So instead, we slice zucchini into medallions, lightly salt, and dehydrate! Wow!  They are great just like that, but also make a quick appetizer when arranged on a tray with dehydrated tomato slices and a bowl of homemade ranch dressing.


Zucchini Chips



7)      Candy!

No lie, check out this post from CommonSenseHomesteading.com


Summer Squash Gummy Candy

I have yet to try this but am super-excited.  I once had an addiction to gummy bears and have yet to find something that satisfies that craving since switching to a whole foods diet. 


8)       Pickled & Canned

Not many people do this, but I don’t know why.  Tasty! Books like Put ‘Em Up! and Pickled Pantry have entire sections devoted to zucchini, or summer squash.

Pickled Pantry


9)      Barter Economy

Maybe you have too much zucchini, maybe someone else has so many flowers, they’d share a bouquet with you!  Or perhaps they overplanted tomatoes this year (is that even possible?) or something else that did not do so well for you.  Maybe an avid baker will take all of your zucchini in exchange for a couple of loaves of zucchini bread in return.


Barter Economy



10)  Gifting the Ungardened

This may seem similar to bartering, but no.  There are those who need to be brought along slowly to the joys of home gardening, to the flavors and smells of living, nourishing food!  And there are those who have knee surgery or arthritis, caregiving responsibilities, or unemployment who would see your plethora of zucchini as a major blessing in their lives. 


Squash on Vine


Keep Producing, Preparing, & Preserving!

–Chaya


 


 

 

 

 


 Photo Credits:

Several photos were courtesty of other great websites; click on the photo to visit them now!

All other photos are property of Pantry Paratus–please feel free to share or pin them in connection to this blog. Thanks!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *