100 Best Zucchini Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you cook zucchini so it doesn't get mushy? ›

The secret to zucchini with the best flavor and texture is roasting it in a 450°F oven. Roasting zucchini at a high temperature instead of baking or sautéing helps develop browning and a slight char on the outside, which keeps it from getting soggy.

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.

Salt causes zucchini rounds to release excess water. This important extra step helps the zucchini to sauté rather than stew in its own juices.

Give the zucchini slices a light pan fry, stopping as soon as the outsides begin to turn golden. You'll be left with a nice, lightly crisp exterior, without the interior becoming soggy. Be patient as you sauté.

You can embrace zucchini's plump nature by cooking it for longer and letting it turn soft and silky.

Put whole zucchini on a broiling pan or heavy-duty oven-proof skillet and broil until the skin is blistering and browning in spots, 8-10 minutes. Use tongs to transfer to a cutting board. Cut off the stem ends and discard. Slice zucchini as desired as serve.

Reduce cooking time

Since zucchini gets mushy and soft when overcooked, my first tip is obvious - reduce the cooking time. Depending on the recipe, this is an easy step to implement.

If you see mold, black spots, browning, yellowing, shriveling, or wrinkling on the skin of your zucchini, it has likely gone bad. A soft, mushy, or slimy texture also indicates spoilage.

You can season the oil before you add the zucchini with garlic, shallots, spices, or red pepper flakes, it's totally up to you. Once the oil, butter, or combination thereof is heated, add all of the zucchini. If the pan seems crowded at first, don't worry. Season with salt and toss to begin drawing out the moisture.

Bitterness in zucchini can be caused by environmental stress (mild bitterness) or plant genetics (severe).

How long to soak zucchini in salt? ›

Let the zucchini soak in the salted water for about 45 minutes to draw the salt flavor into the chips. Shred the cheeses and mix them together in a dish. After 45 minutes, in a cast iron pan, add a little bit of the olive oils (1 – 1 ½ inches) and begin to heat up to about 325 degrees.

On the other hand, they may simply be waterlogging if your garden is poorly drained. Another possibility is squash bugs have damaged them and rot has set in as a result. In the meantime, keep removing the infected fruit as soon as you see signs of the problem.

Zucchini contains a lot of water. When you cook it, this water starts to come out, and without anywhere to go, it ends up steaming the zucchini from the bottom up, leaving you with a mushy, unappealing texture. This is where the baking rack comes to the rescue.

How to Sweat Zucchini. Lay your zucchini slices over a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt. Allow the zucchini to rest for about 10 minutes. The salt will draw out the excess water and you'll see beads of moisture on the surface.

One of the keys to keeping zucchini fresh is to keep it as dry as possible, which means it's best to wash it just before using. To go a step further, you can pat zucchini down with a paper towel to absorb every bit of moisture before storing.

Mushy veggies are also often the result of overcooking. When the interior is loaded with moisture, you have to cook it for much longer to evaporate all of the water and avoid the interior having the unappealing, spongy, raw texture that eggplant and zucchini are notorious for.