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Zucchini

Vegetables · Squash & gourds

Zucchini

Tender green summer squash (courgette) with mild flesh, grilled, sautéed, stuffed or grated into bakes.

Also called: courgette, courgettes, kabak, calabacín, summer squash

23 recipes with it

Photo: Evan-Amos, via Wikimedia Commons (public-domain)

What it is

Zucchini (courgettes) are summer squashes picked young, usually dark green, sometimes yellow or pale. The skin is thin and edible and the seeds tiny. They are milder and more watery than winter squash and are eaten raw or cooked; the large overgrown version is a marrow.

Cucurbita pepo

How it’s used

  • Grilled or sautéed with garlic and herbs
  • Grated into fritters (mücver) and cakes
  • Stuffed with rice or meat (kousa mahshi)
  • Added to ratatouille, pasta and soups
  • Spiralised or shaved raw into salads

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, slightly sweet and grassy.
Texture
Crisp raw; soft and tender cooked.
When cooked
Releases water when salted or cooked; grate and squeeze before using in fritters.
Sold as
fresh
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Usually eaten raw, Suitable for grilling, Suitable for frying, Suitable for baking

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate unwashed and use within a few days; soft or pitted skin means it is ageing.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
17 kcal
Protein
1.21 g
Carbohydrate
3.11 g
Fat
0.32 g
Fibre
1 g
Sugars
2.5 g

USDA FoodData Central: Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, raw.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Chayote — Similar mildness; firmer and takes longer to cook.
  • Eggplant — In grills and stews; creamier and absorbs more oil.

Related ingredients

Recipes with zucchini

See all 23

11 more

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