Zucchini
Cucurbita pepo
Mild, slightly sweet, vegetal; doesn't dominate but pairs with most flavors.
About Zucchini
Zucchini (courgette in British and French English) is the dark-green summer squash that defines mid-summer American vegetable cooking — abundant, prolific (home gardeners famously give away surplus), versatile across raw and cooked applications. Italian cuisine uses zucchini extensively (zucchini Parmigiana, fritters, stuffed flowers); French cuisine uses zucchini in ratatouille; modern American cooking has discovered zucchini noodles ('zoodles') and zucchini bread (sweet baked good, technically dessert). The neutral flavor and high water content mean zucchini absorbs and balances other flavors but doesn't anchor a dish on its own. Yellow summer squash (Cucurbita pepo var. recticollis) is a near-identical sibling — flavors are functionally interchangeable.
Variety profile
Common uses
- Grilled zucchini
- Ratatouille
- Zucchini bread
- Zucchini noodles
- Stuffed zucchini boats
Editorial notes
Smaller zucchini (6-8 inches) have better flavor and fewer seeds than oversized garden monsters. Salt and drain sliced zucchini to remove water before pan-frying.