If you love zucchini, you may already be familiar with its use in a range of recipes. From dessert breads and cakes to all manner of savory dishes, this squash graces dinner tables around the world. That said, there are certain countries where zucchini is more commonly used by cooks, and there are different varieties of the vegetable. Let’s dive into all things zucchini.
Types of zucchinis
The zucchini is a summer squash, meaning that it is harvested in summer, before its rind becomes hardened and tough. Many varieties exist, but all have a fairly delicate flavor and are usually green in color. The Italian zucchini is a light green color with speckles of cream. It is small and somewhat fat, with a mild sweetness. Golden zucchinis develop a brilliant, deep yellow color; their flavor is sometimes described as slightly sweeter than other zucchini varietals. In American markets, most of the zucchinis on display are typically a dark green color. They are thick, elongated, and can be quite large in size.
Zucchinis are the gardener’s friend—or their bane! They are usually easy to grow, and very prolific. Zucchinis grow on bushes that resemble vines, as the growth spreads outward along the ground. A single plant can produce up to 10 pounds of zucchini. Flowers form at the end of each budding zucchini and fade as it grows. The flowers are edible, like other squash blossoms.
Zucchini’s history
We can trace the history of this vegetable some 7,000 years. While it evolved from early squashes that were domesticated over the millennia, the zucchini we are familiar with today was first cultivated in the mid to late 1800s in Milan in Northern Italy. Around the globe, this vegetable goes by three different names that all mean “small marrow”: baby marrow, courgette, and zucchini.
The appearance of zucchini in America is most likely thanks to Italian immigrants. It is thought to have been grown initially in California and by the early 1900s, harvested in New York and elsewhere. The vegetable’s prevalence gave rise to innovative recipes such as fried zucchini, invented in Pittsburgh.
Zucchini belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, which also includes cucumbers and pumpkins. These vegetables have a toxin called cucurbitacin to protect them from predators. When cultivated, the plants are bred to reduce the levels of this toxin.
Cooking with zucchini
When choosing a zucchini for cooking, it’s best to look for one under eight inches long that has softer immature seeds and a skin that’s not too hard. Otherwise, you may have to seed and peel the vegetable before using it in a recipe. Young zucchinis that still have their flowers attached will have a sweeter taste. One nice thing about this vegetable is that you can use virtually any cooking technique to bring out its soft flavor.
It can be baked, barbequed, boiled, fried, grilled, steamed, and stuffed. Grated zucchini can be added to breads, muffins, cakes, and other baked goods. What’s more, it’s perfect to eat raw, either sliced in a salad or dipped in dressing. For an interesting twist, you can use a spiralizer to make zucchini noodles as a low-carb pasta substitute.
In some parts of the world, like Italy, this vegetable is available for the whole summer. This is one reason you see zucchini used in so many recipes. You can find it layered inside a sumptuous lasagna, as a savory pizza topping, cooked in a classic risotto, or standing alone in a delicious side dish. The options are endless. The zucchini is so loved in Italy that the flower appears on menus as a delicate fried appetizer referred to as fior di zucca in Italian. These beautiful yellow blooms may be baked, sauteed, stuffed, or added to soups.
Elsewhere in the world, Australians are partial to a popular frittata-like dish made with zucchini. Bulgarian cooks prefer to fry the vegetable and serve it up with a tasty yogurt dip flavored with dill and garlic. Alternatively, it is grated and baked with an egg, flour, dill, and yogurt mixture.
Egyptian kitchens are known for cooking zucchini in tomato sauce with onions and garlic for a truly heavenly aroma. Ratatouille is a much-loved dish in France where this summer vegetable is simmered with others into a flavorful stew.
Greek chefs typically fry, stew, or boil zucchini with eggplants and green chili peppers. In Greece and France, stuffed zucchini is a common menu item. As in Italy, the flowers are consumed in Greece, often stuffed and baked with tomato sauce or deep fried.
Mexican kitchens use zucchini in soups or for filling quesadillas, while Russians and Ukrainians coat the vegetable in flour before frying or baking it. Turkish cuisine includes shredded zucchini baked into a savory pancake, slices on a kebab with meat, and stuffed zucchini flowers.
A highly versatile vegetable
As you can see, there is much to be made from the simple zucchini. No matter the preparation method, this squash has a gentle flavor that complements many different dishes.