49 Easy Zucchini Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes (or Less!)

Vegetarian Linguine

Stop looking, you’ve found the perfect vegetarian dish to please everyone in your house. This updated take on pasta primavera focuses on the vegetables, dresses them lightly with some chopped tomatoes in olive oil and marries them to hearty linguine with provolone and Parmesan. A perfect people pleaser, full of color and flavor.

If you need more gluten-free bread options, we suggest trying these gluten-free zucchini bread.

Fried Zucchini

There’s a reason kids and state fairs love the deep fryer—drop anything in breading and it just melts in your mouth. These zucchini fries use cornmeal instead of batter for a snappy breading, and then a scant amount of olive oil to crisp it up. The result is going to win hearts, minds and blue ribbons at home.

Sauteed Zucchini

There’s something to be said for the easy road. Slicing up that zuke and searing it will fill your home with the comforting smell of squash and garlic cooking. Here, we’ve added oregano to really bring an Italian aroma and flavor to your table.

Zucchini-Wrapped Chicken Enchiladas

Hear us out—enchiladas that feel healthy but don’t taste it. You can achieve this by swapping out tortillas with zucchini for a silky, cheesy, as-spicy-as-you-like-it Mexican entree. Admit it, you’re already dreaming of the first bite.

Zucchini Fries

Swap the spuds for these crispy, crunchy planks. Completely satisfying zucchini, breaded with panko and all kinds of spices take these zucchini strips from bland to delectable. They’re the perfect vehicle for that oversized zuke hiding in your garden.

Zucchini Lasagna

Swap out large lasagna noodles with silky ribbons of squash, and no one will be the wiser. This fan favorite is the perfect solution for a fall or winter day to warm up with a fillling meal around the table. Filled with ground beef, a rich tomato sauce, cottage cheese and shredded mozzarella, you can make this meal ahead of time for easy prep.

Chicken and Zucchini Foil Packs

A zippy way to prep meals ahead of time and spare the dishes, these little foil packs pack a big punch. Take them camping, throw them on your barbecue or just cook them in the oven. In a few minutes, bring together chicken breasts, zucchini, sweet onion and mushrooms with some olive oil. Open the packs at the table like little gifts!

Blackened Tilapia with Zucchini Noodles

The crispness of the tilapia, the silkiness of the zoodles and the spice of the pico come together for a perfect feast here. Try this dish when you need a break from the heavy starches in pasta dishes.

Summer Squash Salad

Tired of coleslaw? This bright, crunchy salad skips the mayo and heavy dressings and instead brings the heat with sliced radishes while yellow squash and zucchini offer some snap. Dressed with a simple Dijon dressing, this will stand out at the picnic table as a bright, light, summery side.

Chocolate Zucchini Cookies

It’s important to indulge your cravings, but what if we told you that these ooey, gooey chocolate chip cookies bring a little bit of healthy vitamins and fiber along for the ride? These chocolate cookies have a surprisingly delightful bite and chew, aided by spices and chopped nuts.

Summer Turkey Kabobs

There’s nothing quite like sizzling grilled kabobs. This summery dish puts a squash-y spin on the usual kabob recipe, and crisp salad greens and croutons add a lovely crunch to this entree.

Greek Tortellini Skillet

When the doldrums of winter set in and you cannot think of a single new variation to make of the same stovetop dishes, this Greek tortellini is going to make you smile. This sumptuous take on pastitsio starts with little pockets of cheese tortellini combined with ground beef, layers of tomato sauce and slices of zucchini, onions, Greek olives and feta. A comfort meal for the ages, you’ll add this to your rotation all winter long.

One-Pan Sweet Chili Shrimp and Veggies

Sweet chili, a spicy and citrusy blend, drives this easy-to-come-together stir-fry. You toss together shrimp, zucchini, mushrooms, onions and cilantro for this fast, fun recipe. Add a base of white rice or even a salad to make this meal a mid-week slinger.

Hearty Italian White Bean Soup

There is no dish that challenges cold weather and the falling leaves like a bowl of hearty, tomatoey, rich vegetable soup. Every spoonful of this soup will bring a mélange of colorful vegetables and the delightful scent of garlic and thyme. Studded with white navy beans, this showstopper can sit on the stovetop all day long.

Smoked Sausage and Veggie Sheet-Pan Supper

We love a sheet pan supper! Bring everything together in one pan for easy prep, cook and clean. This family favorite will drive them to the table by filling the house with the smell of roasting smoked sausage and fall vegetables. Brussels sprouts, peppers, squash and mushrooms marry an easy vinaigrette to bring a meal together so easy, your kids can even help make it.

Squash Ribbons

These long, silky ribbons of squash are the easiest way to add texture and color to your plate. In less than ten minutes, you’ve got a side dish of zoodles that’ll catch everyone’s eyes and is simple enough to appease anyone.

Summer Zucchini Pasta

The taste of summer is tomatoes married to yellow squash and zucchini. Together, they are magical with just a bit of garlic, a splash of olive oil and some herbs. When you don’t want to fully replace your pasta with zoodles, this dish presents a delicious compromise with pappardelle and ribboned squash.

Stir-Fried Zucchini

Now this is the definition of easy, peasy cooking. Simply slice your zukes, and then give them a quick saute with olive oil, garlic, salt and Italian seasoning, and you have the makings of a fast lunch or side dish.

Cheesy Zucchini Saute

In the middle of winter, your family will huddle around you to tuck into this nacho-inspired casserole. Cheesy in just the right way, with tomato, olives and onion, we’ve added zucchini and basil to freshen it up and make it a well-rounded dinner.

Walnut Zucchini Muffins

Breakfast on the go never tasted as warm and wonderful. We’ve balanced healthy and hearty by packing in whole wheat flour, walnuts, raisins and zucchini, then sweetening it with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Yum!

Sausage Potato Supper

When you’re reaching for a recipe on a busy weeknight, look no further. Sausage, potato and zucchini are made to go together, and this recipe keeps it simple. The sausage will baste the potatoes and zucchini and with the addition of a little grated cheese, this is a satisfying supper.

Lemon Chicken Skewers

Looking to lighten dinner up? These bright, citrusy chicken and zucchini skewers bring a great balance of acidity and zest to your grill or oven. Lemon zest and garlic brings a zing to chicken breast, and tomato, onion and zucchini add color and texture while layering on flavor. The marinade is easy to make with ingredients you likely have in house.

Vegetable and Barley Pilaf

You probably don’t think about barley too often, but it’s a refreshing break from quinoa, couscous and rice. With a little more bite, this pilaf brings texture and deeper flavor than typical rice recipes. Here, we’ve fluffed up this low-sodium star with carrots, zucchini and spices.

Zucchini Pico de Gallo Salsa

Just wow. Throw a spin on your salsa this summer with this zucchini pico. Pair with your favorite tortilla chips and lay out a build-your-own tacos spread to round out a full dinner.

Spicy Sausage and Rice Skillet

This is a fall harvest worthy of Oktoberfest and fit for a crowd. The best of the fall flavors—tart apple, squash and peppers—marry with chicken sausage and are then cooked on a bed of spiced black beans and rice. This one-dish wonder is going to keep your kitchen work light and your guests happy.

Quick and Healthy Turkey Veggie Soup

Looking for a comforting soup to transform your Thanksgiving leftovers? An enriched broth serves simple vegetables, and then brings in earthy hominy and Lima beans. The resulting soup, topped with shaved Parmesan, takes the guesswork out of what to eat after Thanksgiving.

Pinto Bean Zucchini Boats

When you’re inundated with zukes, these boats make a pleasing vessel for beans and corn. Besides being fun to put together, these flavorful boats also get high marks for presentation.

Zucchini Pineapple Jam

Hello, gardeners and jam makers! This recipe takes a whopping six cups of zucchini and sweetens it with crushed pineapple and strawberry gelatin for a gorgeous glossy red jam. Sweeten up the neighbors by jarring some and giving as a just-because gift!

Sweet & Sour Squash Salad

Take all the best produce of the summer season to make a gloriously colorful, crunchy salad. Slice up your squash and peppers, celery and onion, and dress them raw with vinaigrette smartly flavored with ranch mix. Pantry staples and farmers market produce for the win!

Lemon Zucchini Drops

We love a quick cookie recipe, and this one happens to be so tasty, you won’t even know it has zucchini in it. These cakelike drops do a great job of disguising the vegetables inside with lemon, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts and, of course, icing.

Yellow Squash & Watermelon Salad

If you’ve waited all summer for watermelon to ripen, this is one of those savory watermelon dishes you’ll want to make on repeat. The classic pairing of sweet watermelon and salty feta sits atop a bed of peppery arugula and soft zucchini and serves 12—perfect for a picnic!

Vegetable Frittata

This frittata doubles down on veggies and color, with a melange of peppers, zucchini and red potatoes. Don’t be intimidated! We’ve got plenty of tips to ensure your frittata cooks evenly and turns out deliciously fluffy.

Zucchini & Cheese Drop Biscuits

When you want the famous Red Lobster biscuits but need a little vegetable content to keep it real, these crumbly balls of heaven are just what you’re looking for. Full of all the good stuff like butter and cheese, you won’t even notice the zucchini, and more importantly, no one else will either.

Chicken Verde Quesadillas

Green chili chicken is the centerpiece in these quesadillas with a nice bite and assist from zucchini and cilantro. Fresh and bold, this quick dish is satisfying in all the right ways—a little sweet and sour from the green enchilada sauce, a little Monterey Jack, a little spice from pico de gallo, and a little cool from sour cream.

Garden Chickpea Salad

Vegetarians and meat eaters can both agree—this garden chickpea salad packs a bunch of protein and definitely doesn’t skimp on flavor. Pair this healthy vegetarian salad with any lunches or dinner that look a little too beige.

Stovetop Tarragon Chicken

When the weather turns crisp, your stovetop serves as the place to bring together warmth and comfort. Use up a can of cream of chicken soup and mix in carrots, zucchini and mushrooms for the ultimate sweater weather meal.

Zucchini Patties with Dill Dip

These sweet little zucchini cakes remind us of latkes or crab cakes. The perfect size for dipping, this recipe takes zucchini and marries it with flaky breadcrumbs, before frying them up for a crispy treat. Dip them into the cool lemon, dill and sour cream dip for an appetizer that’ll disappear in minutes.

California Quinoa

Keep meals interesting by mixing up your same-old rice pilaf with quinoa. Here, we’ve studded grains with zucchini, basil and tomato, and then ramped up the acidity profile with Greek olives, feta and garlic. The garbanzo beans add to the overall nuttiness of the dish.

Zucchini Onion Pie

An armful of zucchini (three cups!) fills out this beautiful pie that comes with none of the usual pie-making stress. Using biscuit mix as a base, you’ll quickly fill this pie with garlic, onion, eggs and cheese for a crowd pleasing punch that can be served for any meal of the day.

Zucchini Burgers

Whether it’s grilling season or you’ve moved inside to the oven, break up the droll burger routine with these zesty zuke burgers. Easy enough to make on the spur of the moment on a weeknight, this recipe mixes up zucchini with breadcrumbs, onion and eggs with a dash of cayenne for a solid alternative to the same old sandwich. You might even like them better than some of our best beef burgers!

Cheesy Zucchini Casserole

Sheer comfort for a movie night in, this cheese casserole takes Velveeta and saltines and melts them with zucchini and butter for a moment of extravagance.

Grilled Zucchini Salad with Mediterranean Dressing

When you think of summer foods, you might visualize huge platters of grilled vegetables, fresh from the garden to the barbecue. No vegetable takes to the grill better than zucchini, and here, we’ve layered beautifully browned squash with feta, pine nuts and red onion, for a punch of umami.

Zucchini in Dill Cream Sauce

Basted zucchini, flavored by a rich boullion and onion combines with sour cream for a rich, indulgent dish full of creamy dill. This one-pot wonder will come to the table in a Dutch oven, for an easy, impressive display of zucchini goodness.

Penne with Veggies and Black Beans

We’ve mixed in black beans to add a bit of protein to this vegetarian wonder. Penne pasta paired with a plethora of colorful vegetables, brings quite a few textures and flavors to this light and elevated meal.

Tequila Lime Shrimp Zoodles

Recipes that start with a splash of tequila? Yes, please! You’ve never had scampi quite like this. We’ve swamped the lemon and wine for a margarita mix instead, and rather than pasta, we paired it with zucchini and squash noodles, affectionately known as zoodles.

Chicken Sweet Potato Skillet

If you’re only looking for a little zucchini zing, this sweet potato skillet is a superb alternative to traditional chili. Earthy sweet potatoes, chicken and black beans combine with zucchini and salsa and traditional chili spices for this rich skillet. Top it with sour cream and cilantro.

Cheddar-Veggie Appetizer Torte

When you’re ready to really impress your guests, this gorgeous torte will make it look like you spent a lot more time cooking than you actually did. On a crust of crumbled multigrain crackers, bacon and eggs are combined with veggies and cheddar for a sumptuous base.

Creamy Sweet Potato and Veggie Soup

Sunshine colored sweet potatoes and golden fleshed Yukon golds thicken this silky soup that screams autumn, with an assist from some heavy cream. Featuring broccoli, zucchini, celery and chicken broth, you’ll “fall” into a bowl of this warm, comforting soup.

Jiffy Ground Pork Skillet

If you’re looking to mix up your middle-of-the-week pasta dish, this ragu makes a quick tomato-based sauce with sauteed pork and stewed tomato. The zucchini and onion sweetens it up while Italian seasoning rounds it all out.