27 Ways To Use Garden Zucchini That Aren’t Bread

If you’ve ever planted zucchini, you know it doesn’t just grow. It multiplies like it’s trying to prove a point. Suddenly you’ve got piles of it on the counter and no idea what to do next. The list of zucchini recipes moves past the usual bread fallback and gives you plenty of options to work through your stash.

Bruschetta Stuffed Zucchini

Zucchini boats are filled with a fresh tomato and basil mixture, then topped with buttery breadcrumbs. It’s a simple, garden-heavy recipe that works as a side or a lighter dinner.
Get the Recipe: Bruschetta Stuffed Zucchini

Grilled Zucchini Stack

Slices of grilled zucchini get stacked with creamy ricotta and tart green tomatoes. It’s simple, summer-focused, and a solid way to use zucchini that feels a little more put together.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Zucchini Stack

Stuffed Round Zucchini

Round zucchini are perfect for scooping, stuffing, and baking. Fill them with whatever grains, meats, or veggies you have, and bake until tender. It’s a fun way to switch up the usual straight zucchini boat routine.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Round Zucchini

Zucchini Fries

Zucchini sticks are baked until crisp and golden. Great as a snack or side dish, these fries let you skip the deep fryer and still get that crunchy bite. You’ll knock out a couple zucchinis without even thinking about it.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Fries

Zucchini Ricotta Bake

This easy bake layers zucchini with creamy ricotta and cheese. It’s got all the comfort of a lasagna without the noodles and comes together in one pan. A great solution when the zucchini’s piling up and you want something easy that still feels like dinner.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Ricotta Bake

Zucchini Pesto

Blended zucchini takes the lead in this fresh pesto that’s perfect for pasta, grilled meats, or sandwiches. It’s a great way to turn excess zucchini into something that adds flavor to everything else you’re cooking.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Pesto

Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

These air fryer chips are quick to prep and crisp up without any breading. They make a solid snack, appetizer, or easy side dish when you’ve got extra zucchini and want something crunchy without deep frying.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Zucchini Chips

Zucchini Lasagna

Thinly sliced zucchini stands in for pasta here, layered between hearty sausage marinara and plenty of cheese. It bakes up into a comforting casserole that doesn’t rely on noodles or flour to get the job done. This is a great way to handle a garden overload without going the bread route, and you can prep it in advance to save yourself time later in the week.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna

Zucchini Taco Boats

These halved zucchinis get hollowed out, filled with seasoned taco meat, and loaded with toppings like cheese, salsa, and avocado. They bake quickly, don’t require any stovetop babysitting, and make dinner feel fun without being a total mess. If you’re staring at a pile of squash from the garden, this is one of the fastest ways to put it to good use.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Taco Boats

Calabacitas

This Mexican-inspired dish keeps it simple with zucchini, corn, onion, and spices cooked in one skillet. It’s fast, flavorful, and flexible enough to serve as a meatless main or tucked into tortillas. It’s also the kind of recipe that handles oversized garden zucchini well without turning into mush.
Get the Recipe: Calabacitas

Cheesy Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Fresh zucchini halves are stuffed with ground chicken, diced peppers, and seasoning, then finished with a solid layer of cheese that gets golden in the oven. These boats feel like a full meal but don’t take much work, making them a great weeknight dinner when the zucchini won’t stop coming in.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are basically what happens when zucchini bread meets a chocolate chip cookie—in muffin form. They’re soft, slightly dense, and just sweet enough for breakfast or a snack. If you’re trying to work through a few too many zucchinis without baking another loaf of bread, this is a smart detour.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Black Bean Veggie Enchiladas

These enchiladas are loaded with black beans, zucchini, and other vegetables, then topped with a creamy jalapeño ranchero sauce before baking. It’s a solid meatless meal that’s hearty enough to stand on its own and a great way to sneak in a few garden squash without anyone noticing.
Get the Recipe: Black Bean Veggie Enchiladas

Baked Zucchini and Squash

Sliced zucchini and yellow squash are layered with tomato sauce and herbs, then baked until tender. It’s one of the easiest ways to handle a pile of squash and makes a great side dish that works with anything off the grill.
Get the Recipe: Baked Zucchini and Squash

Zucchini Rice Gratin

This classic French-inspired bake combines shredded zucchini, rice, and cheese into a golden, savory casserole. It’s a clever way to stretch a few zucchinis into a comfort dish that pairs well with anything from roasted chicken to a leafy green salad.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Rice Gratin

Shredded Sautéed Zucchini with Parmesan

Grated zucchini gets quickly sautéed with garlic and olive oil, then finished with a sprinkle of parmesan. It’s fast, simple, and works as a side with just about any protein. This is the kind of dish you can make on autopilot when the garden’s going wild.
Get the Recipe: Shredded Sautéed Zucchini with Parmesan

Zucchini Linguine

Pasta night gets a green boost with this zucchini-packed dish that uses one pot from start to finish. Sautéed zucchini blends into the sauce, creating a lighter meal that still delivers on comfort. Great for busy nights and sneaking in extra vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Linguine

Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef & Rice

These baked zucchini boats come filled with seasoned ground beef and rice for a filling, all-in-one dinner. They’re freezer-friendly, great for meal prep, and an easy way to turn extra squash into something hearty.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Ground Beef & Rice

Italian Zucchini Latkes

These crispy zucchini pancakes are pan-fried and loaded with Italian herbs and cheese. They’re perfect as a snack, appetizer, or side, especially when you’re tired of sweet zucchini bakes and need something savory with bite.
Get the Recipe: Italian Zucchini Latkes

Creamy Zucchini Orzo Pasta with Lemon and Basil

Grated zucchini melts into a creamy orzo base with garlic, lemon, and fresh basil, no cream required. This dish feels rich without being heavy and comes together in under 30 minutes. It’s a solid summer dinner when you’re swimming in squash and want something a little more grown-up than bread.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Zucchini Orzo Pasta with Lemon and Basil

Beef-Stuffed Zucchini Boats

These zucchini boats get packed with ground beef and baked with sauce and cheese until bubbling. They’re filling without being heavy and a perfect weeknight dinner when you’ve got extra squash and no desire to spend all night cooking.
Get the Recipe: Beef-Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Skillet Zucchini Pizza

A crispy skillet crust holds layers of pesto, mozzarella, zucchini, and ricotta. It’s pizza night with a garden twist that keeps things fresh without skipping the cheese. This one works great when you’re down to the last zucchini and need something fast but still worth getting excited about.
Get the Recipe: Skillet Zucchini Pizza

Miso Glazed Zucchini on the Grill

Thick slices of zucchini get brushed with a miso glaze and grilled until caramelized. This is a fast, easy recipe that uses minimal ingredients and pairs perfectly with any summer meal. It’s also a great way to grill something green without it turning soggy.
Get the Recipe: Miso Glazed Zucchini on the Grill

Zucchini Sliders

Sliced rounds of zucchini sandwich juicy burger patties in these mini slider-style bites. They’re fast, fun, and great as an appetizer or low-effort dinner when you’re over bread but still want something hearty.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Sliders

Keto Zucchini Boats

These zucchini boats give you two options in one recipe: Italian-inspired or pizza-flavored. Both are easy to prep and bake fast, making them perfect for busy nights when the garden zucchini won’t stop coming.
Get the Recipe: Keto Zucchini Boats

Zucchini Pizza Boats

Halved zucchinis get turned into personal pizzas with sauce, cheese, and all your favorite toppings. It’s quick, customizable, and perfect for picky eaters or using up whatever’s left in the fridge.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Pizza Boats

Zucchini Lasagna Rolls

Sliced zucchini gets rolled up around ricotta, layered in marinara, and baked like lasagna. This version skips the noodles but still brings all the rich flavors of the classic, making it perfect for when you want comfort food without another loaf of bread.
Get the Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna Rolls