At some point each year, I always find my kitchen becomes overrun with zucchini. It’s one of my all-time favorite vegetables, but sometimes I run out of new ways to serve it. Zucchini is rich in nutrients and high in antioxidants, helping to contribute to healthy digestion. Today I’m going to share with you twenty quick and easy zucchini side dishes that can be served alongside any meat or vegetarian main meal.
Delicious Zucchini Side Dishes You Shold Try
1. Garlic-Parm Courgette Sauté
This is one of the easiest ways to use up zucchini, and it’s an ideal side dish to make when you’re in a rush. The zucchini will slightly caramelize as it’s cooking in the pan, making it the perfect side for any lunch or dinner meal. This recipe from Delish takes just ten minutes to prep and ten minutes to cook, and you’ll probably have all of the ingredients you need in your kitchen already.
2. Baked Parmesan Zucchini
If you are looking for a healthier alternative to fries, these crisp yet tender parmesan zucchini sticks are a great option. With this recipe from Damn Delicious, you’ll simply cut your zucchini into strips and then sprinkle on the parmesan cheese before putting everything in the oven. Even kids and picky eaters will love this side thanks to the delicious golden-brown crust.
3. Perfectly Grilled Zucchini
Skinny Taste shares this recipe for the perfect grilled zucchini that you’ll enjoy all year long. It’s an ideal side dish for a summertime dinner and goes flawlessly with chicken, meat, or fish. You can customize this side to your tastes by adding different oils and spices, and it’s a great dairy-free, low-carb, and keto offering that everyone is sure to enjoy.
4. Stuffed Zucchini
Stuffed zucchini makes for a filling side dish or even a small lunch served by itself. This recipe from Cafe Delites tops your fresh zucchini with parmesan, garlic, herbs, and breadcrumbs, all mixed together with melted butter. These are super easy to make using large zucchini, and then you’ll simply put it in the oven to cook before serving.
5. Zucchini Patties
This side dish is another excellent way to use up excessive amounts of zucchini. Zucchini patties and are best served with sour cream or tomato sauce, and this recipe from Allrecipes combines zucchini, egg, flour, onion, and cheese for a filling side dish that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
6. Healthy Baked Zucchini Tots
I’m always looking for a more nutritious alternative to my favorite potato dishes, and these healthy baked zucchini tots from A Spicy Perspective are one of my top choices. It takes just thirty minutes to create this dish that’s ideal for serving alongside the main course or even as an appetizer. Kids and teens will love them, and it’s a sneaky way to get more veggies into their diet.
7. Vegan Zucchini Gratin
Gratin is usually associated with heaps of butter and cheese, but this is a natural and flavorful alternative for vegans. Try out this recipe from Minimalist Baker which makes a simple and easy side dish that’s also gluten-free. It uses a vegan parmesan cheese that is quick to create in the food processor.
8. Sautéed Shredded Zucchini Recipe
This recipe shared by Panning the Globe is a Julia Child classic that takes just ten minutes to prepare. It goes with almost any main course and tastes fresh and delicious. This shredded zucchini recipe is ideal for any time of the year and would be a perfect side dish for a summer barbecue.
9. Italian Baked Zucchini
For a substantial side dish or even a small entrée, this Italian baked zucchini from Keeping It Simple combines zucchini with tomatoes and cheese in a similar manner to how you would prepare a lasagna. Ensure that you spread your ingredients evenly so that you get some of each flavor in every single bite. It’s a great way to make zucchini a little more exciting and accessible for even the pickiest of eaters in your family. For the marinara sauce, you could make your own from scratch or save some time and effort with a store-bought jar.
10. Sautéed Zucchini with Cherry Tomatoes
Once Upon a Chef shares this fresh recipe that would be perfect as a summer side dish. It combines crispy zucchini with cherry tomatoes and red onions for a healthy and filling side. In just fifteen minutes you’ll have four servings, and you won’t need any fancy ingredients or seasonings for this recipe. You’ll stir in fresh basil before serving to complete the finishing touch to this low-calorie dish.
11. Easy Steamed Zucchini
For one of the healthiest ways to serve vegetables, I always turn to steaming when I’m looking to enjoy a light and healthy dinner. Eating Well shares this foolproof method for the perfect steamed zucchini, which makes a healthy vegetable dish to eat alongside any dinner. You can even toss it with some pesto at the end to add a little extra flavor to the dish. It takes just a few minutes to prepare and cook, so it’s great for providing your family with a nutritious dinner at the end of a busy day.
12. Chinese-Style Zucchini
Taste of Home shares this fresh and quick to prepare side dish that would go perfectly with salmon. The zucchini is sauteed and cooked with garlic and soy then topped with sesame seeds that help to bring out its flavor and add a little crunch. The total time to prep and cook this dish is just twenty minutes, and you’ll have four servings of this low-calorie dish ready to be enjoyed by your friends and family.
13. Easy Oven-Baked Zucchini Chips
For a better alternative to potato chips or fries, check out these easy oven-baked zucchini chips from Table for Two. They are thin and crispy once cooked, and you’ll find that they are extremely addictive! They are perfect for munching on in front of the television, and they’re so delicious that kids and teens won’t even realize they are eating vegetables!
14. Healthy Garlic Zucchini Rice
For a new way to use up your leftover zucchini, try this rice pilaf which can be prepared in less than thirty minutes. This recipe from Watch What U Eat is packed with fresh zucchini and has a delicious garlic flavor to it. It’s ideal for when you need a change from baked zucchini, and it would be an ideal side to bring to a summer party or barbecue.
15. Zucchini Slice
This zucchini slice from My Kids Lick the Bowl is a versatile recipe that can be used as a light side or for a quick lunch for kids and adults. It’s perfect to pack in lunchboxes and takes just ten minutes to prep before being put in the oven. This dish is freezer-friendly and loaded with vegetables, but the kids won’t even realize they’re eating them!
16. Spicy Hoisin-Glazed Zucchini
For a flavor-packed side that will steal the show at your next dinner party, try these spicy hoisin-glazed zucchini from Fine Cooking. This recipe combines soy sauce, hoisin sauce, dry sherry, and sesame oil for a dish that’s super tasty. The finishing touch is a sprinkle of red chili flakes and sesame seeds, adding even more deliciousness to this dish.
17. Easy Caramelized Zucchini
If you are short on time but still want to prepare a tasty side dish, try out this easy caramelized zucchini recipe from Full of Plants that is low in calories and takes very little time in the kitchen. It’s the type of dish you can make over and over again without getting bored. They can be served with almost any main course and go well with chicken, fish, or meat.
18. Pan Fried Korean Zucchini
This is a popular Korean side dish, also known as Hobak Jeon, which takes just twenty minutes to create. It’s traditionally eaten on celebration days and throughout the summer in Korea. My Korean Kitchen shares how easy it is to prepare, and all you’ll need is zucchini, egg, flour, and salt to create this savory dish. I love trying new and exotic ways to prepare regular vegetables, and this recipe has been a hit with my whole family.
19. Zucchini Noodles
No zucchini recipe list would be complete without zucchini noodles, or zoodles, which have become a grocery store staple in the last few years. Downshiftology shares how to create this side dish that can also make a great base for any meal. If you are looking to reduce your pasta intake, these are a light and fresh alternative that perfectly combine with any of your favorite pasta sauces and won’t leave you feeling guilty or too stuffed after eating dinner.
20. Baked Onion, Zucchini, Pepper, Onion, and Garlic in Tomato Sauce
This is an ideal vegetarian side or main course for whenever you need to use up all of your leftover produce. You can customize this dish with most vegetables you have in the kitchen, including carrots, potatoes, beetroots, and peas. Ozlem’s Turkish Table shares this recipe that is inspired by Turkish cuisine, which uses a lot of tomato-based sauces in their dishes.
With such a huge selection of zucchini recipes, you’ll never have to serve the same plain side dish again. Even if you’ve had a busy and exhausting day at work, you’ll find a recipe on this list that will take just minutes to prepare and will still give you and your family a fresh and delicious dinner. Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable that I never get bored of, so I’m looking forward to trying out these new recipe ideas throughout the upcoming year.