The NYT has a recipe for chocolate zucchini cake. It's unreal. I made it last week, and it's probably the best chocolate cake I've eaten in a while. The notes are full of substitutions, like you can cut down on the oil and sugar amounts (which I did), and it stills turns out beautifully. Here's the link if you're interested: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023356-chocolate-zucchini-loaf-cake
This soup! Do not muddy it with broth to be fancy - much better with water. I avoid zoodleing and adding the additional zuchinni and instead top with some pepitas for crunch. Delicious cold, hot or room temp.
I love zucchini - and prefer the name to courgette, which is what we call it over here in the olden land. I am bookmarking these recipes immediately. My darling dad grows them in abundance in his garden (he really is Mr McGregor but without the predilection for chasing rabbits), and when they are new and fresh, I love them grated and briefly introduced to a pan with garlic and chilli, before being mixed with silk ribbons of pasta and lashings of parmesan.
Ha ha ha I didn't realize it was you at first and I was like, who is this incredibly good Britishy writer writing me and of course. I want to make that!!! Yum.
Yesterday, I took my darling girl for a jaunt in London: art, terrifying teen shops, lunch at Lina Stores (GO when you are in London) where the pasta is perfect. I ordered the Tagliolini with courgette, lemon, parmesan and pink peppercorns (they make the dish). It was a small bowl of heaven. "Catherine would enjoy this," I thought aloud l as I licked the plate clean. "Catherine who?" said my puzzled daughter. But you would! xx
I came to post about this very thing! SK’s regular zucchini bread is a summer fave for me; I make a ton of them every season to give to neighbors, family, friends, et al. I am making the chocolate version for the first time this weekend. My favorite part about the recipe (the OG and the chocolate version) is that the zucchini doesn’t need to be tediously squeezed of its water (because who feels like being bothered with that?)
I’m the heretic who was planning to show up here and say that, after many (many, many) years of trying to deny it, I could finally be honest with myself and admit that I don’t like zucchini. But then I remembered an evening at the park when my toddler son (who is now 22) mooched picnic-supper off a very gracious family who was eating grated zucchini, scrambled with eggs, seasoned with onion powder, dill, s/p, and whatever cheese was handy. I made it at home, and of course my then-toddler refused to eat it. So I ate it, and it was lovely.
And whether I like zucchini or not… either way, I loved reading your zucchini recipes (especially with annotations). xo
Um, sorry Amherst, I’ve had the library copy of tenderheart at my house since June when I checked it out for the third time to get the stir-fried lettuce recipe for my thriving spring garden
#6 Herby pasta has been a family favorite, made regularly throughout the summer, since you first posted the recipe 20 years ago. We just had it last week - yum!!
I need to give some of these a try. My family is still recovering from my 2014 foray into all things zucchini. I’m not sure they’re ready yet, but I am. 😂
“I dare you to check it out of the library without renewing it a thousand times and then finally buying a copy.” 😆 This is me too! I love that Smitten Kitchen chickpea recipe so much, and I was glad to see you didn’t completely abandon the chickpea content I come here for. In other thoughts, I’m getting so excited for my pre-ordered Wreck to arrive! Thank you always for your writing.
The NYT has a recipe for chocolate zucchini cake. It's unreal. I made it last week, and it's probably the best chocolate cake I've eaten in a while. The notes are full of substitutions, like you can cut down on the oil and sugar amounts (which I did), and it stills turns out beautifully. Here's the link if you're interested: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023356-chocolate-zucchini-loaf-cake
Okay!
I came to add my favorite chocolate zucchini bread recipe! Mine is a bit low-brow, from Delish, and we love it: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a48378/death-by-chocolate-zucchini-bread-recipe/
I love this NYT recipe for chicken-zucchini meatballs. I make it all the time. It’s light and delicious. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021328-chicken-zucchini-meatballs-with-feta?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share
oh yum!
Definitely try it! And the feta sauce is amazing. Also- I am 64 and I’m starting my MFA in creative non fiction!
Did you notice the suggestion in the recipe notes to add chickpeas? THEY KNOW!
Love these too!
Thank you for the recipes.
I’ve been trying to get ahead of the zucchini for a couple of weeks. Friends and family have reached the point of maximum zucchini fatigue.
I’m making and freezing zucchini butter. It’s delicious on pasta.
Dehydrated, it’s an addition to winter soup.
Variety recommendation. Grow Costata romanesco zucchini. It has the best flavor and tends to be less prolific than the blander dark green ones.
This soup! Do not muddy it with broth to be fancy - much better with water. I avoid zoodleing and adding the additional zuchinni and instead top with some pepitas for crunch. Delicious cold, hot or room temp.
Nicole! Is there a missing link?
Shit, sorry!! https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/zucchini-basil-soup-242831
I love zucchini - and prefer the name to courgette, which is what we call it over here in the olden land. I am bookmarking these recipes immediately. My darling dad grows them in abundance in his garden (he really is Mr McGregor but without the predilection for chasing rabbits), and when they are new and fresh, I love them grated and briefly introduced to a pan with garlic and chilli, before being mixed with silk ribbons of pasta and lashings of parmesan.
This said, last night I made a courgette and mint pilaf with pistachio yoghurt and it was so good I nearly swooned. Recipe here, should you be intrigued: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/aug/23/meera-sodhas-recipe-for-courgette-and-mint-pilau-with-salted-pistachio-yoghurt)
xx
Ha ha ha I didn't realize it was you at first and I was like, who is this incredibly good Britishy writer writing me and of course. I want to make that!!! Yum.
Yesterday, I took my darling girl for a jaunt in London: art, terrifying teen shops, lunch at Lina Stores (GO when you are in London) where the pasta is perfect. I ordered the Tagliolini with courgette, lemon, parmesan and pink peppercorns (they make the dish). It was a small bowl of heaven. "Catherine would enjoy this," I thought aloud l as I licked the plate clean. "Catherine who?" said my puzzled daughter. But you would! xx
That sounds incredibly delicious!
This long-cooked zucchini looks very interesting.
Ha ha ha I only laughed when I saw your name.
So have you read Smitten Kitchen’s latest post which is indeed a giant chocolate zucchini cake?!
I came to post about this very thing! SK’s regular zucchini bread is a summer fave for me; I make a ton of them every season to give to neighbors, family, friends, et al. I am making the chocolate version for the first time this weekend. My favorite part about the recipe (the OG and the chocolate version) is that the zucchini doesn’t need to be tediously squeezed of its water (because who feels like being bothered with that?)
https://smittenkitchen.com/2019/08/ultimate-zucchini-bread/
https://smittenkitchen.com/2025/08/double-chocolate-zucchini-bread/
I’m the heretic who was planning to show up here and say that, after many (many, many) years of trying to deny it, I could finally be honest with myself and admit that I don’t like zucchini. But then I remembered an evening at the park when my toddler son (who is now 22) mooched picnic-supper off a very gracious family who was eating grated zucchini, scrambled with eggs, seasoned with onion powder, dill, s/p, and whatever cheese was handy. I made it at home, and of course my then-toddler refused to eat it. So I ate it, and it was lovely.
And whether I like zucchini or not… either way, I loved reading your zucchini recipes (especially with annotations). xo
I love Rebecca Traister AND her zucchini almond bread recipe, which I bet would work with GF flour because it has so many almonds in it.
https://msmagazine.com/2020/02/12/good-and-mad-and-rage-baking-rebecca-traisters-zucchini-almond-bread-recipe/
Um, sorry Amherst, I’ve had the library copy of tenderheart at my house since June when I checked it out for the third time to get the stir-fried lettuce recipe for my thriving spring garden
The smitten kitchen recipe was amazing!!! Thx for sharing!
How good is the Soicy Fish Sauce Sauce! A worthy addition to your list 😀
And I’m 100% keen on Chocolatr & Zucchinj Cake when made with almond meal in an intense fudgy way
Ooh and my other fave zucchini use is to grate it and use it in a pizza base instead of cauliflower.
#6 Herby pasta has been a family favorite, made regularly throughout the summer, since you first posted the recipe 20 years ago. We just had it last week - yum!!
Good God, this whole post is just wicked-heaven! Especially the Zuke-a-Ganoush!!!
I need to give some of these a try. My family is still recovering from my 2014 foray into all things zucchini. I’m not sure they’re ready yet, but I am. 😂
“I dare you to check it out of the library without renewing it a thousand times and then finally buying a copy.” 😆 This is me too! I love that Smitten Kitchen chickpea recipe so much, and I was glad to see you didn’t completely abandon the chickpea content I come here for. In other thoughts, I’m getting so excited for my pre-ordered Wreck to arrive! Thank you always for your writing.