How To Choose The Best Zucchini For Your Summer Salad

Warmer weather means salads, and if you aren't adding summer zucchini salad to your lineup, you are missing out. Zucchini is so versatile. Add it raw for a bit of a crunchy element, roast it to bring out its sweetness, or season and sauté it to create a memorable taste that complements your crisp greens. However, before you rush down to buy a few of the green and yellow varieties that line the tables of farmer markets or the produce section of your grocery store, remember this: All zucchini is not created equal. Sure, technically a zucchini is a zucchini, but there's a big gap between good zucchini and zucchini that is "meh." There are a few things you need to consider when picking out this squash — its color, texture, size, and age.

You might be thinking bigger is better, but that's not the case with zucchini. These veggies are water-rich, and the bigger the zucchini, the more water it's holding. This also makes for a bitter, mushier bite. Smaller zucchini are going to have a delicate taste, and when you cut into them, there will be fewer seeds. So, look for the shorter ones that are ideally about 5-6 inches in length. That said, don't completely ostracize those larger ones. They are great for making classic zucchini bread and cookies.

But size is only one criterion; you also want to pay close attention to the color and texture of your zucchini. Regardless of whether you are buying green or yellow, you want the zucchini to have a bright, eye-catching color. When it comes to the skin, imperfections are expected, but you do not want a zucchini with a wrinkly complexion, as these creases indicate an aging squash that may not pack the same punch as a younger one. You also want to avoid those that have brown or soft spots. These are already beginning to rot.

If you don't plan to use your zucchini right away and need to store it, look for squash that still has a bit of the stem intact. These will last longer. Additionally, you can store whole or uncut zucchini in the crisper drawer of your fridge. If it is whole, the zucchini can stay fresh for up to two weeks. Once you cut it, its longevity diminishes to four to five days. And, of course, if you cook it as you would for a pesto pasta salad with zucchini, eggplant, and snap peas, it can last for up to four days in the fridge.