The One Cooking Tip That'll Make Or Break Your Zucchini

Zucchini is an excellent warm-weather vegetable that can be a great addition to an omelette, casserole, or kebab or simply eaten on its own. However, it can be easy to cook a zucchini incorrectly, leading to something mushy and unpleasant. The secret to ensuring the best results is a relatively simple one but that's easy to overlook: high heat.

Regardless of where you choose to cook your zucchini, it's crucial to get the temperature right. Turn your heat on high, regardless of whether you're cooking on a stovetop or grill, because zucchini will sear similar to a steak. The key difference is that steaks should be moved to cooler temperatures once seared, whereas zucchini should be kept on high until it's finished cooking. Just be sure to follow our tip on how to avoid soggy zucchini and chop them a bit larger to prevent overcooking them when using high temperatures.

Don't simply throw the zucchini into an oiled pan or on the grill plain, though. Extra seasoning can help you get the most out of the great natural flavor of these vegetables. Salt and pepper should suffice, but if you've got other seasonings like garlic or onion powder, you won't regret giving the zucchini a quick sprinkle before or during the cooking process. Herbs like oregano, thyme, or basil can add plenty of dimension to the vegetable when added to the pan while it cooks.

Zucchini is a wonderfully versatile vegetable that can really liven up your kitchen. An unexpected way to cook with zucchini is to make zoodles, which are simply noodles made from the vegetable. You can even use a spiralizer to create long spaghetti-like strands as a lower-carb substitute for regular pasta. Just don't cook them for as long as standard noodles; otherwise, you'll end up with mush instead of a firm pasta.

Zucchini can also be used in breads, similar to bananas. One of the benefits of using them this way is to add some moisture to the bread from inside the loaf. As the bread cooks, it releases moisture and steams itself, allowing it to bake faster and come out moister than regular bread. The resulting texture will make the break seem more like a cake, making it a snack that you don't have to feel too guilty about eating.

You can also freeze zucchini for later use if you've bought or grown more than you need. The easiest way to freeze zucchini is to chop it up so that the pieces fit more easily into the freezer, depending on what you plan to use it for when it's thawed. Just be sure to blanch the zucchini first to prevent it from browning and toughening in the freezer.