8 ways to use and store zucchini

Are you drowning in homegrown zucchini? Then you are not alone! Just a couple of plants can yield huge amounts of zucchini. Here we give you eight good tips on how to take care of your zucchini.

Squash, also known as zucchini, is very easy to grow, and with regular watering and plenty of nutrients, the harvest often becomes very large. For most families, a couple of plants are enough to cover a whole year's need. To spread the harvest a bit, it can be smart to mix summer and winter varieties, so you avoid having too many ripe squash at the same time. Winter varieties usually have a slightly thicker skin, making them easier to store.

1. Chop and freeze zucchini

This is perhaps the simplest way to store squash. Grated squash can be used in all sorts of dishes, such as pasta sauces, lasagna, steaks and stews, even in bread and pastries. Remember to squeeze out as much liquid as possible before freezing the grated squash.

2. Pickled squash

Just like with cucumbers, squash can also be put in jars, for example in a 1-2-3 brine with vinegar (see recipe below). If you mix squash with garlic, dill, and chili, you get a great topping that works just as well on a sandwich as on a hamburger, or as a side dish for other dishes.

Squash in 1-2-3 brine
An easy brine consists of:
1 dl vinegar
2 dl sugar
3 dl water

The mixture is brought to a boil and cooled down before it is poured over the sliced squash and the flavorings you have added. Always use sterile jars, and be sure to rinse the squash before slicing it, so that you remove all soil residues.

3. Bake with squash

Much bread, and even cakes like sponge cake, become juicier and better if you add a few deciliters of grated zucchini. You can also use zucchini in a so-called "fake cheesecake", which is just as good as the regular one and can also be made completely vegan.

4. Law on squash-chips

By cutting the squash into thin slices and slowly drying them in the oven at around 125 degrees, you can make crispy chips. Brush with oil, salt, and season with whatever you like. Flip the chips after about 20 minutes in the oven, and take them out when they are completely dry (but before they burn). If needed, you can lower the temperature by half. Serve with a good dip, such as tzatziki, which by the way can also be made with squash.

5. Squash as a topping

Slice the squash, spread it on a baking sheet and season with your favorite spices, such as chili, garlic and sea salt. Bake in the oven until it is soft. This is delicious with hummus or soft cheese, and it also works well on pizza.

6. Use squash in your food

A little squash in dishes makes the food both juicier and more filling. Grated squash, for example, fits well in meat sauce, lentil stews, lasagna, omelette, even in mashed potatoes. You can also let the squash take the main stage. Fry it up with garlic for spaghetti, grill it with herbs in the oven, or use it in squash pie with cheese and dijon mustard.

7. Soup with zucchini

A fresh and creamy squash soup is both healthy and delicious. Below you will find a simple basic recipe that can be varied with the spices you prefer, such as curry, thyme, rosemary or garlic.

Squash Soup
Ingredients:
1 chopped onion
200 g potatoes
1 squash
8 dl water
2 dl cream
Butter for frying
Salt, pepper and optional spicesInstructions

Fry onion, potatoes and squash in butter.
Add water and simmer on low heat, covered, for about 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Use a hand blender to make a smooth soup, and add the cream.Add spices, salt and pepper to taste.Serve with a good garlic bread.

8. Salad with zucchini

Strimlet squash fits well in most salads, it goes especially well with lemon, dill and a little salt. Feel free to also use grated lemon zest, the outer yellow part, it provides a particularly nice flavor in combination with squash.