Healthy Zucchini Recipes

Find healthy, delicious zucchini recipes including baked zucchini, zucchini fries and zucchini pasta. Healthier recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Chicken & Zucchini Casserole

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This baked chicken and zucchini casserole is creamy, hearty and low-carb! The whole family will love this easy casserole, plus it's a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies (concealed in a delicious cheese sauce!).

Air-Fryer Zucchini

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Zucchini crisps up nicely in this simple air-fryer zucchini recipe. The interior is creamy and soft without feeling mushy, with the outside remaining crispy. A squeeze of lemon after cooking adds brightness and tang.
By Laura Kanya

Easy Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Noodles

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Enjoy classic shrimp scampi lightened up with zucchini noodles in place of pasta. The tomatoes add some sweetness and color, while the cheese contributes nuttiness and richness.

Air-Fryer Zucchini Fritters

These air-fryer zucchini fritters have a crispy outer surface and tender-savory middle just as if they've been fried in a skillet. A simple dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of refreshing mint is all you need to complete the dish.
By Adam Dolge

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

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This moist blueberry zucchini bread is spiked with fresh blueberries and has a subtle tang thanks to lime juice. Enjoy this easy zucchini bread for breakfast or a light dessert.
By Pam Lolley

Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

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This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

20-Minute Creamy Chicken Skillet with Italian Seasoning

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Chicken cutlets cook quickly and are highlighted with a creamy sauce made with tomatoes, zucchini and Italian seasoning. This recipe is sure to become a new weeknight favorite the whole family will love. Serve it with whole-wheat pasta or rice to make it a meal.
By Carolyn Casner

Zucchini-Chickpea Veggie Burgers with Tahini-Ranch Sauce

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This vegan burger recipe is one you'll want to make again and again. Savory chickpea and zucchini patties are topped with a creamy, herb-flecked tahini ranch sauce, juicy tomato slices and peppery arugula for a satisfying and healthy homemade veggie burger. Serve them on buns or stuff them in pitas. We recommend making extra sauce--it's a great dip for veggie sticks and, thinned with a little water, it makes a wonderful salad dressing.
By Jamie Vespa MS RD

Shrimp Scampi Zoodles

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Classic garlicky shrimp scampi gets a low-carb makeover in this easy dinner recipe. Zucchini noodles, also known as "zoodles," are a healthier alternative to traditional pasta--they mimic the texture of pasta while taking on the flavor of whatever sauce you serve them with. Make sure you salt and drain the zoodles, otherwise your final dish will be soupy and the flavor will be diluted.
By Carolyn Casner

Zucchini Noodles with Pesto & Chicken

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This healthy summer dinner subs zoodles for pasta to help use up your zucchini bounty--as well as slash calories and carbs. Once the spiralized zucchini has time to soak up the herby pesto sauce, this chicken and pesto pasta makes particularly good leftovers.
By Carolyn Casner

Summer Vegetable Gnocchi Salad

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This riff on pasta salad is best served warm while the gnocchi are nice and tender. Plus, the grilled veggies taste extra-good fresh off the fire in this easy gnocchi recipe.
By Devon O'Brien

Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna

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Thanks to jarred marinara sauce and oven-ready lasagna noodles, this labor-of-love kind of meal can be ready in about an hour.
By Adam Dolge
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Inspiration and Ideas

How to Make Healthy Zucchini Bread
This simple zucchini bread recipe is a great way to use up your summer bumper crop of zucchini.
Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto
Cut some carbs and use spiralized zucchini in place of noodles in this zesty pesto pasta dish recipe.
Eggplant Parmesan
22 Shredded Zucchini Recipes
11 Summer Salads You Can Make with Zucchini
Zucchini, Corn & Egg Casserole
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Calabacitas de Tapachula (Zucchini & Corn in Poblano Sauce)

Mexicans prepare the trio of corn, zucchini and poblanos in every possible way, from soups and stews to quick sides like this one from the city of Tapachula in Chiapas. In this recipe, adapted from Treasures of the Mexican Table by Pati Jinich, a mixture of zucchini and corn is enveloped in a creamy poblano sauce. Think of it as a Mexican version of ratatouille, but with more texture and much quicker to make. Be careful not to overcook the zucchini, and keep the corn crunchy.

All Healthy Zucchini Recipes

Zucchini & Mushroom Sauté

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Serve this simple side dish with grilled turkey burgers. Other fresh herbs, like thyme or oregano, work well too.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Veggie Grilled Cheese with Tomato Soup

Maya Feller, M.S., RD, CDN, of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition, upgrades this popular budget-friendly combo. "Adding veggies to a classic sandwich—in this case, broccoli, zucchini and red bell pepper—boosts the nutrient-density of the meal," she says. This recipe was part of a feature story, "The Real Cost of Healthy Food."
By Maya Feller M.S., RD, CDN

Zucchini Lasagna Rolls with Smoked Mozzarella

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This healthy riff on lasagna rolls uses strips of zucchini instead of lasagna noodles for a vegetable-packed dinner that's fun for the whole family. This is a great recipe for kids to help make--let them get their hands dirty rolling the zucchini ribbons with the cheesy filling. Use a vegetable peeler or mandoline to quickly slice the zucchini into uniform thin strips--this will ensure easy rolling and even cooking.
By Joy Howard

Zucchini Enchiladas

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Using thinly sliced zucchini in place of tortillas is a great way to cut back on carbs and still enjoy cheesy chicken enchiladas. If you like the heat, opt for a spicy enchilada sauce.
By Hilary Meyer

20-Minute Creamy Tomato Salmon Skillet

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Salmon fillets cook quickly and are coated with a delicious creamy sauce made with tomatoes, zucchini and Italian seasoning. This easy salmon dinner is sure to become a new weeknight favorite the whole family will love. The best news: you can get this meal on the table in 20 minutes flat.
By Carolyn Casner

Grilled Salmon & Vegetables with Charred Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

This grilled salmon recipe paired with grilled vegetables and a charred lemon-garlic vinaigrette captures the flavor of summer with smoky flavor from the grill. Asparagus and zucchini are quick and easy to grill and pair nicely with the salmon.
By Carolyn Casner

Marinated Grilled Vegetable Kebabs

Tender vegetables soak up this tangy marinade and turn delicately smoky and tender on a hot grill. These kebabs make a wonderful side dish with grilled meats or fish.
By Carolyn Casner

Air-Fryer Zucchini Fries

These crunchy, crispy zucchini fries turn very tender in the air fryer and have a delicate natural sweetness from the cooking process. The simple dipping sauce is very tomato forward, with just enough acid from the vinegar and mayonnaise to add incredible tang.
By Robin Bashinsky

Greek Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini

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These vegetarian stuffed zucchinis are perfectly tender and fresh with the flavors of the Mediterranean. Olives and feta cheese deliver a nice salty bite, while quinoa adds a nutty flavor, along with protein and fiber.
By Adam Hickman

Flourless Blender Zucchini Muffins

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The batter for these healthy gluten-free zucchini muffins comes together in a flash in your blender. And these tasty treats are baked in a mini muffin tin, so they're the perfect snack or quick breakfast. The chocolate chips are an optional but excellent addition.
By Carolyn Casner

Tater Tot Casserole with Beef, Corn & Zucchini

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Casseroles can be for summer too! We packed this one with peak-season vegetables—corn, zucchini and tomatoes—then topped it with crispy tater tots and gooey melted cheese, making it a dinner winner.
By Hilary Meyer

Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan

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Grilled zucchini is one of the great food joys of summer. In this easy recipe, the crunchy, bright breadcrumbs offset the sweet, soft zucchini in the most delightful way. Serve this healthy side with grilled chicken, fish or shrimp or as part of a vegetarian summer meal. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled if you have a bumper crop of zucchini.
By Liz Mervosh

Zucchini Frittata

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A frittata, as a flat omelet is known in Italy, can be filled with a variety of vegetables and cheeses and makes a great impromptu brunch dish or supper. In this version, fresh mint and basil brighten the mild taste of zucchini. If you prefer, use feta or ricotta salata in place of the goat cheese.
By Marie Simmons

Grilled Zucchini & Squash

Grilled zucchini and yellow squash are tender off the grill with a hint of char, spicy garlic and a bit of zing from fresh lemon juice.
By Jasmine Smith

Zucchini Noodles with Quick Turkey Bolognese

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Forgo regular pasta (and most of the carbs) for spiralized zucchini "noodles" in these make-ahead meals. The zoodles quickly turn tender-crisp as the veggie-packed Bolognese warms in the microwave.
By Carolyn A Hodges, RD

Air-Fryer Zucchini Chips

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These crispy air-fryer zucchini chips are delicious paired with the creamy dill dipping sauce--or any sauce you have on hand. And the best part? The air fryer delivers a crispy crunch without having to pile on the oil like traditional fryers do.
By Karen Rankin

Basil Pesto Pasta with Grilled Vegetables

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This dish is an easy way to turn grilled vegetables into a satisfying meal, thanks to hearty whole-grain pasta and a quick homemade pesto.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Slow-Cooked Ranch Chicken and Vegetables

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This creamy, veggie-packed chicken dinner comes together easily in your slow-cooker-and makes enough for another night's casserole (see associated recipe)!
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Tofu & Vegetable Curry with Zucchini Noodles

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For this quick Thai-inspired curry recipe, we've combined tofu and plenty of veggies with a flavorful sauce made with red curry paste, lime juice and coconut milk. Serve the curry over lightly warmed zucchini noodles to get even more veggies in your weeknight dinner. Bonus: Everything is cooked in one skillet, so there's only one pan to wash after dinner.
By Carolyn Casner

Zucchini Gratin

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This delicious zucchini gratin recipe has a delectable crispy Parmesan and breadcrumb topping and is made without any butter or cream, allowing the fresh zucchini flavor to shine. Slice the zucchini uniformly to ensure even cooking.

Simple Roasted Zucchini & Squash

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This simple roasted zucchini and squash recipe is perfect for when you have extra squash on hand. Serve this easy side dish alongside grilled or roasted chicken or steak.
By Karen Rankin

Grilled Vegetables In Foil

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Grilled vegetables in foil is a great recipe to have on hand when camping or cooking over an open fire, but it's also nice on your backyard gas grill too. Here, we cook asparagus, mini peppers and zucchini together with a hint of garlic and butter. Delicious!
By Jasmine Smith

Peanut Zoodles with Edamame

A package of fresh zucchini noodles gets tossed with shelled edamame and store-bought peanut sauce in these 5-minute, no-cook vegetable noodle bowls. Because prepared sauces and dressings are commonly high in sodium, scan the label and opt for those that contain 150 mg sodium or less per tablespoon.
By Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN

Egg-in-a-Hole Fried Quinoa

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We used quinoa to bump up the fiber and protein in this stir-fry-inspired dish. Rather than making an omelet or stirring in the eggs as you would for fried rice, we cook them in divots right in the veggie-filled quinoa for a fun presentation. Opt for a flat skillet over a wok so you have plenty of room to nestle in the eggs.
By Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD
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