Zucchini

What is it?

Zucchini is a type of summer squash that is long, cylindrical, and typically deep green in color, though there are some varieties that can be yellow. It can be harvested at different stages of growth, younger zucchinis being more flavorful than mature ones. The skin is delicate enough to consume, so don’t worry about peeling if you don’t want to. A fresh zucchini will have a creamy, spongy texture that tends to be sweeter than its winter squash counterparts.

What does it taste like?

Zucchini typically has a mild taste that verges on sweet, and has a specific kind of nutty, black pepper-like flavor. When cooked zucchini will soak up and take on the flavor of whatever it's being cooked with.

What to do with it?

Zucchini has an endless amount of uses because of how easy it is to work with. Younger, more flavorful zucchinis are best when eaten raw either by itself, added to salads, or when pickled. Larger, more mature zucchini can be used as a low-carb pasta substitute because of how much it soaks up the flavor of whatever sauce you’re cooking with. And try baking it into breads, muffins, cakes, and much more!

How to store it?

Keep zucchini refrigerated, in the crisper drawer. Keep them dry and unwashed, and put into a plastic or paper bag with one end open to encourage air circulation. When store properly, zucchini can last about one week.