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HappyHealthy Fact Sheet: Zucchini

Helping Mississippians live happier, healthier lives!

Zucchini is a vegetable that can be eaten raw, steamed, grilled, roasted, or sautéed. Bake it into a bread or eat the flowers from the zucchini plant … now that’s tasty!

Select

Choose small, firm zucchini with bright green, glossy skin.
Avoid very large, bruised, soft, or dull zucchini.
Large zucchini have more seeds and are tougher.

Prepare

Rinse zucchini under running water. Scrub with a vegetable brush to remove heavy dirt or wax.
Leave the skin on fresh zucchini.
Cut off the stem.
Slice the zucchini lengthwise into strips or crosswise into coins.
For large zucchini, remove seeds and shred for baking muffins or bread.

Store

Keep zucchini unwashed in an open plastic bag in the vegetable crisper drawer in your refrigerator for up to 4 days for the best quality.
To freeze fresh zucchini for baking, wash, grate, and steam blanch. Pre-measure amounts for baking recipes and place in freezer bags or containers and place in the freezer. Frozen zucchini stays fresh for 3–4 months.

To learn more about cutting and storing zucchini, visit HappyHealthy.MS and click on Tips and Videos.
- How to Store Fruits and Vegetables
- How to Freeze Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Fun with Food

Children can help:

In the garden with preparing the soil, planting, weeding, and harvesting.
In the grocery produce section with selection.
In the kitchen by rinsing the zucchini and gathering the cooking utensils.

Children can learn:

Zucchini can be eaten as a snack or part of a meal.
Cooking skills working with fresh zucchini.

Roasted Zucchini or Yellow Squash

1¼ pounds zucchini or yellow squash
2 teaspoons oil
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Wash your hands well with soap and hot water.
Line a large pan or cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Set it aside.
Wash the squash. Trim ends and cut in half lengthwise. Then cut each piece into half-moon pieces about ½ inch thick.
Put the zucchini or squash pieces into a large plastic storage bag.
Add the oil, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Shake the bag until the pieces are coated with oil and spices.
Place the pieces on the pan lined with foil. Spread them out into an even layer.
Bake for about 20 minutes.
When the squash pieces are light brown and tender, but still a little crisp, they are done.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Baked Zucchini Sticks

2 zucchini, medium
1 egg
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Wash your hands well with soap and hot water.
Wash zucchini and trim off ends.
Cut zucchini in half, and then cut each half lengthwise.
Lay flat side of zucchini down and cut into 3 sticks.
Microwave zucchini sticks for about 2 minutes, then pat dry with a paper towel.
Crack the egg into a bowl, add water, and mix well using a fork.
Mix cheese, bread crumbs, and Italian seasoning together in a bowl.
Preheat oven to broil.
Dip zucchini sticks first into the egg mixture and then into the bread crumb mixture.
Arrange zucchini in rows on a greased baking pan. Broil zucchini sticks for about 10–12 minutes, turning once while cooking.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.