Green Squash vs Zucchini: How To Cook With Them
updated Spring 2019
Our produce department is consistently asked about green squash vs zucchini and if there really is a different. So, is there a difference between green squash and zucchini? Absolutely, not!
In fact, zucchini is a squash, that is green in color and grown locally all summer long. Zucchini serves as a great source of vitamin C and manganese, making it the perfect addition to your meals in a variety of ways. Green and yellow squash can be served raw or cooked, and can be steamed, boiled, grilled, baked, barbecued or fried. They can be even used in baked breads or sliced thin to be used in place of noodles.
Here are a few unique, and fun zucchini recipes to try out with your family.
Interesting Zucchini Recipes to Try At Home
Green squash doesn’t have to be your main meal, in fact, sometimes zucchini can be quite versatile and has recently became a popular appetizer dish! Here are two zucchini appetizers to try at home:
Caprese Zucchini Noodle Salad:
- Three large zucchinis, peel them down into thin slices, see our photo as a reference
- 1 cup of mozzarella balls
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- 1.5 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped basil
DIRECTIONS: mix zucchini, olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste), and quick chill for 15 minutes; then toss in tomatoes, and basil. Finish the mixture off with drizzles of balsamic.
Another, more unhealthy, take at green squash as an appetizer is frying your zucchini in coins or fry form!
Fried Zucchini Coins:
DIRECTIONS:
- Take 3-4 medium size green squashes and slice them into coins, not too thin!
- Coat the coins in flour, egg wash, and your choice of breadcrumbs (panko is most common, although we suggest italian breadcrumbs!).
- In a large skillet on medium heat, add about 1/4 cups of vegetable oil, and wait until skillet is warm but not super sizzling.
- Individually brown the coins on each size, until crips while being careful not to burn. Serve with ranch or warm marinara sauce.
Zucchini is a flexible vegetable to experiment with as a side dish but also as a main dish. Green squash is a popular carb substitute for your standard dinner meals, e.g. grilled meats, noodles. Here are a few more takes on cooking with zucchini.
Substitute Zucchini Noodles in Your Favorite Pasta Dishes
Spaghetti, bowtie, penne, linguine, and all other forms of noodles always carry a higher calorie count… and yet, pasta dishes are always a dinner party favorite. Try substituting your pasta dish recipe with zucchini noodles! Be warned, not all noodle dishes were made for zucchini substitutes. Here are a few dishes that are excellent recipes to sub-out pasta noodles with green squash noodles:
- Marinara or red-sauce pasta recipes
- Olive oil based or scampi pasta recipes
- Asian pan-fried noodle recipes, e.g. pad thai, lomein
- Cream-based sauces e.g. Alfredo, cajun pasta sauce, pesto
Grill Your Zucchini For Dinner
This option for grilling isn’t just for the vegetarians out there, switch up some of your marinades and grill your yellow and green squash during the warm summer months! Here are some fun variations on grilling your squash.
- Marinated zucchini foil packets: take sliced coins of squash, marinate in fresh herbs (think thyme, oregano, parsley), drizzle some fresh chopped garlic cloves and cover in a tin foil packet on top of your grill until fragrant.
- Grilled zucchini halves: slice large zucchinis right down the center and grill as is, or, toss them in some italian salad dressing prior to placing on the grill and brush the squash with italian dressing continuously until grilled thoroughly.