Round, long, crookneck, straight, dark green, light green, yellow, multicolor, two-tone — summer squash varieties are endless!
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They have names like pattypan, zucchini, zephyr, crookneck, straight neck, Italian, globe (eight ball), Tatuma and chayote squash, all with the mild squash flavors we have come to love.
East Bay farmers’ markets have even more varieties than you’ve ever seen! These summer varieties only need a short time to cook, require no peeling and can be eaten with the seeds. Below are some tasty ways to use them this summer.
Grilled: Slice a zucchini in half, brush it with olive oil and toss it on the grill for 10 to 15 minutes with a bit of salt and chipotle powder — hot and heavenly!
Spiralized: Transform raw zucchini or yellow squash into low-calorie “noodles” for use in salads, side dishes and your favorite “pasta” dishes.
Raw: Chop or slice any variety of summer squash and add it to salads and cold pasta dishes — no need to cook!
Added to pasta: Dice and add these healthy veggies to any Alfredo, marinara or other pasta sauce. Add it to the filling in lasagna instead of meat or noodles. Slice it thin to recreate lasagna noodles, or chop and use it in place of meat. Kids will never know they’re eating vegetables!
Stuffed: Stuff a globe squash with chopped vegetables, onions, cheese, breadcrumbs or rice and bake — family-friendly!
Roasted: Slice summer squash any way you want — in discs, logs, slices or chunks. Toss it with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400° Fahrenheit for 20 to 30 minutes — easy!
Baked: Try a squash casserole with sliced summer squash of any variety, olive oil, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and cheese. Add tomatoes and/or onions if you like — simply delicious!
Ratatouille: This is a vegetable dish with tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini or whatever soft vegetables you have on hand. They cook down and make their own sauce!
Sweet treats: Then there’s the ever-popular zucchini bread or zucchini muffins! Grate a cup or two of zucchini, squeeze the moisture out and add to your favorite bread or muffin recipe (such as the one with this column, for example).
Head to your farmers’ market and explore all the vibrant varieties of summer squash. With its endless culinary possibilities, this versatile veggie will become a staple in your summer kitchen.
Debra Morris is a promotions coordinator for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association. Contact her at debramorris@pcfma.org.
Recipe: Zucchini Breakfast Muffins (keto)
ingredients
1 green onion, trimmed and sliced thin
a third of a cup of yogurt or mascarpone
two-thirds of a cup of grated zucchini or summer squash
two-thirds of a cup of almond flour
4 eggs (large)
2 egg whites (from large eggs)
¼ teaspoon of salt
3½ tablespoons of melted butter
1 cup of grated cheese (cheddar or parmesan work great!)
2¼ teaspoons of baking powder
1 diced jalapeño pepper (optional)
instructions
Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Fill a muffin tin with liners (the muffins will not come out of the pan without them). Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix until fully combined. Fill the liners and bake.
Rotate pan in the oven after 12 minutes to ensure even cooking. Test the muffins in their center at 22 minutes by seeing if a knife or toothpick inserted in them comes out clean. Bake a bit longer if needed.