Zucchini, also known as courgette or summer squash, is delicious, refreshing, and easy to cook with. Shredded for bread, pureed or diced into soups, ribboned for salads and lasagna—there are so many tasty ways to use this versatile fruit. (Yes, zucchini is technically a fruit, not a vegetable.) Read on for our favorite vegan zucchini recipes.
For information on zucchini, check out our handy guide. And if you’ve ever wondered what to do with zucchini flowers, these tips on how to use squash blossoms will help you incorporate these bright beauties into your everyday cooking.
Italian-Style Zucchini and Chickpea Sauté
Thanks to the quick-cooking nature of zucchini, this tomato-chickpea sauté is ready in no time.
Dreamy Zucchini Breakfast Cookies
As the name suggests, these supremely munchable cookies from Carleigh Bodrug are indeed dreamy! Moist and packed with zucchini goodness, these oat cookies get rich flavor from almond butter and are naturally sweetened with maple syrup. In addition to the delicious results, this recipe has two big perks: First, it takes just 20 minutes—think sipping tea with your feet up and biting into a freshly baked cookie in less time than it takes to run to the store. Secondly, you mix all the ingredients in one bowl, so there's minimal cleanup. One reviewer writes, "These are great! Quick to put together, not too many ingredients."
Zucchini Rollatini with Quinoa and Chickpeas
If you’ve wanted to try rollatini but aren’t a big fan of eggplant, you’ve got to make this reader-favorite recipe, which features thin slices of zucchini rolled around a toothsome mix of coarsely mashed chickpeas, spinach, cashew cheese, and quinoa. To finish, smother the rolls with marinara sauce and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Talk about scrumptious! A reviewer notes, "Delicious! My friends tried it and couldn't believe it was vegan!"
Creamy Zucchini and Potato Soup with Lemon
This creamy blended soup is equal parts tasty and comforting, with a harmonious combo of zucchini, leek, and potato serving as the base. Creamy cannellini beans get stirred in for added heft. You don't need much to season this nutritious soup—just a little dried herbes de Provence, sea salt, and lemon zest and juice really make the flavors pop. Garnish with pepitas and shredded zucchini. Ready in 40 minutes, this family friend soup is also great for entertaining.
Vegan Gyros with Zucchini and Tzatziki Sauce
Zucchini takes the spotlight in these fresh, flavor-packed vegan gyros. Grilled or roasted, the tender slices add smoky depth to whole grain pitas loaded with creamy hummus, crisp veggies, butter beans, and velvety tofu-dill tzatziki.
“Delicious and easy!” —Amber
“Delicious and easy!” —Amber
Ratatouille Baked Penne
This spectacular vegan ratatouille is rich with the aromas of fresh thyme and oregano. After cooking the veggies on the stove, add the pasta and finish in the oven.
Ribboned Zucchini Salad with Lentils and Creamy Turmeric Dressing
A creamy almond dressing transforms this simple four-ingredient salad into a five-star meal. The zucchini ribbons are easy to make; all you need is a veggie peeler.
Zecret Vegan Zucchini Bread
Avocado and zucchini are the secret to keeping this scrumptious loaf moist and tender. This recipe is like zucchini saying to carrot, "If you can be the star of your own cake, so can I!"
Zucchini, Corn, and Black Bean Soup
The mild, slightly sweet sweet flavors of potato, corn, and zucchini always work well together. In this nourishing soup, black beans add heft, and almond milk lends a light and creamy touch.
Zucchini Fritters
These fabulous fritters by Dreena Burton transform zucchini into a tasty meal that even fussy eaters will adore. One reader remarks, “This was a real winner in my household. Even my daughter, who pretty much hates everything I make, got second helpings.”
Quick Gnocchi with Zucchini, Tomato, and White Beans
This 35-minute gnocchi uses packaged whole wheat gnocchi to cut down preparation time so you can savor the taste of Italy any day of the week. The light, pillow-like gnocchi soak up a fresh tomato sauce. White beans and zucchini add bulk, and sun-dried tomatoes and a splash of red wine vinegar punch up the flavor. Each bite is a tender, rich-with-flavor experience worth savoring. A fan writes, “Quick, delicious, and easy WFPB meal. I will be making this again and again.”
Potato Pancakes
A couple of spuds and a zucchini are all you need to make these crispy baked pancakes. Added bonus: Even fussy eaters like them!
Lentil Minestrone
After just 20 minutes prep time, you can throw this hearty soup on the stove and let the earthy flavor of lentils merge with zucchini, kale, tomatoes, and pasta. Yum!
Tofu and Veggie Frittata
Here's the lowdown on why the "egg" mix in this vegan frittata tastes so egg-like: Tofu gives it creaminess, aquafaba provides fluffiness, and a medley of spices mimic the egg flavor.
Rainbow Veggie Slaw Wrap
Mashed chickpeas are mixed with shredded zucchini and other veggies for a wrap filling you'll come back to again and again.
Ratatouille Bruschetta
Ratatouille is a traditional French dish often served with bread on the side to sop up all the flavor. This handheld version features the aromatic, bursting-with-summer goodness of eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic served atop toasted whole grain bread with a few olives. As well as being an excellent appetizer, these scrumptious bruschetta are ideal for a packed lunch. We advise you to assemble just before eating so the bread doesn’t get soggy.
Grilled Summer Veggie Wraps
A symphony of flavor abounds in these hearty veggie wraps, which feature char-grilled eggplant, bell pepper, and zucchini. With chickpeas thrown into the mix and a dollop of hummus, these tasty lettuce wraps offer plenty of staying power. The creamy lemon-tahini dressing—which gets a depth of flavor from smoked paprika, ground cumin, and garlic powder—transforms the meal into something special. Feel free to grill the veggies outside on the barbecue or inside in a grill pan; they’re delicious either way!
Sun-Dried Tomato and Chickpea Sliders
In these mouthwatering bread-free mini-burgers, tasty slabs of grilled zucchini stand in for buns. The juiciness of the zucchini "bun" pairs perfectly with a flavor-packed chickpea patty, loaded with luscious ingredients such as mushroom, sun-dried tomatoes, onion, garlic, and more zucchini!
Zucchini-Bulgur Sushi Rolls
Strips of raw zucchini, carrot, and red onion add fresh crunch to these tasty sushi rolls. This sushi recipe uses bulgur as an alternative to short-grain rice. For more sushi inspiration, check out our Guide to Making Veggie Sushi.
Summer Harvest Soup
Let the deliciousness of garden-fresh produce such as zucchini, corn, asparagus, and tomato take center stage in this light and satisfying summer soup.
Charred Lemon and Zucchini Pasta
Smoky, citrusy, and ready in just 35 minutes, this tasty zucchini pasta is a great way to up your pasta game this summer. Grilled zucchini and lemon get beautifully charred, releasing deep, smoky aromas and tangy sweetness. Earthy red beans, tender wilted spinach, and aromatic garlic round out the dish, while a zesty lemon-bean sauce ties everything together.
Vegetable Cacciatore with Rotini
This vegan cacciatore (which means "hunter" in Italian) gets rich meaty flavor from simmering mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, onion, and garlic in white wine or vegetable broth before adding canned tomatoes. Fresh rosemary and sage round out the flavors in the way only fresh herbs can.
Summer Squash Roll-Ups
These cute-as-a-button roll-ups are fun to make and set to impress guests looking for healthy options. Thin slices of zucchini and yellow summer squash make for handy wraps. Slather each zucchini plank with hummus and add chopped parsley and matchstick-cut vegetables. To help them stay together, skewer each roll-up with a toothpick. Note: To cut the zucchini, you’ll need a mandoline or a sharp vegetable peeler. Pass me another, please!
Grilled Squash and Mushrooms with Fresh Herbs
Zucchini are always great on the grill, but when you infuse them with the smoky flavor of fresh herbs, they're off-the-charts delicious.
Slow-Cooker Ratatouille
Slow-cooking allows loads of flavor to develop in this vegan ratatouille. Bonus: It requires just 20 minutes of active prep time! Serve it with your cooked grain of choice, or enjoy it on your own.
Green Beans and Summer Squash Salad
Yellow zucchini look stunning next to rainbow chard, green beans, and kidney beans. An easy oil-free mustard vinaigrette ties it all together.
Green Goddess Dip
Pureed zucchini combines with handfuls of fresh herbs and other seasonings to create a light and luscious vegan dip.
Cheesy Vegan Veggie Pizzette
Zucchini makes a great pizza topping because it cooks quickly and soaks up the flavors around it. Also check out our Polenta Pizza Pie or Chock-Full-of-Veggies Pizza with Chickpea Crust.
Summer Vegetable Soup
The pairing of fresh tomatoes, corn, zucchini, and basil in this summer soup is heavenly. There's nothing like freshly harvested produce to give the full flavor effect.
Hollywood Bowl Brown Rice Salad
Thanks to the tasty addition of cucumber, tomato, zucchini, and lemon juice, this brown rice salad is a pleasing combination of robust and refreshing.
Italian Roasted Vegetable and Wheat Berry Buddha Bowl
Roasting zucchini, Brussels sprouts, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper with balsamic vinegar creates a rich depth of flavor that is perfectly balanced with the nutty chewiness of wheat berries.
30-Minute Chickpea Pozole
This simple twist on the popular festive Mexican soup skips the hominy, opting for chickpeas instead, and features everyday veggies such as zucchini, onion, and carrot. As one fan writes, “Quick, simple, and delicious!” Southwest seasonings add rich, savory flavor to the broth. Top with thinly sliced cabbage, radish, scallion, fresh cilantro leaves, and avocado, and get slurping!
By Lisa Esile, MS ,
Thank you so much for all of these inspirations!
Hello!
Is there a reason you don’t include the nutritional information for your recipes? I know you’re not all about counting calories, but as a WFPB wanna-be, I’d love to also be able to easily track my calorie intake while enjoying your recipes!
Maybe this info I’m looking for is found in the cookbooks?
Thanks — hope to hear from you!
The beauty of a wfpb way of eating is there is no need to count calories.