When it starts ripening in the garden, there's an abundance of it. We're talking about the green, elongated vegetable – zucchini. Vegetarians love it, but even meat lovers enjoy zucchini fritters or baked zucchini with ham and mushrooms. Even the littlest kids won’t turn down a delicious zucchini soup.
Zucchini is a very nutritious vegetable, yet due to its low calorie content, it is popular not only among healthy lifestyle enthusiasts but also among nutritionists. It's often included in recommended meal plans—it offers many health benefits without contributing to weight gain. With a water content of up to 95%, it’s ideal for weight loss and body hydration. It’s also high in fiber, supporting healthy gut flora and proper digestion. Zucchini is rich in antioxidants like lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene, which protect cells from damage and support eye and skin health. It's also a great choice for diabetics—thanks to its low glycemic index and high fiber content, it helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Potassium and magnesium in zucchini help regulate blood pressure and support proper heart function, making it a must for those concerned about cardiovascular health.
Zucchini is easy to prepare. Young zucchinis don’t even need peeling—the skin is edible and packed with nutrients. Just rinse it under running water. Young zucchinis are great for salads, slicing, or baking. Older zucchinis should be peeled, the core removed, and the flesh grated or sliced. Because of its high water content, zucchini can thin out dough, so it’s recommended to salt it after grating or slicing, let it sit for 15 minutes, then squeeze out excess water thoroughly. Zucchini doesn’t need long cooking or baking—it softens quickly. A brief grill, boil, or bake is enough to preserve its flavor and texture. Its neutral taste makes it perfect for both savory and sweet dishes.
Zucchini is incredibly versatile in the kitchen. It can be steamed, baked, or grilled. Even meat lovers enjoy a bite of grilled zucchini at a barbecue. It tastes great as crispy fritters with sour cream dip or fermented whey. Those who’ve tried stuffed and baked zucchini with meat, cheese, and veggie mix know what paradise tastes like. Creamy zucchini soup warms both little and big tummies, and foodies swear by zucchini risotto.
Try making one savory and one sweet zucchini dish using our recipes! First, we’ll make a savory zucchini bake, followed by a sweet zucchini cake.
When baking the zucchini bake, you’ll appreciate the help of our Orava Airy-4 hot air fryer. And for preparing the cake batter, the Orava Chefino-M kitchen robot is perfect.
Ingredients (for a small baking dish approx. 25×30 cm): 600 g grated zucchini, 3 eggs, 150 g grated cheese (e.g. Edam, Gouda, Parmesan or a mix), 150 g sour cream or plain yogurt, 100 g plain or semi-coarse flour, 1 baking powder, 1 small chopped onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves, salt, ground black pepper, herbs to taste (e.g. marjoram, chives, parsley, thyme), oil or butter for greasing the dish, optional – 100 g ham or smoked tofu, corn, mushrooms...
How to prepare:
Our tips: For a gluten-free version, use buckwheat or corn flour. For a crispy topping, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cheese before baking. You can also make a sweet version using cottage cheese and fruit.
Ingredients (for a 30 × 40 cm tray): 3 eggs, 200 g granulated sugar (or brown sugar), 1 packet of vanilla sugar, 200 ml oil (sunflower or rapeseed), 300 g grated zucchini (can include peel if young), 300 g plain or semi-coarse flour, 1 packet of baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon (optional but recommended), pinch of salt, 50 g chopped nuts, chocolate, or raisins (optional)
How to: Mix everything well, pour the batter into the tray, and bake at 180 0C for about 30 minutes.
For the glaze (optional): 100 g dark chocolate, 2 tbsp milk or cream, 1 tsp butter
The cake is delicious even without glaze – you can simply dust it with powdered sugar. Zucchini makes it moist – it stays soft for several days.
Enjoy your meal!
Photo: Orava, Pexels.com
