zucchini
A mild, tender summer squash eaten raw, sauteed, roasted, grilled, or baked into quick breads; its high water content means it releases liquid readily once cooked, which is worth planning for.
Buying guidance
Choose small or medium zucchini that feel firm and heavy for their size -- very large ones tend to have tougher skin, more seeds, and a spongier, more watery center. Skip any with soft spots or wrinkled skin, both signs of age.
Substitutions
- Yellow summer squash -- nearly interchangeable in flavor and texture; use the same way.
- Eggplant -- works in cooked dishes but absorbs more oil and needs longer cooking to soften.
- Cucumber -- only works raw, in salads; it doesn't hold up to cooking the way zucchini does.
Tips & common mistakes
It releases a lot of water once cut and cooked, so a crowded pan traps steam and gives a soggy, gray result instead of browning -- give pieces space, or salt sliced zucchini and let it sit to draw out water, then pat it dry if a drier, browned result is wanted.
Storage
Its thin skin and high water content make it bruise and spoil faster than many vegetables it's sold alongside -- keep it unwashed in the fridge crisper, ideally in a loosely closed or perforated bag rather than sealed airtight, and use within about a week rather than treating it like a longer-keeping vegetable such as a winter squash.