# Shredded zuchinni? other uses?



## bknthesdle (Mar 27, 2011)

I shred our zuchinni from the garden and freeze it to make zuchinni bread. Someone said they use it in their spaghetti sauce. Is there other uses for shredded zuchinni?


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## Gladrags (Jul 13, 2010)

Pizza crust (drain it well!)
Lasagna
Faux pineapple -- you mix it with lemon juice and pineapple juice and process it in a water bath.


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## happydog (May 7, 2008)

you can dehydrate it and throw some in spaghetti sauce or casseroles.


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

Fritters.


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## happydog (May 7, 2008)

oh yes!  fritters

And zucchini crab cakes!


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

Stef said:


> Fritters.


Fritters are good. :nanner:

I'm experimenting this year with using it as a meat stretcher.

I buy my extra lean ground beef from a butcher. It's 30 cents a pound cheaper to buy it in five pound amounts so that is what I have always done, bringing it home and freezing three pounds or so in individual one pound packages and using my patty press to make up a couple of pounds of individually wrapped patties.

But, I've been shredding my zucchini and freezing it in one-cup amounts, putting it in those small snack-size zip bags and then placing those bags inside a gallon size *freezer bag* for extra protection from freezer burn.

Then, instead of packaging my ground beef in one pound packages, I've cut it back to 3/4 pound packages - and then adding one cup shredded zucchini to whatever I'm cooking.

So far, so good.......so far I've done that with spaghetti, tacos, and porcupine meatballs and my son hasn't noticed anything. The only problem I've encountered were that my meatballs didn't hold together very well; I'm wondering if draining the zucchini first might fix that.

I figured it out the other day and doing this ends up bringing my per meal cost of the ground beef to around $2.50.

I also like freezing in the one cup amounts because the recipes for things like bread and muffins vary - some call for two cups, some for three - so it makes sense to me to do it one cup amounts. If I had room in my freezer, I would stuff the zucchini into the one cup measuring cup and then dump that out onto a cookie sheet, freeze solid, and then just put each "mound" into a gallon freezer bag, eliminating the snack-size bags altogether.


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## bknthesdle (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks for the freezing idea. I've only been freezing for making bread. I like the mound cup idea. Also like the fritter idea!! Thank you!


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## blynn (Oct 16, 2006)

I have been freezing my shredded zucchini in two cup portions in baggies, which are then placed in larger bags for the freezer. I have heard that you can add zucchini to soup stocks, haven't tried it myself yet but next time I make soup I will. I am planning on making a minestrone type soup this fall with shredded zucchini added as soup vegetables, too. I think you could sneak a cup or two of zucchini in most any kind of sauce-y dish or casserole.


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## Jeepgirl86 (May 18, 2012)

I use shredded zucchini in my turkey burgers, spaghetti sauce and anything else I can think of. It usually takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with. I add chunked zucchini to veggie soups and am going to try dehydrating some too to add to soups as a thickener.


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## anette (Jun 20, 2008)

i like shredded zucchini in a frittata


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## LWMSAVON (Oct 8, 2002)

I shred it and can it.

Then I use it for making poor man's crab cakes (no crab just seasoning to make it taste that way), zucchini muffins, pancakes, bread, and soups.


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

pancakes


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## Raven12 (Mar 5, 2011)

Zucchini crab cakes. That is a new one.


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## praieri winds (Apr 16, 2010)

I add shredded zucc, yellow squash and carrots all these have been previously blanched and frozen together thaw then add finely chopped onions and garlic salt ,pepper ,parsely, just enough bakng mix to coat then fry in haystacks serve with a little ranch yum yum perfect for stir fry also


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

Check out these zucchini recipes....click on the picture, the link is in the upper right corner to take you to the recipes......
Zucchini/Squash Loves


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## Sherry in Iowa (Jan 10, 2010)

If I am running low on potatoes to make hashbrowns, I throw a bag of shredded zukes in the pan too. It stretches the potatoes a little further..

I also throw it in soups to add a bit of filler. Does anyone else "chunk" their zukes for soups and stews and freeze them?


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## Jeepgirl86 (May 18, 2012)

I chunked some last year and froze them, when defrosted they were mushy but worked ok in soup. I left them in a colander to drain and it seemed to help a little.


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## praieri winds (Apr 16, 2010)

Sherry in Iowa said:


> If I am running low on potatoes to make hashbrowns, I throw a bag of shredded zukes in the pan too. It stretches the potatoes a little further..
> 
> I also throw it in soups to add a bit of filler. Does anyone else "chunk" their zukes for soups and stews and freeze them?


I also like to cut smaller chunks and add to speg sauce shortly before serving I like chunky sauce with carrots, zucc,tom,onion.
it is also good in minnastroni


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## nandmsmom (Mar 3, 2006)

I've become addicted to zucchini bites. They're similar to fritters, but baked in a mini muffin tin. I've been putting in 2 cups of shredded zucchini, 1 egg, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1/4 cup shredded cheddar, 1 T parm, salt and pepper to taste. Put into well greased mini muffin tins and bake at 350 for 10-20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.


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## romysbaskets (Aug 29, 2009)

Besides chocolate chip zuc bread, soups, omelets and......beer battered slices, oh my we all must cheat sometimes!


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

nandmsmom said:


> I've become addicted to zucchini bites. They're similar to fritters, but baked in a mini muffin tin. I've been putting in 2 cups of shredded zucchini, 1 egg, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1/4 cup shredded cheddar, 1 T parm, salt and pepper to taste. Put into well greased mini muffin tins and bake at 350 for 10-20 minutes, or until golden brown on top.


These sound really good - I'm going to try them this week. :thumb:

Or maybe I shouldn't, if they're addicting.


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

romysbaskets said:


> Besides chocolate chip zuc bread, soups, omelets and......beer battered slices, oh my we all must cheat sometimes!


I made chocolate chip zucchini muffins and they didn't go over very well - with everyone but me. I thought they were pretty tasty.

My son's girlfriend said she didn't like the "texture." :hammer:


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## countryfied2011 (Jul 5, 2011)

I got this recipe in the mail today from Zip List

Turkey Burgers with Zucchini | Skinnytaste


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I add zucchini to rice and beans.


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## countryfied2011 (Jul 5, 2011)

Here is another recipe I just got in the mail

Tortilla Zucchini Casserole Recipe - Allrecipes.com


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## Fetherhd (Aug 16, 2012)

I recently found a recipe for zuchini marmalade online. I made it with summer squash and must say that if you like marmalade it is delicious! (It is really pretty in the jar too!)


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## starlady (Sep 9, 2009)

just wanted to stop by this thread and thank nandmsmom for the idea to bake, rather than fry, zucchini bites... I made a big batch of zucchini/potato fritters and was wearying of cooking them three at a time on the stove when I remembered this post! Now they are baking in a muffin tin in the oven and I'm relaxing on the couch with my computer.


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

I just saw a recipe for using lengthwise slices of zucchini instead of lasagna noodles for making lasagna. This was on a gluten free recipe site that I can't find again ):


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## campfiregirl (Mar 1, 2011)

My co-worker just made salsa with diced zucchini in it. She said it is good! She was surprised how well the zuc took on the flavor.


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## LadyJane (Nov 23, 2005)

I freeze my shredded zuchinni to use in meatloaf. I use one cup of zuchinni for each pound of ground beef, instead of bread crumbs, crackers, etc. 

I also freeze small chunks of zuchinni to put in winter soups and stews.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

zucchini meat balls. Shred zucchini, press the water out of it, the use the zucchini instead of meat in a meat ball recipe


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## Candace (Jan 14, 2008)

I was very sad this year that the drought killed all my zucchini because I use it to make pickle relish. You use it just as you would cucumbers. People rave about it. I'd be happy to share the recipe if anyone is interested.


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

Candace said:


> I was very sad this year that the drought killed all my zucchini because I use it to make pickle relish. You use it just as you would cucumbers. People rave about it. I'd be happy to share the recipe if anyone is interested.


I'd love to have the recipe! :thumb:


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## pistolsmom (Mar 19, 2005)

Scalloped zucchini! make it just as you would make scalloped potatoes only use the zucchini in place of potatoes!


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## Candace (Jan 14, 2008)

Here's a recipe for sweet relish that always gets raves and I can never make enough. I am sad that we had no zuchinni this year due to the drought. 

Zuchinni Relish
10 c. chopped, unpeeled zuchinni (or cucumbers
2 c. chopped onion
5 T. canning salt
2 T. cornstarch
3 chopped green peppers
3 chopped red peppers
1 T. nugmeg
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 T. celery seed
1 T. turmeric
3 c. white sugar
3 c. brown sugar
2 1/2 c. cider vinegar

Use a small-batch food processer to course chop the zuchinni and onions. Place in a large pan or roaster. Sprinkle with the 5 T. salt and toss. Let this set overnight. Next day, rinse & drain. Repeat, rinsing well. Be very thorough with this step. Let drain - be patient so that most of the water can drain off. 

Stir remaining ingredients in a large pot and cook 30 minutes to dissolve the sugars, blend the spices and to be well heated. Add the shredded, drained zuchinni and heat through but don't boil. It just all needs to be very hot. Be sure to stir well a couple of times to make sure the brine is mixed in. Process 10 minutes in hot water. Makes 10 half pints.


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## Zilli (Apr 1, 2012)

pistolsmom said:


> Scalloped zucchini! make it just as you would make scalloped potatoes only use the zucchini in place of potatoes!


Sounds good. Would you have to use sliced zucchini, or could you use shredded (since I have about thirty cups of shredded zucchini in the freezer).



Candace said:


> Here's a recipe for sweet relish that always gets raves and I can never make enough. I am sad that we had no zuchinni this year due to the drought.
> 
> Zuchinni Relish
> 10 c. chopped, unpeeled zuchinni (or cucumbers
> ...


This sounds really good. I'm going to have to try it but I may have to halve the recipe because I've already put most of mine into the freezer, shredded, and my plants are definitely slowing down.


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