What To Do When You Have Surplus Zucchinis?

It’s summer and your zucchini plant is going crazy. But what to do with surplus zucchinis? Here are seven ways to use up all those courgettes!

A common problem for backyard gardeners is undoubtedly when everything in the vegie patch becomes ripe at the same time and you are thus left with far too much of something to use immediately.

At the moment, we’re dealing with surplus zucchinis. Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do with your glut of courgettes!

Zucchini pickle

Some things are best kept simple. This recipe, from Ragged Blossom, keeps it that way.

Ingredients:

  • 1kg zucchinis, finely chopped
  • 2 large onions, finely chopped
  • 1 red capsicum, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 2 & 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 cups white or cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 2 tbs white or cider vinegar (extra)

Method:

Place zucchinis, onions and capsicum in a bowl, add salt and mix well. Leave to stand for at least three hours. Drain well.

Combine sugar, vinegar, mustard powder and turmeric in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add vegetables and boil for 25 minutes. Mix cornflour to a paste with extra vinegar and stir through. Cook for two to three minutes more or until thickened.

Spoon into warm sterilised jars and seal. Eat immediately or store in a cold, dark and dry place for up to one year.

Makes approximately 1.5 litres.

Swap or give to friends/family/local food swap

local food producers

If I have too much going on in the kitchen this is what I do. Sure, I won’t have it later for my consumption, but somebody else can enjoy it at its prime.

Giving your surplus zucchinis (and other fruit and veg) to or swapping them with friends and family is pretty straight froward, but there are ways of expanding your reach and meeting like-minded people too.

Google “food swap” and your suburb or city name to find your nearest food swap. You never know, there may be one just down the road.

Also, check out the likes of Ripe Near Me, which uses the interwebz to connect people online to share food offline. You list what you’ve got, give it the status of “ripe” (or “growing” if it is still on its way), and people will flick you a message to relieve you of your glut. You can even sell things on Ripe Near Me.

Zucchini cake

Zesty Zucchini Cake Recipe

The recipe for this zucchini cake is many things: zesty, zingy, zippy… but most of all it uses up the zillions of zucchinis from your vegie patch at this time of year. It has a moist crumb, uses pantry-staple ingredients and is very easy to throw together at a pinch.

View the full recipe here.

Other worthy mentions

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