From classic green to zephyr zucchini, we’re covering the most popular types of zucchini from A to Z in this helpful guide to courgette!
All types of squash plants (including zucchini) originated in the Americas. When early explorers discovered these starchy plants, they brought them back to Europe and started growing and cultivating them there.
We can credit Italy with creating the modern-day zucchini. They dubbed it the zucchino (little squash). The zucchini made its way back to America in the 1920s, but it was ignored by most consumers for about 50 years. We just didn’t know what we were missing!
But it ended well as today we have volumes of zucchini recipes from zucchini noodles to stuffed zucchini and zucchini dessert crisp! And, there are more than a few varieties of zucchini to choose from.
Zucchini is a popular summer squash that is loved by many for its mild flavor and versatile nature. It can be eaten raw or cooked and is often used in salads, soups, stews, roasted as a side, and even as a substitute for pasta. Today we are going to look at 15 different types of zucchini.
When zucchini becomes overgrown, it is called a marrow. These large squashes are excellent in a variety of recipes-especially muffins, bread, and cakes due to the structure of the fruit. You can also use the huge zucchini as a stuffed squash.
Bianco di Trieste Zucchini
This is a pale green squash that also has beautiful and glossy skin. This zucchini type is not very long and usually grows to only half the size of many of the longer squashes. Bianco means white in Italian, and Trieste is the Italian city where this squash became popular.
This zucchini is named for its dark green color. They tend to be long and on the thin side, but can be used in the same way as any other zucchini. Black beauty is a great option for baked zucchini slices or air fryer zucchini.
The classic green zucchini is the most common type of zucchini found in grocery stores. It has a dark green skin with white flesh and is oblong or cylindrical in shape. The classic green zucchini is the perfect all-purpose summer squash, and it’s great for grilling, sautéing, baking, or even frying. They are also easy to grow in a home garden. Just be careful to cut them before they grow too large as the skin gets tough and the seeds large.
What Does Zucchini Taste Like?
Zucchini has a mild flavor that seems almost sweet. I wouldn’t say the taste is even memorable, but that is the beauty of zucchini. It takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with!
This makes zucchini the ideal pasta replacement food. Try them in this Zucchini Lasagna, or spiralize your zucchini into Zucchini Pasta with Creamy Avocado Pesto.
The French largely ignored zucchini until it was used in this classic French dish. Can you name the dish? (the answer is at the end of this post!)
How to Use Giant Zucchini? Best Overgrown Zucchini Recipes
FAQ
What are large zucchini called?
Are giant zucchini good to eat?
What is the vegetable that looks like a giant zucchini?
What to do with zucchini that grew too big?
What is another name for zucchini?
There are several other names for zucchini. The most common is “courgette”, the French word for zucchini that is commonly used around the world. In Spanish, a zucchini is called a “calabacin”. The answer is ratatouille, a popular French dish that includes zucchini! See our version of ratatouille (or tian provencal) here.
Will eating zucchini help people gain weight?
Eating zucchini probably won’t help you gain weight. Zucchini is a low energy density vegetable, which means that it is low in calories (17 kilocalories per 100 grams). However, it depends on what other foods it is combined with or prepared with. If it is consumed with more energy dense foods such as cheeses, eggs, creams, it could help gain weight. If you need to gain weight, the most appropriate thing to do would be to receive personalized advice from a nutritionist.
What is a round zucchini?
Round zucchini is an ideal variety if you have a small space for growing. These compact bush heirlooms produce lovely 3” round zucchini fruits that have green skin and pale yellow flesh. They are fast-growing and produce great yields in small spaces or a container. Round zucchini plants take only 45 days to mature from seed.
What is the longest zucchini in the world?
Over-ripe zucchini and those past their prime can be bitter, but that didn’t stop a New York gardener from growing the world’s longest zucchini—a whopping 69 and a half inches! Newer varieties include the golden zucchini and the globe or round zucchini. The golden variety is somewhat milder in taste than the dark green.