15 Sensational Plant-Based Summer Squash Recipes

With summer comes an abundance of summer squash. Yellow squash, crook necks, and zucchinis overflow our harvest baskets and farmer’s market stands.

While a great zucchini and summer squash stirfry is just a perfect super, sometimes we have more fruit than we can even give away so having a few other recipes up your sleeve is pretty essential.

Many of these OGP recipes call for zucchinis, but really, any of these recipes would work well with most of the different varieties of summer squash. Have a go at one of these sensational summer squash recipes. There are even a few desserts in there, too.

We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App  — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan, plant-based, and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help you get healthy!

1. Baked Zucchini Fries

Source: Baked Zucchini Fries

Try not to thank yourself after you bake this incredible French fry substitute. Really, should we even call it a substitute? How about the new, fantastic, love of your life? These Baked Zucchini Fries by Kinda Vegan mimic your traditional fast-food favorites, but they are also healthy, crunchy, and packed with the nutritional benefits of olive oil. Heart-stopping—in a good way.

2. Garden Picnic Pasta Salad with Veggies, Herbs, and Orange-Miso Tahini Dressing

Source: Garden Picnic Pasta Salad with Veggies, Herbs, and Orange-Miso Tahini Dressing

This Garden Picnic Pasta Salad with Veggies, Herbs, and Orange-Miso Tahini Dressing by  John Mackey is a creamy umami bomb of earthy deliciousness that’s perfect for dinner or lunch and for leftovers the next day! Pasta is tossed with shredded kale, blanched broccoli and zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and plenty of fresh herbs, then topped with a simple, healthy, and citrusy dressing. It’s easy to prepare and can be done the day before so it’s ready to go when you want.

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3. Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Source: Roasted Vegetable Risotto

Here we have a creamy and filling dish loaded with delicious roasted vegetables and rich, flavorful risotto.  This Roasted Vegetable Risotto by Robin Browne is packed with nutritional yeast to create that cheesy texture, and the combination of white wine and vegetable broth creates an aroma in the kitchen that will have your mouth drooling.

4. Zucchini Banana Bread

Source: Zucchini Banana Bread

A great way to use up your stock of zucchini and brown bananas, this healthy Zucchini Banana Bread by Kat Condon is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan!

5. Fruitless Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie Bowl

Source: Fruitless Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie Bowl

This rich and creamy Fruitless Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie Bowl is made without any fruit, making it low in sugar but still high in protein and delicious chocolate flavor! Frozen bananas are included in almost all smoothies because they add sweetness and create a luxuriously creamy texture. But, sometimes you run out or want something a little less sweet. That’s where this Fruitless Chocolate Zucchini Smoothie Bowl by Kat Condon comes in!

6. Grilled Zucchini Sticks

Source: Grilled Zucchini Sticks

These Grilled Zucchini Sticks by Lenia & Dimitra are very delicious! They are made with minimal ingredients so they’re pretty easy to make. Eat them fresh out of the oven for maximum enjoyment.

7. Zucchini and Quinoa Fritters

Source: Zucchini and Quinoa Fritters

Healthy and easy three-ingredient fritters. These Zucchini and Quinoa Fritters by Annie Kimmelman are super delicious and great for when you need a quick meal! They’re perfect as an appetizer or as a topper on a salad.

8. Zucchini and Butternut Squash Casserole

Source: Zucchini and Butternut Squash Casserole

When the cool fall weather starts to approach, and the days get shorter, there’s nothing better than curling up in some fuzzy socks after a long day with a big plate of comfort food. Zucchini and butternut squash are the partners in crime in this recipe for Zucchini and Butternut Squash Casserole by Maria Koutsogiannis. The best part is that it’s super simple to make and you’ll have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day! It’s the meal that keeps on giving.

9. Zucchini Boats

Source: Zucchini Boats

Oven Roasted Zucchini stuffed with Quinoa & Shiitake Mushrooms; served with Pesto. Delicious! For this recipe, you’ll need some nice chubby zucchini.  The vegan Zucchini Boats by Lena Novak are so tasty and will impress everyone at the table.

10. Grilled Zucchini Sandwiches with Spinach Pesto

Source: Grilled Zucchini Sandwiches with Spinach Pesto

These Grilled Zucchini Sandwiches with Spinach Pesto by Robin Browne are smoky, zesty, and loaded with garden-fresh veggies. The vegan spinach pesto is a must.

11. Artichoke Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Source: Artichoke Pesto Zucchini Noodles

This Artichoke Pesto Zucchini Noodles by Julie Zimmer is a simple, easy, and flavorful dish that can be served as a starter (entrée) or a main meal. Of course, you could make the same dish with pasta, but this healthy version is worth a try. It’s also a great way to get your kids to eat more vegetables. Bon appétit!

12. Mango Zucchini Bread Ice Cream Sandwiches

Source: Mango Zucchini Bread Ice Cream Sandwiches

Making ice cream sandwiches is the perfect way to transform and save any quick bread loaf. It would work wonderfully with any kind of quick bread – banana bread, carrot cake loaf, lemon loaf, etc. The options are endless! But, it is highly recommended to do it with this mango zucchini bread because these Mango Zucchini Bread Ice Cream Sandwiches by Leah Moldowan are kind of amazing.

13. Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Source: Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

This particular recipe for Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread by Christina Bedetta is a new whole-grain, gluten-free, and vegan variation of muffin and quick bread recipes. It employs a deliciously sweet flavor from the maple syrup and just enough richness from the added chocolate. For the quick bread, squeeze some of the excess moisture out of the shredded zucchini with paper towels!

14. Fermented Squash Relish

Source: Fermented Squash Relish

This Fermented Squash Relish by Angi Schneider is reminiscent of sour pickle relish without the vinegar flavor. You can make this ferment spicy or mild, depending on what peppers you choose to use. The cloves are the secret ingredient in this fermented summer squash relish; they add a rich spiced flavor that mellows the ferment.

15. Zucchini Tater Tots

Source: Zucchini Tater Tots

You probably remember tater tots, those coveted (and greasy) pillows of potato-y goodness served at school lunches. This recipe is a healthier take on those and they’re so good, you’ll want to carry them around in your pocket so you can have them all to yourself. This recipe for Zucchini Tater Tots by Kirsten Kaminski is as easy as mashing potato and grated zucchini together, forming them into tots, and baking them until golden and crispy.

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