Summer time means delicious summer squash is in season. Summer squash are a low-calorie, soft-shelled variety of squash with thin edible skins and edible seeds. They include zucchini, pattypan squash, crookneck squash, sunburst squash, yellow squash, chayote squash and opo squash.

Whatever variety you choose, buy it now while it’s still in season! When you go to the store or market to purchase squash, select varieties that have bright-colored skin and are heavy for their size. They should feel firm and look shiny, without containing rust spots, bruises and cracks. If you see that the squash looks dull, do not buy it, as it is not fresh. Since they are picked when they are immature and tender, they have a short window for freshness and should be eaten as soon as possible. When storing your summer squash, be gentle, as they can be damaged very easily.

There are dozens of ways that you can use summer squash in your cooking and food preparation. Check out these delicious recipes below:

1. Grilled Tofu and Squash With Easy Chimichurri Sauce and Couscous

For this recipe, grill the squash with tofu and scallions, then make a Chimichurri sauce, which is an Argentinian condiment made of a mixture of parsley, cilantro, vinegar, and garlic.

2. Summertime Tofu Scramble

For this summertime tofu scramble, preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. First, sauté onion in grapeseed oil for about 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic & saute for about 30 seconds. Then, sautee zucchini and other summer squash with carrot and sun-dried tomatoes until tender. All of those glorious flavors will mix together and provide a nice texture to balance out the tofu.

3. Zucchini Fritters with Lemon Basil Cashew Cream

For this recipe, grate zucchini, then put it in a large bowl and gently mix in flax egg, flour, chives, and arrowroot powder. Fry that mixture and serve with a refreshing lemon basil cashew cream.

4. Raw Zucchini Pasta with Creamy Avocado-Cucumber Sauce

Summertime is the perfect time to enjoy healthy, raw meals, and what better way to do so than by using fresh, in-season zucchini? Use a julienne peeler or spiralizing tool to make noodle-like shapes from the zucchini. Then, prepare an avocado-cucumber puree and toss with arugula and the zucchini noodles.

5. Zucchini and Corn Veggie Burgers

These veggie burgers are fluffy on the inside and crisp on the outside, melding the flavors from the zucchini, corn, and green onions. You’ll want to drain zucchini by placing it in a kitchen towel and squeezing all the water out of it until dry, making sure to collect all liquid in separate bowl. After you’ve made the burger mix, bake the patties for 25 minutes, or until they’re golden brown.

6. Spicy Zucchini and Tomato Tacos

It’s time to bust out the grill and cook some zucchini and other fresh summer squash for these light tacos.

7. White Zucchini Pizza

This white zucchini pizza features a rich, creamy bechamel sauce. It takes some time to make, so choose a night when you want to get your hands dirty and cook a lot.

8. Minty Zucchini n’ Strawberry Chilled Soup

Combine zucchini with strawberries, balsamic vinegar and tomatoes for this refreshing, chilled soup.

9. The World’s Healthiest Zucchini Skillet Cobbler

For this healthy skillet cobbler, cook zucchini in xylitol for a sweet taste. You need xylitol, zucchini, almond meal, shredded coconut, vanilla sweet an an optional sweetener.

10. Zucchini Pasta With Garlic Green Beans and Stuffing

This is a great recipe to make for lunch. For dinner the night before, make a meal using vegan stuffing and save the leftovers for the pasta dish for lunch.

Lead image source: Grilled Tofu and Squash With Easy Chimichurri Sauce and Couscous