Zucchini Butter Is The Savory Smooth Spread You're Sleeping On

Zucchini can be a great choice for zoodles, salads, or fritters, as well as for sweet dishes like cakes and puddings. This veggie is actually the secret ingredient for moister brownies, offering both flavor and nutrition. With some creativity, you can also turn it into a savory, smooth spread that's just perfect for toast and sandwiches.

As the name suggests, zucchini butter is a creamy paste similar to vegetable purées. It can be salty, spicy, or slightly sweet, depending on the ingredients you use. Plus, it's easy to make and versatile enough for family dinners, parties, or holidays. Enjoy it as is, serve it with crostini for a quick snack, or mix it into pasta dishes for a hearty meal. Alternatively, spread it on pita bread, savory pancakes, veggie wraps, crackers, and everything in between. The result will be a filling, nutritious snack or light meal that fits into most diets. 

This savory spread is similar in flavor and texture to Julia Child's recipe for grated zucchini sautéed in butter and shallots. First, you'll grate and sauté the zucchinis in olive oil or butter. As they cook, you'll add salt, pepper, and other ingredients, such as garlic, shallots, shredded cheese, or chili flakes. The veggies are sautéed slowly over low heat to achieve a thick, spreadable consistency.

There's no one recipe for zucchini butter, which leaves a lot of room for creativity. Some chefs will only use two or three ingredients, like zucchini, garlic, and salt, whereas others may add lemon zest, onions, thyme, rosemary, or even a touch of heavy cream for extra richness. If you're short on time, mix the ingredients in a bowl and then cook them in the microwave.

Before getting started, think about how you plan to use the zucchini butter. If you want to serve it with, say, bruschetta bread, add cherry tomatoes to the mix. But if you're going to serve it with pasta, combine the zucchini with shredded Parmesan cheese, butter, basil, or olives.

Just like cucumbers, zucchinis are high in water, vitamins, and minerals. One cup boasts 26% of the recommended daily vitamin C intake, plus large amounts of potassium, copper, manganese, and B-complex vitamins. Garlic, on the other hand, is rich in flavonoids, tannins, allicin, and other phytonutrients that support overall health. These compounds fight inflammation and may protect against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and osteoarthritis, according to 2020 research published in the journal Antioxidants.

So, if you're looking for a nutritious snack, you can't go wrong with zucchini butter. Spread it on pizza or crostinis, stir it into risotto, or use it as a substitute for regular butter on sandwiches. You can also mix it into cream soups, use it as a stuffing for turkey or chicken breast, or serve it in an avocado half for a unique combination of flavors.