Use Zucchini Butter for Sandwiches, Pastas, and More

It’s That Simple is our series about recipes so easy, you can make them with your eyes closed. Think tiny ingredient lists, laid-back techniques, and results so delicious you’ll text home about them.

My mom learned a lot when she started gardening. That she’d be in a constant battle with the local squirrel population over her strawberry bush, for starters. That singing Harry Styles to her one lone watermelon would not encourage it to ripen any faster. And that despite planting what originally seemed like a sensible amount of zucchini, she would end the season with more than she knew what to do with. “Help,” she texted me that first year, under a picture of 25 pounds of zucchini. “Too much. Rookie mistake.”

Zucchini overabundance is a common predicament for home gardeners. Known for its high yield and hearty disposition, the vegetable will grow enormous (blue ribbon at the county fair energy) and plentiful specimens if left on the vine. Whether you’re the one doing the watering or shopping for what’s in season, you’ll find no shortage. My favorite way to use it up is by making zucchini butter—a luscious, versatile spread that is just as delicious on sandwiches as it is tossed with pasta.

Transforming grated summer squash into something so vibrant you’ll be tempted to eat it with a spoon is a simple task. With the help of garlic, lemon, and a little fat (I like butter and olive oil), the vegetable cooks down in just 15 minutes, softening in texture but retaining its fresh flavor. There’s no need to squeeze out the zucchini (salting and gently pressing will do the trick), as the cooking takes care of the excess moisture for you. And when it’s done, it keeps well in the fridge, ready to turn into all sorts of meals. Buttery, vegetal, and bright, it might just become your new favorite way to use up your summer stash too.

Ways to use zucchini butter

• Toss with hot pasta or layer into a summer lasagna
• Spoon atop fish, chicken, and steak, or toss with shrimp
• Spread on a sandwich (it’s great on a turkey club or BLT)
• Mix into rice or farro for a risotto-like texture
• Serve with fried eggs or swirl into a frittata