17 Delicious Zucchini Recipes That Make Following a Low-Carb Diet Way Easier (2024)

While cauliflower gets all the glory these days, we haven't forgotten about zucchini when it comes to finding low-carb swaps for our favorite dishes. Thanks to this versatile green veggie, you can still enjoy pizza, pasta, breadsticks and more on a low-carb diet. Check out some of our favorite low-carb zucchini recipes that taste just as comforting as the original.

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Almond-Flour Zucchini Bread

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17 Delicious Zucchini Recipes That Make Following a Low-Carb Diet Way Easier (1)

Almond flour gives this tender gluten-free zucchini bread a boost of protein. Squeezing excess moisture from the zucchini prevents the bread from becoming too soggy. If you want to make it extra special, add some dark chocolate chips to the mix.

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Zucchini Noodle Cacio e Pepe

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Cheese and pepper star in this simple Italian dish. While the combo is traditionally tossed with pasta, we toss Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper with zucchini noodles instead for a lower-carb dish that helps you get in an extra serving of veggies. To simplify the recipe, look for prepackaged zucchini noodles in the produce section of your supermarket.

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Baked Zucchini Waffle Fries with Creamy Herb Dip

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These crispy baked zucchini waffle fries with a ranch-style dipping sauce are a super-fun snack, appetizer or side dish. You can use all sorts of herbs in the creamy dipping sauce, including chives, dill, tarragon or parsley--or a combo. Pickle fans will love the sauce with dill, which pairs especially nicely with the Old Bay in the breadcrumb coating on the zucchini. To create the waffle shape, you can use a mandoline or special waffle cutter, such as the Borner Wave Waffle Cutter, which sells for about $20. This healthy fry recipe would also be delicious with regular sliced zucchini rounds if you'd rather not fuss with special equipment at all.

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Zucchini Pizza Casserole

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Got a bumper crop of zucchini? Try this crowd-pleasing casserole-meets-pizza dish, which can easily be made gluten-free. A layer of tender shredded zucchini is topped with all the classics: sauce, cheese, pepperoni and sliced bell pepper. Experiment with your own favorite toppings, but make sure you don't overload the crust or it will be too wet.

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Garlic-Parmesan Hasselback Zucchini

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17 Delicious Zucchini Recipes That Make Following a Low-Carb Diet Way Easier (5)

Using the hasselback technique--cutting partially into a whole fruit or vegetable every 1/2 inch or so--gives you an easy way to sneak lots of flavor into this healthy zucchini recipe. To bake the zucchini instead of grilling, place in a foil-lined 8-inch-square baking pan and bake at 425°F until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

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Spiralized Zucchini Nest Eggs

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These impressive-looking zucchini eggs in a nest are actually surprisingly easy to make. There's no frying or poaching required--instead, the eggs are baked right on top of a bed of spiralized zucchini noodles. An herbed cheese mixture adds plenty of flavor and keeps the eggs from running through the zucchini nests. Serve these eggs for a healthy breakfast or brunch.

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Zucchini Noodle "Pasta" Salad

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This healthy zucchini noodle salad has all the flavors you love in a classic Mediterranean pasta salad but we've swapped in zoodles for wheat pasta, which makes the salad lighter, lower in carbs and gluten-free. Serve it with grilled chicken or fish for a light and healthy summer dinner.

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Flourless Blender Zucchini Muffins

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The batter for these healthy gluten-free zucchini muffins comes together in a flash in your blender. And these tasty treats are baked in a mini muffin tin, so they're the perfect snack or quick breakfast. The chocolate chips are an optional but excellent addition.

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Spiralized Zucchini & Summer Squash Casserole

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If you don't have a spiralizer to make this healthy zucchini noodle casserole (aka zoodles), use a vegetable peeler to make long thin strips of the squash and zucchini, stopping when you reach the seedy center. Just a few minutes under the broiler gives these ricotta-and-basil-filled nests a light golden top.

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Zucchini, Corn & Egg Casserole

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17 Delicious Zucchini Recipes That Make Following a Low-Carb Diet Way Easier (10)

This healthy casserole is essentially a crustless quiche, brimming with fresh summer vegetables. Bake it up for an elegant summer brunch or a casual backyard barbecue.

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Zucchini Noodles with Pesto & Chicken

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This healthy summer dinner subs zoodles for pasta to help use up your zucchini bounty--as well as slash calories and carbs. Once the spiralized zucchini has time to soak up the herby pesto sauce, this chicken and pesto pasta makes particularly good leftovers.

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Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

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This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.

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Lasagna-Stuffed Zucchini

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Swap vegetables for noodles in this healthy lasagna-inspired recipe. Stuffing zucchini boats with chicken sausage, tomato, ricotta and herbs gives you all the flavors of lasagna without all the carbs.

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Zucchini Tortillas

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In this genius carb swap recipe, shredded zucchini held together with a little cheese creates a delicious gluten-free tortilla. These low-carb tortillas are delicious on their own as a snack, but you can also wrap them around your favorite tortilla fillings. Be sure to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the zucchini, as this will yield crispy tortillas.

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Quiche Lorraine with Zucchini Crust

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Shredded zucchini acts as the crust in this recipe for healthier, low-carb quiche Lorraine—quiche with Jarlsberg cheese, bacon and scallions—a brunch classic.

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Cheesy Zucchini Breadsticks

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17 Delicious Zucchini Recipes That Make Following a Low-Carb Diet Way Easier (16)

Shredded zucchini, eggs and cheese combine in this easy recipe for low-carb cheesy breadsticks like you would get from the pizzeria, but healthier! Dip this gluten-free appetizer in marinara or pico de gallo for even more flavor.

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Zucchini Enchiladas

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17 Delicious Zucchini Recipes That Make Following a Low-Carb Diet Way Easier (17)

Using thinly sliced zucchini in place of tortillas is a great way to cut back on carbs and still enjoy cheesy chicken enchiladas. If you like the heat, opt for a spicy enchilada sauce.

17 Delicious Zucchini Recipes That Make Following a Low-Carb Diet Way Easier (2024)

FAQs

What are 7 great vegetables to cut down on carbs? ›

In addition, many are low in carbs and high in fiber, making them ideal for low carb diets.
  • Low carb vegetables. Here is a list of the 20 best low carb vegetables to include in your diet.
  • Bell peppers. ...
  • Broccoli. ...
  • Asparagus. ...
  • Mushrooms. ...
  • Zucchini. ...
  • Spinach. ...
  • Avocados.

What is the most nutritious way to eat zucchini? ›

Thinly slice or grate raw zucchini and add it to salads. Chopped, sliced, or diced zucchini is a good option to add to stir fry dishes. Spiralize zucchini into a spaghetti or linguine shape as a low-carbohydrate alternative to pasta. Addboiled or roasted zucchini to soups.

Are zucchini low-carb? ›

Zucchini

"Zucchini is a good source of vitamin C, potassium and folate. It's also low in calories and provides fiber, which can aid in digestion," she says. Additionally, since it's lower in carbs, it won't spike your blood sugar. Per the USDA, 1 cup of cooked zucchini has less than 5 grams of carbs.

What to do with large amounts of zucchini? ›

What to do with too Much Zucchini
  1. Add it to Your Salads. Sliced or diced, zucchini is a nice addition to any salad. ...
  2. Put it in Spaghetti. ...
  3. Freeze It. ...
  4. Make Butter out of It. ...
  5. Enjoy Zucchini Bites. ...
  6. Try Greta's Zucchini Bread Recipe. ...
  7. Add Zucchini to Turkey Burgers. ...
  8. Zucchini Soup is a Must.
Aug 7, 2021

How many carbs a day to lose weight? ›

As far as how many carbohydrates to eat, Pratt says 100 to 150 grams of carbohydrates is safe for most people who are trying to lose weight. It may be better for some people to eat carbs consistently throughout the day. “You can also break it up evenly with 40 to 50 grams of carbs per meal,” she says.

What organ is zucchini good for? ›

Zucchini is a versatile squash rich in vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. It may offer several health benefits, ranging from improved digestion to a lower risk of heart disease. Zucchini may aid your bones, thyroid, and prostate. If you're curious, try adding this soft, mild fruit to your diet today.

What does zucchini do for your gut? ›

Zucchini may also contribute to a gut-friendly diet, thanks to its fiber content. High-fiber foods may help improve your overall gut health, while also essentially cleaning it of buildup and bacteria by keeping bowel movements regular.

Can I eat a whole zucchini on keto? ›

Yes, zucchini is keto. A medium zucchini has about 6 total grams of carbs and 2 of them are fiber. So one whole zucchini has 4 net carbs. Zucchini is very popular on the low carb diet.

Does sauteed zucchini have carbs? ›

Denny's Sauteed Zucchini And Squash (1 serving) contains 3g total carbs, 2g net carbs, 6g fat, 1g protein, and 60 calories.

Which beans have the lowest carbohydrates? ›

Highest and Lowest Carb Beans

Among these, black soybeans and green beans have the lowest carbs, potentially making them better for a keto diet. On the other hand, chickpeas, pinto beans, and navy beans have high carbs. You might want to avoid these if you're strictly following a keto diet.

How do you keep zucchini from getting soggy when cooking? ›

If you've got the time, try salting and draining your zucchini. This method involves liberally salting your sliced zucchini and allowing it to set in a colander (over a bowl) for at least 30 minutes, up to an hour, before patting dry with paper towels or a tea towel.

Can you freeze zucchini? ›

While freezing zucchini is a great way to extend its life, it's not as simple as just popping a few squash into your freezer. Raw zucchini gets weepy and watery after thawing. To effectively save it, you should chop and blanch it first. This helps set the texture and color and makes it last longer.

What are the top 10 low-carb vegetables? ›

List of the best low carb vegetables
  • Iceberg lettuce. Perhaps one of the most popular — though least nutritious — vegetables, iceberg lettuce has only 2.97 g of carbohydrate per 100 g. ...
  • White mushrooms. Mushrooms contain only 3.26 g of carbs per 100 g. ...
  • Spinach. ...
  • Broccoli. ...
  • Zucchini. ...
  • Cauliflower. ...
  • Asparagus. ...
  • Radishes.

What vegetables are slow burning carbs? ›

All non-starchy vegetables contain slow carbs. Excellent examples include leafy greens, like spinach and kale, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and asparagus. Starchy vegetables include corn, potatoes, squash and most root vegetables.

How to eat 7 vegetables a day? ›

Top tips to help you eat more fruits and vegetables
  1. Start with breakfast. If you're aiming to pack more portions into your day, it's worth starting as you mean to go on. ...
  2. Include fruit and veg in snacks. ...
  3. Eat the rainbow. ...
  4. Pack a healthy lunch. ...
  5. Plan produce-packed dinners.
Mar 6, 2020

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