Ingredient Focus: Courgette | Zucchini

Glossy-skinned and quietly tender, a summer fruit that behaves like a vegetable — generous, green, and good-tempered.

Pantry Zone

Fresh vegetables and fruits

Storage whisper: Courgettes prefer the fridge — but not too cold. Store in the salad drawer in a paper or cloth bag to prevent condensation. Use within 4–5 days for best flavour and texture. Don’t seal in plastic — they’ll soften too fast.

In Season (UK)

June to September

What Courgettes Bring to the Table

Courgettes are like green chameleons — they soak up flavour, add gentle bulk, and glide between cuisines without fuss. Eaten raw, they’re crisp and clean. Roasted or grilled, they become mellow and yielding. Stewed, they melt. Fried, they dance.

They also come in many shapes and colours — stripy, yellow, round — but always bring a whisper of summer with them. And when grown small, they carry surprising delicacy.

How To Use

• Slice and char on a griddle, then dress with lemon and mint
• Grate into fritters with spices and a chickpea flour batter
• Roast chunks with garlic, olive oil and tomatoes
• Shave raw into ribbons and toss into summer salads
• Simmer into a silky soup with basil and white beans

Flavour Pairings

Lemon — Mint — Basil — Olive Oil — Tomatoes — Chickpea Flour — Garlic — Chilli Flakes

Waste Less

Got a floppy courgette or a forgotten one at the back? Grate it into pasta sauces, soup bases, or even cakes — it disappears beautifully into batter. Or slice, freeze on a tray, and add to future stews or smoothies.

What next?

• Find Recipes with Courgette
• Or wander the shelves of the Golden Ingredient Index for more ideas.
• If you like learning ingredients this way, get my weekly kitchen letter.