Julia Child's #1 Trick for Using Up a Bunch of Zucchini

The argument could be made that all roads lead back to Julia Child. Well, all recipe roads, anyway. The famous chef has done more than inspire generations of cooks: her classic French recipes have been made, remade, tweaked, and riffed on for decades now. Case in point: Julia Child’s zucchini butter. 

What Is Julia Child's Zucchini Butter Recipe?

At its purest, this recipe is a cooked-down mélange of grated zucchini, butter and oil, and chopped shallots. Or scallions. Whatever allium you’ve got on hand, really. Julia’s version is a gently creamy side dish with a nice fresh bite to it—it hasn’t been cooked to death, so the zucchini stays vibrantly green. (But BTW, you could totally make it with yellow summer squash). It’s simple, it doesn’t require any kitchen equipment fancier than a box grater, and it’s ready in under half an hour. 

Get the Recipe: Julia Child's Grated Zucchini

Variations on Zucchini Butter

But like I said: Julia Child’s version was just the beginning. Over the last handful of years, we’ve been seeing this clever zucchini recipe all over the internet, and we love every single version. EatingWell covered the trend with an overview of the trend’s origins, which also calls out another beloved chef we can’t get enough of: Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen fame. 

Deb’s recipe for Zucchini Butter Spaghetti is where things kick into high gear, because she repurposes the pleasantly chunky veggie side into a dreamy, creamy pasta sauce I will never get tired of. As she tweaked the recipe in her own kitchen, she streamlined it and added a few luxe touches that made it easier and more delicious. First, Perelman calls for garlic instead of shallots, explaining that the shallots add too much sweetness to the finished dish. She also nixes the need to drain the zucchini, because the water will eventually cook off in the pan. I love that update: any recipe that makes cleanup easier is a recipe I want in my life. She also includes pasta water in the instructions: adding a steam of that to the zucchini butter, along with the cooked noodles, is what gives the dish its loose, saucy texture. I often make it without the pasta and pasta water, because, when it’s thicker, it’s an ideal sandwich spread.

Google around, and you’ll find a variation of zucchini butter that works for you. There’s little you can’t change about this recipe. Double or triple the batch if you want; a larger pan with a more usable cooking area, and more time will do the rest. Use your food processor to grate the zucchini. Wring it out in a towel or don’t. Add garlic powder if you don’t have fresh on hand. Use all butter. Or all oil. Or some other delicious fat to get things going. The important thing is just the technique: grate, sauté, season, and go.

More Ways to Use Up a Bunch of Zucchini

Now, I’m not saying zucchini butter is the only way to use up your zukes. If you’re more into sweet stuff, zucchini bread is your calling card. Zoodle fan? No shame in that. Heck, you can even freeze it. And if you’ve accidentally let a zucchini grow wild in your garden until it’s boat-sized, you’re not alone. I’ll be here, eating all the zucchini I can, straight up until pumpkin season.