# What do you do with too many courgettes?

Canonical: https://zestasy.com/wiki/courgette-glut/  
Section: Zestasy Wiki > Food · Updated: 2026-10-13 · Publisher: Zestasy

*Zestasy Wiki: our reference answers. Checked for facts and sources; less curated than the magazine.*

Cook them in as many different directions as you can, so the glut never feels like the same dinner twice: shave them raw, grill them, fry them into fritters, stew them slowly until jammy, bake them into a tart. Big ones are best grated or cooked down; small ones are best raw or barely cooked.

Anyone who has grown courgettes knows the moment: you looked away for two days and now there is a marrow the size of a forearm and six more on the way. The good news is that courgettes are agreeable. They take on whatever flavours you give them, and they change character completely depending on how you cook them.

First, sort them. **Small, firm courgettes** are sweet and dense, perfect raw or quickly cooked. **Large ones** are watery with bigger seeds; they are better grated, salted or cooked down slowly. If the middle of a giant is spongy with seeds, scoop it out and use the flesh.

## Ten directions

### 1. Raw ribbons
Shave small courgettes lengthways with a vegetable peeler. Dress with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and something salty and sharp: shaved pecorino, a few capers, torn mint. Dress just before eating so they stay crisp.

### 2. Grilled, then marinated
Slice lengthways, grill or griddle until charred in stripes, then lay in a dish with olive oil, a splash of vinegar, garlic and mint. They improve as they sit at room temperature. [Grilling vegetables](https://zestasy.com/wiki/grilling-vegetables/) covers the technique.

### 3. Fritters
Grate, salt, leave in a colander, then squeeze hard in a tea towel. Mix with egg, a little flour, herbs and grated cheese and fry spoonfuls in olive oil until golden. Squeezing is the whole secret.

### 4. Slow-cooked pasta sauce
Slice thinly and cook slowly in a generous amount of olive oil with garlic, stirring now and then, until they collapse into a soft, sweet, pale-gold mush. Toss with pasta, cooking water and plenty of grated cheese. This is the best use for a heap of courgettes in one go.

### 5. Frittata
Cook sliced courgettes with onion until soft and lightly golden, then pour beaten eggs over and cook gently. Good warm, better cold the next day. See [frittata that isn't rubbery](https://zestasy.com/food/frittata-not-rubbery/).

### 6. Soup
Courgettes, onion, a potato for body, stock, and a handful of basil, simmered and blended. Finish with olive oil and grated cheese. Serve hot or at room temperature in a heatwave.

### 7. Roasted, hot and fast
Thick half-moons, oil, salt, a very hot oven, lots of space on the tray. They should brown on the cut side before they soften too much. Crowd them and they stew.

### 8. Stuffed
Halve the big ones lengthways, scoop out the seedy middle, chop it and fry it with onion, breadcrumbs, herbs and cheese, then pile it back into the shells and bake until golden.

### 9. Fried and marinated, *a scapece*
Fry courgette slices until golden, then layer them with mint, garlic and vinegar and leave to marinate. Sharp, sweet and very good with bread.

### 10. Quick fridge pickles
Thin slices in a sweet-sour vinegar brine make crunchy pickles for sandwiches and cheese plates. [Quick pickles](https://zestasy.com/wiki/quick-pickles/) has the method.

## Keeping them from going watery

Courgettes hold a lot of water, and most disappointments come from that water ending up in the pan or on the plate. The short version: salt and drain when you want them dry, use a hot pan, don't crowd, and stir less than you want to. [Watery courgettes](https://zestasy.com/wiki/watery-courgettes/) has the full answer.

## Storing the glut

Courgettes keep best in the fridge, unwashed, in a loose bag. They soften and lose their snap with time, so cook the oldest first. Grated, salted and squeezed courgette can be frozen in flat bags for fritters and soups later; it won't be crisp again, but it doesn't need to be.

And if you still have too many, give them away. Neighbours with no garden are usually delighted. Neighbours with a garden are usually trying to give you theirs.

## FAQ

### Do we need to peel courgettes?
No. The skin is thin and holds the shape together. Peel only very large, tough-skinned ones, or leave stripes for looks.

### What about the flowers?
They are a treat of their own, stuffed and fried or torn raw into pasta. See [courgette flowers](https://zestasy.com/wiki/courgette-flowers/).

### Which herbs suit courgettes best?
Mint and basil first, then parsley, marjoram and a little thyme. Lemon zest and chilli flakes are honorary herbs here.

### Are yellow and round courgettes different?
They cook in the same ways. Round ones are made for stuffing; yellow ones are a little milder and look lovely raw.

## Related

- [How do you stop courgettes going watery?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/watery-courgettes/)
- [How do you cook courgette flowers?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/courgette-flowers/)
- [How do you grill vegetables on a barbecue without them falling apart?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/grilling-vegetables/)
- [How do you make a frittata that isn't rubbery?](https://zestasy.com/food/frittata-not-rubbery/)
- [How do you make quick pickles?](https://zestasy.com/wiki/quick-pickles/)
- [All Food answers in the Wiki](https://zestasy.com/wiki/#food)