7 Types Of Summer Squash And How To Cook With Each

Every year in summer, we fill our backyard gardens with zucchini plants and summer squash. Once they start producing, the bounty can seem endless, so we're always looking for new and creative ways to cook squash. Zucchini bread can work in a pinch, but there are so many other ways to prepare this healthy vegetable.

Unlike winter squashes like butternut squash, summer squash is mild in flavor and harvested early while the rind is tender and edible. On their own, summer squashes are surprisingly good for you. “Nutritionally, summer squash or yellow crookneck squash are a good source of vitamin C and the mineral potassium," says Carolyn O’Neil, MS, RDN. “Summer squash, though, is particularly special because it’s loaded with Lutein and Zeaxanthin, carotenoid nutrients that support eye health and help prevent macular degeneration.”

Whether you're shopping at farmers markets for vegetables or growing your own, there's a whole world of summer squashes that come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. Many are called by the Italian term "zucchini," but other names include calabacita (Spanish) and courgette (French). Use this guide to take the guesswork out of shopping for and cooking the season's generous bounty of summer squash.

What To Know When Buying Summer Squash

Like all fresh produce, summer squashes should feel weighty in your hand, solid but not hard, and never brown or squishy at the ends. Avoid blemishes and soft spots but don’t worry about warts—on some varieties, they’re just part of the package.

How To Store And Prep Summer Squash

Keep your fresh summer squash in the refrigerator, preferably in a plastic bag in the high-humidity crisper drawer. Summer squashes with thicker skins will keep longer than zucchini and other thin-skinned squashes.

How To Cook Summer Squash

Wash well before using (thin skins can hold a surprising amount of grit); since squash doesn’t turn brown when cut, feel free to chop or slice ahead of time so you’ll be ready to go when it’s time to cook your squash. Summer squash is wonderfully versatile and takes well to grilling, roasting, steaming, and sautéing.

Popular Types Of Summer Squash

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Yellow Squash

Bumpy or smooth-skinned, straight or crookneck, this daffodil-colored squash is a classic, showing up in everything from sautéed squash-and-onions to squash casserole. Though smaller is often better when it comes to tenderness, yellow squash (which is sometimes just called summer squash) is a bit of an outlier. Even when small, yellow squash’s skin is decidedly waxy. When cooked, the creamy white flesh retains its shape fairly well and the skin softens up nicely.

02 of 07

Zucchini

This summer classic is a kitchen workhorse. Sliced, diced, or transformed into pasta-like ribbons, it keeps its pretty green hue, won’t turn brown, and is just as happy as the star of the show as it is a supporting player. Slender baby zucchini can be cooked whole, but if you happen to uncover one in your garden that’s grown to epic proportions, don’t throw it into the compost pile. Instead, shred it up and use it in soups, fried zucchini patties, and even zucchini bread. Zucchini’s sunshine-yellow flowers are delicious, too, particularly when they’re stuffed with cheese and sautéed.

03 of 07

Pattypan Squash

Don’t let these flying saucers intimidate you. They may look like rock-hard winter squashes, but they yield just as easily to a sharp knife as their more elongated relatives. Or don’t cut them at all. Since they don’t need to be peeled, tiny green, yellow, or beige pattypans are delicious (and fun) sautéed or steamed just as they are. If you're growing it in the garden, harvest pattypan squash when it reaches 4 inches wide. Left on the vine for too long, they can grow spongy inside.

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Yellow Zucchini

Deeply colored, smooth, and shiny, yellow zucchini offers up the same satisfying sweetness and smooth texture as green zucchini, but in a perkier package. Sautéed with green squash and then tossed with olive oil, chopped summer-ripe tomatoes, and a bit of feta, they make a cheerful side dish that can be served at any temperature.

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Round Zucchini

Although you can cook these green spheres as you would any other zucchini, it’s fun to cut them in half, scoop them out, and fill the indentation with sautéed summer veggies (including the zucchini flesh). As a final step, pop the whole thing into the oven until the shell is tender.

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Chayote Squash

Often called a mirliton, this native of Southern Mexico is a terrific addition to a summer relish tray, where its light, crispy texture might have people guessing what it is. Chayote cooks up easily as well—you can serve it on its own, stuff it, add it to soups or stews, or toss it into a sheet-pan dinner.

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Zephyr Squash

A newcomer to the squash world, this hybrid of three different squashes was created in 1999 and is known for its two-toned yellow and green color scheme. Though you can cook it as you would any other summer squash, be sure to leave it whole or slice it lengthwise to show off the show-stopping pattern.

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