Incredibly easy, incredibly good Roasted Zucchini can be prepped in about 5 minutes and makes a perfect weeknight side dish.
I have a handful of easy, go-to side dishes. Most of them are already on the site (like my Butter and Garlic Green Beans , Roasted Broccoli , and Roasted Green Beans ).
And today I’m adding another: incredibly easy, incredibly good Roasted Zucchini.
Roasted Zucchini is one of those side dish recipes you’ll be glad to have in your back pocket for busy weeknights because it’s easy to prep, tastes great, and is pretty much foolproof.
Zucchini has a more mild flavor than a lot of vegetables, but roasting really helps to bring it out and drizzling it with high-quality olive oil, coarse salt, and freshly ground pepper certainly doesn’t hurt anything.
Even if you’re not typically a huge zucchini fan (I’m not), give roasting it a try. You might be surprised at how much you like it, and it’s a great way to bulk up a plate if you’re keeping an eye on your intake.
How to Prepare Zucchini
- Start with clean, dry zucchini. Zucchini skins are very thin and mild so you don’t need to peel them.
- Cut off and discard the woody stem at the top of the zucchini.
- For smaller zucchinis, you can slice them into rounds. For larger zucchinis, cut them in half lengthwise before slicing for half-moon pieces.
How to Make Roasted Zucchini
- Toss the sliced zucchini with olive oil –you can either do this in a bowl or on a baking sheet, but I feel like a bowl gives slightly more even coverage. And then spread on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and, if it sounds good, a bit of paprika to give things a little kick. Then bake until fork tender and serve.
Roasting Zucchini at the Same Time As Your Main Dish
For those of us not blessed with a double oven, roasted side dishes can be a pain to make alongside roasted or baked mains because they often take too long to cook after the main dish is finished but don’t cook as well when cooked in the oven with something else.
That’s really not a problem with roasted zucchini. Since we’re not trying to use high heat to get roasted zucchini super crispy, and it isn’t very prone to burning, you can cook it at a range of temperatures, on a lower rack without too many issues.
To roast zucchini at the same time as your main dish: simply cook it at the temperature your main dish requires (don’t try roasting at the same time as something using the broiler). If possible, move your bottom rack up so it is closer to the center of your oven and roast the zucchini there. Check on the zucchini once or twice during baking to make sure it’s not burning on the lower rack, and simply roast until it’s fork tender.
If your main finishes and the zucchini’s not done, crank the heat up to 450°F, move the pan to the center rack, and cook it for a couple minutes more while your main dish rests.
Can I make these in advance?
Yes. Roasted zucchini is one of my favorite veggie sides for meal prepping because its quality stays pretty consistent even after refrigerating and reheating. They will soften slightly with reheating, so if you prefer your zucchini with some bite to it, undercook it just slightly during the initial roasting period.
Once roasted, store the zucchini in an airtight container in your refrigerator, and it will keep for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Can I freeze this?
I don’t recommend freezing roasted zucchini. Zucchini is mostly water, and when frozen, it becomes quite soft and mushy.
What to serve with roasted zucchini?
Roasted zucchini goes well with almost anything, but some of my favorite meals to serve with it are:
- Crispy Lemon Chicken Thighs
- Roasted Tri-tip
- Pesto Chicken Sandwiches
- Chicken Francaise
- Barbacoa Beef
More Favorite Side Dishes
- Roasted Asparagus
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini
- Microwave Corn on the Cob
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Smashed Red Potatoes
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 ½ pounds zucchini chopped ½ inch
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ Salt and pepper
- ▢ Paprika (about ¼ teaspoon) optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- In a large bowl, toss zucchini with olive oil. Pour oil-coated zucchini slices onto prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.
- Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and optional paprika.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until zucchini is fork-tender.
- Serve and enjoy!
This Banana Milkshake recipe makes a thick and creamy shake with the perfect ratio of fruit to ice cream to milk. It’s packed full of banana flavor and is pretty much irresistible.
You guys know I love my one-banana recipes for using up that lonely banana sitting on your counter. With the one-banana recipes on the site, you can make 6 Banana Muffins , 6 CHOCOLATE Banana Muffins , a cute little stack of Banana Pancakes , and as of today a Banana Milkshake.
Thick & Creamy Banana Milkshake
A banana milkshake is the ideal way to use up an aging banana over the summer. It’s frosty, refreshing, and since you’re using up a banana that was probably destined for the trash, it’s almost like you’re doing a good deed. 😉
This recipe makes a thick and creamy shake with the perfect ratio of fruit to ice cream to milk. It’s packed full of banana flavor and is pretty much irresistible.
How to Make a Banana Milkshake
- In your blender, combine slightly softened ice cream (for easier blending), a banana broken into pieces, and milk. Blend until smooth and pourable. 2. Pour into a glass and add whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar if desired. And enjoy!
Fresh or Frozen Bananas for Milkshakes
I covered the fresh vs. frozen fruit for milkshakes topic in my Strawberry Milkshake post. And the same rule applies for Banana Shakes. You can use either fresh or frozen fruit for your shake.
Frozen fruit will yield a thicker, creamier shake, but can make your shake difficult to blend, especially if you are using an older or underpowered blender. To combat this, be sure to allow your ice cream time to soften before blending.
To soften your ice cream, scoop it into your blender and leave it at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before you add the rest of the ingredients and blend. If your blender is still really struggling, you can use just a bit more milk until it’s able to blend well.
More Banana Milkshake Recipes
Want to try some more banana shake combos? Add some of these mix-ins:
- Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake: Add 1 lightly heaping tablespoon of peanut butter before blending.
- Chocolate Banana Milkshake: Add 2 tablespoons chocolate fudge sauce before blending.
- Salted Caramel Banana Milkshake: Add 2 tablespoons salted caramel before blending and drizzle more caramel sauce over the top.
- Banana Split Milkshake: Swirl glass with fudge sauce before adding milkshake. Top with whipped cream , more fudge sauce, sprinkles, and a maraschino cherry.
Banana Shake Recipe Notes
- Depending on the size of the banana you use, this recipe makes about a 16-ounce shake, which is one restaurant-size shake or two smaller servings.
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 1/2 cups (about 3 scoops) vanilla ice cream slightly softened
- ▢ 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk any percentage
- ▢ 1 large banana broken into pieces (frozen is fine)
- ▢ 1/4 teaspoon vanilla optional
- ▢ Whipped cream optional
- ▢ Cinnamon sugar optional for topping
Instructions
- Combine ice cream, milk, banana, and vanilla in your blender, and blend until creamy and pourable.
- Pour into a glass, top with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar if desired, and enjoy.
Notes
This Dulce de Leche Milkshake is frosty and creamy, and you’ll just need 3 ingredients to make it.
Remember a few weeks ago when I posted this Dulce de Leche Latte and talked about trying to find new recipe ideas for the absolutely ridiculous amount of dulce de leche I’ve had around my house the last few months?
Well, I’m back with another of those recipes.
Have you ever tried a dulce de leche milkshake?
Thick and Creamy Dulce de Leche Milkshake
I first tried this combo when I was testing milkshakes for that How to Make a Milkshake post I published a few weeks ago, and friend, it is so good.
It’s frosty, creamy, and you’ll just need 3 ingredients to make it: Dulce de Leche , milk, and vanilla ice cream.
How to Make a Dulce de Leche Milkshake
Combine ice cream, milk, and vanilla ice cream in a blender. (If you don’t have a blender, check out my post on making a milkshake without a blender .)
Blend until creamy and pourable.
Drizzle dulce de leche around a glass, pour in milkshake, and top with whipped cream and more dulce de leche (optional).
More Dulce de Leche Milkshake Combos
Looking for more dulce de leche shake ideas? Try adding some of these mix-ins to the shake before blending:
- Banana Dulce de Leche Milkshake: Add 1 large, ripe banana (frozen or fresh).
- Banoffee Pie Shake: Blend in 1 large, ripe banana and 1 (full-sheet) graham cracker broken into pieces, and then top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings in the glass.
- Boozy Dulce de Leche Shake: Add 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of whiskey.
Tips, Tricks, and Notes
- If you don’t have dulce de leche on hand, it’s really easy to make at home . Or if you have caramel sauce or salted caramel, you can substitute either of those and make a Caramel Milkshake .
- This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of shake, enough to fill a 12-ounce glass.
- For more milkshake recipes, try my Banana Milkshake , Strawberry Milkshake , or Chocolate Milkshake .
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream about 3 scoops
- ▢ 1/2 to 3/4 cup milk *
- ▢ 2 tablespoons dulce de leche plus optional more for drizzling
- ▢ Whipped cream optional for topping
Instructions
- In your blender, combine ice cream, milk, and dulce de leche. Blend until well-mixed and creamy.
- Drizzle dulce de leche around the inside of a glass if desired before pouring in the milkshake. Top with optional whipped cream and more dulce de leche. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Easy Roasted Zucchini
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds zucchini chopped ½ inch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Paprika (about ¼ teaspoon) optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- In a large bowl, toss zucchini with olive oil. Pour oil-coated zucchini slices onto prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.
- Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and optional paprika.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until zucchini is fork-tender.
- Serve and enjoy!
