Substitutions
A tender-skinned summer squash, very high in water and almost neutral in flavour. One medium gives about 2 cups sliced or 1 1/2 cups grated.
What it does in a recipe: A mild, watery vegetable that adds bulk and moisture — in baking it works almost purely as a source of liquid. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Courgette, Summer squash
Quick answer
Yellow summer squash
1 medium zucchini (about 2 cups sliced) = 1 medium yellow squash, sliced, about 2 cupsAll substitutes, best first
1 medium zucchini (about 2 cups sliced) = 1 medium yellow squash, sliced, about 2 cupsThe same species, harvested equally young, with an identical water content and cooking time.
Trade-offMarginally sweeter and softer-skinned. Visually it changes a green dish to a yellow one and nothing else.
1 medium zucchini (about 2 cups sliced) = 1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced, about 2 cupsComparable water content and neutral flavour, but the cell walls are weaker and it has no starch to hold structure once heated.
Trade-offTurns to mush in a hot pan. Only worth doing raw, in a salad or ribboned into a slaw.
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (for baking) = 1 1/2 cups grated carrot + 2 tbsp waterCarrot has less water than zucchini, so a little extra liquid keeps the batter's hydration where the recipe expects it.
Trade-offSweeter, firmer flecks in the crumb and an orange tint rather than green. The loaf will be a touch denser.
1 medium zucchini (about 2 cups sliced) = 1 small aubergine, sliced, about 2 cupsBoth are mild summer vegetables that soften into a stew, though aubergine's spongy flesh absorbs oil rather than releasing water.
MethodSalt and drain the slices first if you want them to hold their shape, and expect to use more oil.
Trade-offRicher and creamier, and the skin can be bitter if the aubergine is large or old.
For baking, grate the zucchini and leave it unsqueezed unless the recipe says otherwise — that water is part of the formula. For frying or roasting, salt and blot it, or it will steam instead of browning.
At a glance
| Category | Produce |
|---|---|
| Job in a recipe | A mild, watery vegetable that adds bulk and moisture — in baking it works almost purely as a source of liquid |
| Suits | Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free, Alcohol-free |
| Swaps available for | Alcohol-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeGluten-freeNut-freeSoy-freeVeganVegetarian |
| Number of substitutes | 4 |
Related
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.