Zucchini Bruschetta Is Your Solution For Using Up Excess Produce

Besides deciding how to pronounce it, there tends not to be much debate about the beloved antipasto that is bruschetta. Generally, a classic bruschetta recipe features diced, halved, or otherwise prepped tomatoes on bread. Those two ingredients, plus olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and basil are the usual bruschetta suspects. But since the term "bruschetta" refers to the crispy bread the tomato sits on, there's no reason why you can't upend expectations a little and switch the topping. The perfect way to do so is to use zucchini — an excellent topper and a wonderful way to use up excess produce.

Zucchini is naturally a mild produce with a lightly grassy flavor. It's a great canvas as it welcomes the flavor of whatever it's cooked in. A simple, airtight preparation for zucchini bruschetta is a great place to start: Try shredding zucchini, cooking it for a few minutes in butter, and adding salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Put this mixture atop your olive oil or butter-drizzled baguette slices. It's a good idea to dry out the zucchini shavings a little bit before cooking to avoid sogginess. Do this by either laying them out on a paper towel or by squeezing the moisture out of them.

Since zucchini is a Swiss-army-knife type of produce, there are many ways to upgrade, customize, and develop zucchini bruschetta. If you're craving a touch of rich, buttery pungency, try making grilled garlic and spreading the cooked cloves over your bruschetta baguette before piling on the sautéed zucchini. You can also try giving the bread a crisp touch courtesy of a broiled parmesan coating; the sharp fruity nuttiness of the cheese will complement the vegetable's natural sweetness.

Tomato and zucchini are a well-established match as well, meaning that many bruschetta recipes that call for the former could use a combination of the two seamlessly. Try incorporating zucchini into this roasted balsamic bruschetta recipe, cooking some mandoline slices of zucchini alongside the grape tomatoes, or separately on the stovetop. Or tackle this all-star bruschetta recipe that utilizes a whipped ricotta base, which also happens to be an excellent foundation on which to build a zucchini-laden appetizer. You can also pull from other Mediterranean flavors by utilizing this baked harissa zucchini recipe with whipped feta. Bake much smaller portions of the zucchini and coat your bread base in the whipped feta to make an easy transition from entrée to appetizer.