Last Updated on November 17, 2020 by Holly
Zucchini is a diverse fruit. That’s right, I said it, zucchini is technically a fruit! However, Zucchini disguises itself as a vegetable- grilling beautifully, cut into coin slices and roasted or sautéed deliciously, but have you ever tried shredding zucchini?
Shredding zucchini is super easy to do and it can be tossed with noodles, incorporated into a frittata, or everyone’s favorite quick bread- Zucchini bread!
Choose Your Instrument
The best way to shred zucchini is with a box grater or a food processor with a grating attachment.
I have both, but for simplicity- and because I’m a little lazy and hate clean up- I favor using a box grater for the job of shredding zucchini.
Work Station Set Up
This is probably one of the easiest things you will do in the kitchen. Set up is so minimal.
- Using a food processor? Place your shredding attachment properly and plug in the unit.
- Box grater- Grab a mixing bowl-or other good size bowl- and place box grater inside.
See More Cooking: Gluten Free Zucchini Bread
Step 1 Wash the Zucchini
How you wash the zucchini will be determined by whether there is a wax coating on the outside. You are more likely to encounter a wax coating if you bought the zucchini from the grocery store.
No wax- give your zucchini a gentle scrub and pat dry.
Got Wax? No big deal, there are 3 options to remove it:
- You can gently clean the zucchini with water and then peel it with a vegetable peeler.
- Gently scrub it under water with a vegetable scrubber.
- Wiping the outside wax layer of the zucchini with white vinegar or lemon juice.
Step 2 Super Simple Zucchini Prep
Prepping the Zucchini step addresses two popular questions- “Do I need to peel the zucchini?” and “What about the zucchini seeds?”
No need to peel the zucchini. The skin incorporates seamlessly into whatever dish or quick bread you are going to use it for.
However, you can peel it if you want – using a vegetable peeler as you would on carrots.
- Starting at the top of the zucchini, running the peeler down to the base. Repeat until the Zucchini is peeled.
Zucchini Seeds are edible, but from my experience some zucchini seeds shred more easily than others leaving you to pick them out, if you’ve used a box grater. No fear, fixing this is super simple.
Simple fix
- Cut the zucchini long ways, down the middle, exposing the seeds.
- Using a spoon, start at one end-placing the spoon at the start of the seeds- and gently scrap down in a line, toward the other end.
- Or gently scoop them out.
Seed removal should only take a minute. They dislodge easily.
Step 3 Shredding Zucchini
Now for the not so hard part, shredding your zucchini. You are one step closer to yummy zucchini bread or another delicious dish!
Trim off the zucchini stem, if you haven’t already.
Grab your box grater or food processor.
Food Processor
- Shredding attachment in place-check!
- Cut your zucchini in to length wise strips that can be fed into the opening of your food processor.
- Feed the zucchini into the running food processor.
Box Grater place in a bowl
- Use large side that has the large openings. The side that is often used to grate cheese.
- Large zucchini? Cut length wise to make grating easier.
- Grab your zucchini- while holding the box grater handle with your free hand-start at the top of the grater, pressing the zucchini gently to the grater- push the zucchini from top to bottom, repeat until the zucchini is completely shredded.
Once your zucchini is shredded it is ready to become moist, delicious zucchini bread or incorporate into something else yummy.
However, if you aren’t ready to use it just yet, seal in a freezer bag, taking care to push out all of the air, and place it in the freezer.
Shredded zucchini can be frozen for up to 3 months. This sounds like a good excuse for zucchini bread now and maybe zucchini bread later?
