A vintage-style hand-drawn illustration of an open recipe book featuring courgette pancakes, courgette cake, and a preserve jar, surrounded by garlic, rosemary, lemon balm, and whole courgettes, with a decorative vine curling around the top.
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🥒 What to Do with a Glut: Clever Ways to Use Up Courgettes (That Aren’t Fritters)

ByAllotment Kitchen

Courgettes (zucchinis) are the overachievers of the allotment – prolific, fast-growing, and sometimes overwhelming. If you’ve ever turned around to find three new marrows hiding under a leaf, you’re not alone.

This guide shares 7 inventive, flavour-packed recipes to help you deal with your courgette glut — no fritters required — plus freezing tips and essential tools to make the job easier.

🧰 Essential Tools (Affiliate Links)

🍽️ 7 Delicious Courgette Recipes

1. Courgette & Lemon Loaf Cake

Moist, citrusy, and a great way to sneak in veg.

Ingredients:

  • 200g grated courgette (squeeze out excess liquid)
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 lemon (zest + juice)
  • 200g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
  2. Mix oil, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and juice.
  3. Fold in flour, baking powder, salt.
  4. Stir in grated courgette.
  5. Pour into lined loaf tin; bake for 45–50 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

2. Spiralised Courgette with Pesto & Tomatoes

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium courgettes, spiralised
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tbsp green pesto
  • Optional: 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts or grated parmesan

Instructions:

  1. Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté tomatoes for 2–3 mins.
  2. Add courgetti and toss gently for 2 minutes (don’t overcook).
  3. Stir through pesto and top with pine nuts or parmesan. Serve immediately.

3. Quick Pickled Courgette Ribbons

Ingredients:

  • 2 courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways
  • 150ml white wine vinegar
  • 100ml water
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 sprigs dill (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Pack courgette ribbons into a sterilised jar with garlic and dill.
  2. Heat vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard seeds until just simmering.
  3. Pour over courgettes. Cool, seal and refrigerate.
  4. Ready after 24 hours; keeps 1–2 weeks chilled.

4. Grated Courgette & Herb Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 2 courgettes, grated (about 300g)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 50g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley or chives
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Oil for frying

Instructions:

  1. Mix courgette with salt, leave 10 mins, then squeeze dry.
  2. In a bowl, mix eggs, flour, herbs, and pepper.
  3. Stir in courgette to form a thick batter.
  4. Fry in spoonfuls over medium heat until golden on both sides.

5. Courgette, Chickpea & Apricot Tagine

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 medium courgettes, chopped
  • 400g tin chickpeas, drained
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 6 dried apricots, chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a pot, sauté onion and garlic in oil.
  2. Stir in spices for 1 minute.
  3. Add courgette, chickpeas, tomatoes, and apricots.
  4. Simmer 20–25 mins until thickened. Serve with couscous.

6. Courgette Relish

Ingredients:

  • 1kg courgettes, finely chopped
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 2 apples, grated
  • 300ml cider vinegar
  • 150g brown sugar
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large pan.
  2. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45–60 mins until thick.
  3. Spoon into sterilised jars. Cool and store in a cool, dark place.

7. Fermented Courgette with Garlic & Dill

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium courgettes, sliced into sticks
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 500ml filtered water
  • 2–3 sprigs fresh dill
  • Optional: 1 tsp peppercorns

Instructions:

  1. Dissolve salt in water to make brine.
  2. Pack courgette sticks, garlic, and dill into a fermentation jar.
  3. Pour in brine to cover. Weight down if needed.
  4. Seal with airlock and ferment 5–7 days at room temp.
  5. Store in fridge once desired tang is reached.

❄️ Can You Freeze Courgette?

Absolutely. Here’s how:

🧊 Grated Courgette:

  • Grate and squeeze out water.
  • Freeze in 200g portions in reusable bags.
  • Ideal for cakes, bakes, or pancakes.

🧊 Sliced or Cubed:

  • Blanch in boiling water for 1–2 mins.
  • Plunge into ice water, dry, and freeze flat on trays.

💬 Final Thoughts

Courgette overload doesn’t have to mean food waste or repeat meals. With the right prep and a little creativity, you can stock your freezer, fill your jars, and add vibrant new dishes to your summer table.

Got your own courgette glut tricks? Share them in the comments or tag us @allotmentkitchenuk.

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