Prevent Soggy Roasted Zucchini Once And For All With This Pantry Staple

Zucchini is a versatile vegetable that can be incorporated into pasta, roasted side dishes, and even sweet treats like bread. It also grows abundantly in the summer, so you'll be blessed with a huge harvest if you have it in the garden. Despite all the pros of this vegetable, it has a frustrating feature: It can turn soggy in the oven. This is because zucchini is made up of about 94% water. One surprisingly effective solution is cornstarch. This cheap kitchen staple is best known for thickening sauces, but it can also help get the desired texture with roasted vegetables. 

When zucchini is exposed to heat, the cell walls break down and release that water. Some of the water evaporates, but some of it just sits around the zucchini — so instead of roasting and getting brown and crispy, the zucchini is essentially just steaming in water. Steaming zucchini doesn't take very long, so if it's cooking in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, the result is often soft, mushy slices. If you're making a dish that incorporates zucchini — say, a quiche or casserole — this can cause the whole dish to become watery.

Cornstarch can help you avoid this mistake when preparing roasted vegetables by creating a light coating on the surface of the zucchini. As the zucchini bakes, the starch absorbs some of the released moisture and forms a thin barrier; the natural moisture-binding powers to keep your zucchini drier while it cooks.

To use cornstarch for baked zucchini, start by slicing your zucchini into strips, rounds, or cubes. Place the pieces in a bowl and pat them dry with paper towels — this helps to remove any excess surface moisture. Oil should be added next, and then comes the cornstarch. You don't want to totally coat the pieces, but one teaspoon for one batch should be just fine. During this step, add all of the desired seasoning, and then toss until the mixture has been distributed evenly.

After tossing, spread the zucchini pieces out on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, making sure they're not crowded. FYI: Crowding leads to trapped steam, which undoes all your effort! For zucchini, and most roasted vegetables, high heat is better — bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 30 minutes, until golden and lightly crisp at the edges.

Cornstarch isn't the only trick to combat sogginess — salting can also help. Sprinkle slices with salt and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes; the excess water can then be blotted away. Double down on the water removal and add cornstarch, too. For a golden, crispy exterior, try making zucchini squash the Southern way by using cornmeal as a light batter, alongside cornstarch. How you roast zucchini also matters: An elevated rack or perforated baking tray allows air circulation and lets water evaporate more easily.