Zucchini Is The Toast Topping You Didn't Know You Needed

You've heard of avocado toast, the ultimate café order for any caricature of a millennial. Lush tomatoes on toast are a go-to treat come summertime as well. You've probably even heard of smashed peas on toast, but have you ever heard of toast topped with zucchini? Zucchinis are one of those vegetables (botanically a fruit, but culinarily treated as a vegetable) that can star as the center of the show, including in a hearty, meat-free steak dinner or spiralized into a low-carb pasta swap. They are also an excellent addition to impart more texture and flavor to your everyday toast. When perfectly cooked, the zucchini becomes nice and crisp on the outside and soft and tender on the inside, making for a delightful toast topping. On its own, perfectly cooked zucchini offers a delectable sweetness to contrast its natural, earthy notes.

Because zucchini has a sizable water content, it's important to cook it properly so it doesn't end up as a mushy pile in the pan. One trick to avoid soggy zucchini is to reach for cornstarch, the key to crispy roasted vegetables each time. High-heat cooking methods can help the zucchini slices achieve the desired golden-brown sear and melt-in-your-mouth texture. All that's left for you to do is season the seared zucchini pieces to your liking, layer them over the prepared toast, and dig in. While you can certainly keep it simple with basics, such as a sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper, or liven it up with a squeeze of citrus, getting creative with your zucchini toast is also a fun way to add more diverse veggies to your diet. Perhaps it could inspire you to explore more plant-forward cooking in your kitchen.

To add variety to your zucchini toast, play around with different spice blends; it's one of the easiest ways to bring new flavors into the mix. Another trick is to finish the zucchini toast with a generous drizzle of infused oil for an instant, effortless flavor boost. For added protein, consider whipping up a black bean hummus to put a Southwestern spin on your creation. Spread a generous layer and top it with the prepared zucchini, and perhaps a sprinkle of the zesty Trader Joe's chile lime seasoning to complement the other flavors. Speaking of spreads, you can also make a savory zucchini spread with canned tomatoes inspired by a Russian side dish, Ikra.

Now for the toppings. Fresh herbs do more than just level up the presentation of a plate of food; they can also bring a burst of fresh, herbaceous notes in every bite, complementing the sweetness of the zucchini. Incorporating other vegetables, such as caramelized onions, roasted peppers, sautéed mushrooms, or fire-roasted corn, enhances the flavor profile and adds more depth and complexity to each bite. If you gravitate toward the distinct flavors of freshly grilled vegetables, one of the best ways to grill zucchini is to cut it into vertical slices before searing. Plus, the vertical slices can be layered atop the toasted bread like ribbons or sheets, which switches things up with the presentation of your zucchini toast. At the end of the day, it's your meal. You enjoy it as you please while savoring more that zucchini has to offer.