Does zucchini need to be peeled?

Zucchini is a popular summer squash that is featured in many recipes. Its edible skin makes it extremely versatile to cook with. But one question home cooks often wonder is – should you peel zucchini or not? Here’s a quick overview of the pros and cons of peeling zucchini.

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Quick Answer

Most of the time, zucchini does not need to be peeled. The skin is thin and completely edible. Peeling is optional and comes down to personal preference. However, there are some instances where peeling makes sense:

If the zucchini is very large – the skin may be tough

If you want peeled zucchini for aesthetic purposes
If the recipe specifies peeled zucchini
If the zucchini is old and the skin is damaged

Zucchini Skin Nutrition

The skin of zucchini contains beneficial nutrients and fiber. A 100 gram serving of zucchini with the skin provides (1):

18 calories
4 grams carbohydrate

2 grams protein
10% DV vitamin C
2% DV iron

2 grams dietary fiber

By peeling zucchini, you lower its fiber and nutrient content. The skin contains most of the vegetable’s insoluble fiber, which helps promote healthy digestion. It also contains vitamin C, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, and provides antioxidant benefits (2).

Reasons to Keep the Skin On

Here are some of the top reasons why zucchini is better unpeeled:

Nutrition: As seen above, the skin boosts the nutritional value and fiber content.
Flavor: The skin has a concentrated flavor that enhances dishes. Peeling can make zucchini watery.
Texture: The skin adds a nice firmness and crunch.

Appearance: Unpeeled zucchini looks vibrant and natural.
Time: Peeling is tedious and time consuming.

For most recipes like baked zucchini, zucchini bread, sauteed zucchini, and stuffed zucchini boats – leaving the nutritious skin on is ideal.

When to Peel Zucchini

While in most cases peeling is unnecessary, there are some instances when it can be beneficial to remove the skin:

Large zucchini: Older, large zucchini can have tough skin that may need peeling.
Soups and purees: For smooth pureed soups, peeled zucchini blends better.

Batter coating: The skin can prevent batter adherence for fried zucchini.
Canning: Peeled zucchini is recommended for safety when canning.
Baby food: Peeling removes potential choking hazards from the skin.

Personal preference: Some people simply don’t like the skin’s texture.

Additionally, if a recipe specifies peeled zucchini, it’s best to follow the instructions. Cases where peeling is often required include zucchini noodles, boiled or steamed zucchini, and casseroles.

How to Peel Zucchini

If you need to peel zucchini, here is a simple peeling method:

Wash the zucchini under running water to remove dirt and debris.
Trim off both ends of the zucchini.
Using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, remove the skin starting from one end, rotating the zucchini as you go.

Try peeling in one continuous motion to get smooth, uniform strips.
Discard the skin. Rinse peeled zucchini again if needed.

A sharp peeler with a Y-shaped blade works best. Make sure to also peel off any remaining green flecks for completely peeled zucchini.

Can You Eat Zucchini Skin?

Yes, zucchini skin is entirely edible and suitable to eat. It does not need to be removed before eating the vegetable. The skin is a thin outer layer that softens readily with cooking.

Zucchini is part of the squash family which features edible skins, including acorn squash, butternut squash, and pumpkin. Zucchini itself is a cultivar of Cucurbita pepo species, the same species as acorn squash and pumpkins.

When harvested young and fresh, the skin has a pleasant texture and concentrated flavor. The skin contains much of zucchini’s fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Leaving it on provides added nutrition and texture.

Risks of Eating the Skin

Eating zucchini skin when the vegetable is very fresh poses little risk. However, there are some potential drawbacks if the zucchini skin is damaged or poor quality:

Older/larger zucchini may have tough, bitter skin
Waxed skin from the grocery store should be washed thoroughly

Bruised, cut, or punctured skin is more prone to contamination
Growing conditions like soil quality impact safety

To be extra safe, thoroughly wash zucchini and inspect for damage before eating the skin. Peel if you notice any punctures, bruising, or odd textures.

Nutrition of Zucchini

Here is the full nutrition profile of 1 cup raw zucchini (113 grams) with the skin on (3):

Nutrient	Amount	% Daily Value
Calories	19	1%
Fat	0.3 g	0%
Carbohydrates	4 g	1%
Fiber	1 g	4%
Protein	1.2 g	2%
Vitamin C	17.9 mg	20%
Vitamin B6	0.1 mg	4%
Potassium	261 mg	6%
Magnesium	18 mg	4%

Zucchini is low in calories and carbs. It provides good amounts of vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, and potassium. The skin slightly increases the fiber content. Overall, zucchini is highly nutritious and hydrating vegetable.

Selecting Zucchini

When buying fresh zucchini, look for the following qualities:

Smooth, firm, and blemish-free skin
Slender shape, about 2 inches diameter or less
Heavy for its size and free from wrinkles

Bright color, not yellowing
Small seeds and stem when cut open

Avoid zucchini with cuts, bruises, or very large diameters over 3 inches. Older zucchini is prone to having bitter skin and large seeds. Store fresh zucchini in the refrigerator unwashed in a plastic bag for up to 5 days.

Baby Zucchini

Baby zucchini are prized for their delicate flavor and tender skin. These are harvested when much smaller, around 2-4 inches long. Their skin is extra thin. Baby zucchini require minimal to no peeling and are delicious pan-fried or sauteed whole.

How to Cook Zucchini

Zucchini requires little prep work besides washing and trimming the ends. Common cooking methods include:

Sauteeing: Slice or quarter zucchini, saute in olive oil over medium-high heat until tender.

Roasting: Toss sliced or quartered zucchini in olive oil, season, and roast at 400°F for 20 minutes.
Steaming: Cut zucchini into chunks, steam for 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender.
Grilling: Grill thick slices or halved zucchini over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side.

Baking: Shred zucchini or cut into coins to add to recipes like zucchini bread.

Leaving the skin on helps the zucchini hold its shape when cooked. Monitor for doneness, cooking just until fork tender. Overcooked zucchini becomes mushy.

Popular Zucchini Dishes

Here are some delicious ways to use zucchini:

Zucchini noodles – spiralized or julienned raw zucchini
Stuffed zucchini boats – stuffed with meat, rice, cheese
Zucchini fritters – shredded zucchini mixed into fritter batter and fried

Zucchini pizza crusts – spiralized or shredded to replace dough
Zucchini bread – sweet bread with shredded zucchini
Zucchini pancakes – grated zucchini incorporated into pancake batter

Zucchini grilled cheese – grilled cheese sandwich with sliced zucchini inside
Zucchini lasagna – thinner slices used instead of noodles

Storing Zucchini

Properly stored, fresh zucchini will last around 5 days in the refrigerator. Strategies for extending its shelf life include:

Store unwashed in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Wrap cut ends in plastic wrap if cut prior to storage.
Do not store near ethylene producing fruits like apples, pears, or bananas.

Cook within 2-3 days for maximum freshness and flavor.
Pickle, freeze, or can unused zucchini to prevent waste.

Signs zucchini has gone bad include mold, pitting, very soft textures, and off odors. Discard any zucchini that smells sour or shows excessive bruising.

Conclusion

More often than not, zucchini can be enjoyed skin-on. Its edible peel provides beneficial fiber, nutrients, and texture. However, peeling may be preferred or required in some instances depending on the recipe, your personal taste, or the condition of the zucchini. When in doubt, taste a slice of the raw zucchini to determine if the skin should be removed.