Under-rated veg!
Who got all muddled with days this week? Me! A four day weekend and I’m easily confused! Anyway, I hope you managed to have a great weekend and your week has been less out of sync than mine! So, what sort of vegan house has no veg! Oops! Yes, I often do a top up shop at the weekend but as I was away, and the shops were closed on Sunday that didn’t happen. Of course, I have salad stuff as I often do, but veg? All I found were two lonely looking courgettes!
Courgette Love
Courgettes. Do you love them? Forget about them? Or maybe you buy them and they sit in the fridge until they go soft and sad? It’s time to give courgettes their moment! These humble green veggies are nutritious, affordable, and surprisingly versatile.
With just two courgettes, I made three different flavour-packed dishes – each one super simple and incredibly tasty. Whether you try all three or just choose your favourite, this is a brilliant way to get more from your veg and switch up your usual sides.
The Courgette Recipes
Courgettes are far too often overlooked, but with a few spices and some clever toppings, they can become the star of the table. This recipe is easy, quick, and gives you three different dishes from one roasting tray. You’ll start by prepping and roasting the courgettes, then add a few extras to turn them into something really special. Pick one or make them all!
As always, I’ve tried to keep the recipe and the ingredients as simple as possible, so you can make this without searching every supermarket or grocers! For the toppings, use any seeds you have to hand. Lightly toasting or dry-frying them brings out their flavour beautifully. This seed recipe is a great place to start if you fancy making a batch to keep on hand.
Cut your courgettes in thick slices on the diagonal, or quarter lengthways, then cube.
Simple, flavour-packed courgette dishes from just two courgettes – roasted and finished three delicious ways.
- 2 medium courgettes 1 sliced diagonally, 1 cut into cubes
- 2 tbsp oil olive or neutral
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast crushed/scrunched
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon Cajun spice
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Toppings after roasting:
- Handful of roasted seeds pumpkin, sunflower, sesame
- 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
- 1 cm thin red chilli finely diced
- Pinch of dried chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon thick yoghurt I used coconut
- Extra toasted sesame seeds
-
Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 6 ( 400f / 200c). Add the oil to the tray and heat through whilst preparing the courgettes.
-
Wash, top and tail, then thickly slice one courgette diagonally. Cut the other courgette lengthways in half, then half again, then chop into small cubes.
-
Get all your seasonings ready. carefully remove the tray from the oven and add the courgettes (slices on one side, cubes the other). Turn all the courgettes until they are coated in the oil, and ensure they are all in a single layer, then sprinkle over the nutritional yeast, garlic granules, Cajun spice, pepper and salt. Put the tray in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
-
Remove the tray and turn everything over to get colour on all sides. Roast for another 5 minutes until golden and slightly crisp at the edges. Turn the oven off and remove the tray from the oven.
-
To finish:
-
Put your slices on a serving plate and add the roasted seeds to each slice. Serve hot.
-
Separate the cubes into 2 dishes.
-
Drizzle smooth peanut butter over one of the bowls of roasted cubes, then top with fresh red chilli and dried chilli flakes. Serve hot or cold.
-
Stir thick yoghurt into the remaining cubes, then top with toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot or cold.
-
Notes:
-
These courgettes are lovely warm but also delicious cold, perfect for meal prep or quick lunches. Feel free to experiment with other toppings – tahini, hummus, or even a squeeze of lemon all work brilliantly.
More courgette ideas
If you’re looking for more ways to make the most of courgettes, there are plenty of other delicious options to try. From a fresh and vibrant pesto courgetti to a traditional ratatouille, or even a creamy version these dishes highlight the versatility of this underrated vegetable. Plus, if you’re into gardening, now’s the perfect time to plant courgette seeds. You’ll soon have a bountiful crop to enjoy all summer, giving you plenty of courgettes to experiment with!
What do I need?
Hopefully you already have everything you need for this recipe, but in case you’re new to baking and cooking, or just want a refresh, here are a few items you might like. These links will take you straight to Amazon where you can then search as usual for anything you need. If you follow these links, Amazon might pay us a small commission, which goes towards paying the website hosting fees. We’d be very grateful if you do, thank you! Have a look at these: chopping boards, kitchen knives, baking trays, serving bowls and other items which you might need. Much appreciated!
Serving
Serve your courgette trio warm or cold. Enjoy the toasted seed-topped slices hot, either as a simple side dish or added to a main meal with your usual favourites. The satay-style chunks work wonderfully warm, paired with grains, rice, or noodles for something filling and flavourful. The creamy yoghurt cubes are best served chilled and make a great addition to salads, buddha bowls, or as a cooling contrast alongside something spicy.
Storing
The cooked courgettes will keep in covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. They’re great cold, but you can also gently reheat the slices in the oven or microwave.
Sharing
I hope you’ll give these a try and rediscover just how great courgettes can be! They’re simple, quick, and packed with potential – all they need is a little love.
As always, I love hearing about any recipes of mine you try, any ideas you adapt or suggestions you have for future recipes. Please share and tag me @LifeDietHealth or using #LifeDietHealth on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or X.
Leave me a comment below… I love to chat!
I hope to speak with you soon
Laurena x
