Do you ever find yourself wishing you had something silky and spreadable for your sandwiches, that wasn’t mayo, butter, or hummus? Well, you’ve come to the right place because this Zucchini Miso Butter is an insanely delicious, all-purpose, FAT-FREE spread that tastes AMAZING on everything.
I’m really really excited about this one, folks. This Zucchini Miso Butter is super silky and creamy and goes perfectly with so many other flavours. It gets bonus points for being vegan and only requiring three ingredients to make it!
The Inspiration for this Zucchini Miso Butter
As a lifelong, moderation-loving non-dieter, I’ve managed to generally hang out in a sweet little spot where I get to eat pretty much anything I want while staying somewhat active and maintaining a reasonably healthy body weight.
That means when I’ve been indulging a bit more than usual and I start feeling uncomfortable in my clothes, I make a few minor adjustments that generally bring me back to my sweet spot.
As I’m sure many of you can relate, 2020 has got me indulging a whole lot, so recently I’ve been making a few little tweaks to my eating habits. For me, that means prioritizing long walks and cutting down on unnecessary oil and fats. (For the record—cheese, good olive oil, and ice cream all count as “necessary” fats in my world. Like I said earlier, I don’t do diets.)
The kinds of fats I scrap in times like these are the fats that I can’t really taste. The ones I just add to my food without thinking about it—like multiple tablespoons of olive oil to start building a soup, or the butter I spread on toast just before completely overwhelming it with a pile of fluffy scrambled eggs. The other fats I tend to leave out are the ones that can be easily swapped out for an exciting and (conveniently) lighter alternative—like this Zucchini Miso Butter.
What you’ll need to make Zucchini Miso Butter
- Zucchini: Choose medium-sized zucchinis. If they’re too big, the seeds inside will be tough and it won’t become as silky smooth.
- White miso: Also known as Shiro Miso. It’s the mildest miso and has a pleasantly rich salty flavour.
- Nutritional yeast: You know I love my nooch. It’s making its appearance here, as it does in so many vegan recipes. It’s delicious!
How To Make Zucchini Miso Butter
Follow these steps to make this dreamy, creamy sandwich spread.
- Preheat the oven to 450. Wash the zucchinis, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a fork, poke several holes in each of the zucchini, then bake them in the preheated oven for one hour.
- Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and allow to cool long enough to handle them, about 10 minutes.
- Scoop out the flesh of the zucchini, leaving the skin behind. Transfer the zucchini flesh onto a clean tea towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Add the squeezed zucchini flesh to the bowl of a food processor along with the miso and the nutritional yeast and blend until very smooth.
- Enjoy right away, or keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week.
Success tips
These tips will ensure you have the most success with your Zucchini Miso Butter.
I mentioned it earlier—size is everything with zucchini. Each zucchini should weigh approximately 250-300 grams. Any larger and the big tough seeds will mess everything up.
Making a bigger batch? I don’t blame you. This recipe can be scaled up easily. I wouldn’t recommend scaling it down though, or there won’t be enough mixture in the food processor for it to blend properly.
What goes well with Zucchini Miso Butter?
It might be an easier question to ask, what doesn’t go well with Zucchini Miso Butter? I find that the mild, yet rich savoury flavour of this spread can be taken in many directions. Breakfast lunch or dinner, anything goes.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Spread on fresh-baked bread or a bagel
- Spread on an egg sandwich for breakfast
- Toss with pasta along with some roasted, smashed garlic cloves and a dash of chilli flakes or freshly ground black pepper
- Dip carrot sticks in it
- Dip tortilla chips in it
- Spread it on a veggie wrap
- Use it as a burger spread
- Add a dollop to your savoury porridge
- Use it as a condiment on a charcuterie board (Here's where a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil would go a long way)
- Dip your pizza crust in it (we just did this last night and it was GREAT)
Storage tips
Zucchini Miso Butter is perfect when enjoyed immediately, but the flavours do develop even more overnight in the fridge.
As long as it’s kept refrigerated in a sealed container, it will last up to a week.
If you want to make a bigger batch and freeze it, I encourage you to do so and let me know how it goes. I haven’t tried it yet, so the verdict is up in the air.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use another kind of miso if I can’t find white miso?
Yes, but it will look darker and have a slightly different flavour.
I can’t find nutritional yeast. Can I substitute it with something else?
Nutritional yeast is pretty unique and there aren’t any decent substitutions for it. If you’re willing to wait, you can buy nutritional yeast online. But if you’re really in a pinch, you can leave it out completely.
I don’t have an oven. Can I cook the zucchini in some other way?
Yes, you can saute the zucchini over medium heat instead of roasting it, however, it won’t have the same smoky flavour it develops in the oven. Just peel the zucchini before cooking it, and make sure it’s very soft before squeezing it out and blending it with the other ingredients.
Can I use yellow squash instead of zucchini?
Sure thing! Any summer squash will work with this recipe. Yellow squash and green zucchini taste almost identical. You're good to go.
Still hungry?
If you love my zucchini butter recipe, you’ll want to try these other saucy condiments:
Spinach Walnut Pesto
Yogurt Dips (for the non-vegans - this is a video!)
For the zucchini lovers:
Turkey Stuffed Zucchini Taco Boats
Grilled Zucchini Salad
I hope this Zucchini Miso Butter excites you as much as it excites me! Spreading something this delicious and this healthy on my sandwiches feels almost too good to be true. Show me your pics on Instagram by tagging @howtomakedinner. I can’t wait to see!
Zucchini Miso Butter
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini 250-300 grams each
- 1 Tablespoon white miso
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450. Wash the zucchini, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a fork, poke several holes in each of the zucchini, then bake them in the preheated oven for one hour.
- Cut each of the zucchini in half lengthwise and allow them to cool long enough to handle them, about 20 minutes.
- Scoop out the flesh of the zucchini, leaving the skin behind. Transfer the zucchini flesh onto a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Add the squeezed zucchini flesh to the bowl of a food processor along with the miso and the nutritional yeast and blend until very smooth.
- Enjoy right away, or keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week.
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