Zucchini

In this Spanish-style frittata, the potatoes and zucchini are characteristically creamy and filling. The dish is also a host's friend, since it tastes just right at room temperature.

David Burke, of David Burke at Bloomingdale’s in New York City, subs flavor for fat in every melty mouthful.

For a substantial vegetarian spin on köfte(a kind of Middle Eastern meatball), we beefed up grated zucchini with fresh herbs and mashed chickpeas. The accompanying pilaf, which uses both beets and their greens, is brilliantly colored and gets a joyous crunch from slivered almonds.

Look for thin zucchini and yellow squash. The squash will have fewer seeds.

These savory tartlets are similar to quiches.

This smooth puréed soup manages the near—impossible feat of being velvety and creamy without any cream. Ribbons of zucchini add a final soupçon of elegance.

This entire dish (salad and dressing) can be made and assembled up to eight hours ahead. The trick? A layer of zucchini slices keeps the rest of the ingredients separated from the dressing until you're ready to toss and serve.

A pretty mix of Provençal vegetables, grilled simply and dressed up with the homemade basil aioli. You can also include other vegetables, such as halved baby beets, quartered bell peppers, and thickly sliced red new potatoes (all of which take 10 to 15 minutes to grill).

Summery and light, this vivid salad and its tangy dressing help balance the tuna and its rich glaze. Salting the zucchini slices takes the edge off their rawness while preserving their pleasant snap.

Any simple grilled meat would work well alongside this stunning side dish—the long, thin folds of zucchini have visual élan to spare, perking up every plate they touch.

Purchased pie dough makes an almost-instant crust for the tiny tarts.

Serve this cold or at room temperature—perfect for a picnic or barbecue.

Your market basket loaded with produce, olive oil, and fish, you saunter home to your idyllic farmhouse and marinate the vegetables. The following evening, you invite your friends over. Berets optional.

Pasta made with matzo cake meal is extremely light in texture and is no fuss to prepare when it's rolled and cut by hand into thin strips. The vegetables, in shades of green, provide a range of spring color.

This side dish is like the love child of a salad and a pickle. Make it ahead of time and serve it at room temperature with the Steak and Olives

Kugel is most often made with potatoes or noodles. Here, carrots, zucchini, and two kinds of onions add color and flavor to a potato version.

With golden cheese that yields to an abundance of roasted vegetables, this gratin is an ideal side dish, but it really doesn't need anything more than a green salad to make it a satisfying dinner.

Don't worry if the fat seems a bit high—it's mostly the heart-healthy kind from the fish.

A fiber-filled belly warmer from Brian Scheehser, chef at Trellis in Kirkland, Washington.