What Does Courgette Taste Like?

While watching a cookery show, you might have heard the host say, “now we add the courgette”. Ever wondered what courgette is? What does courgette taste like? 

Let’s start without any delay.

Courgette Crash Course

Now before we get too deep into the detail. What does courgette taste like? It is important to know what exactly it is. 

So, here are some quick insights!

Courgette  Basics!

Courgettes are basically the immature seeds of the herbaceous plant which is a vine. 

They are plucked immature or unripe as their ripe version becomes another vegetable called marrow. 

Here is a fun fact for you as well!

With that, Courgette is also known as summer squash and it tastes bitter-sweet

WHAT DOES COURGETTE TASTE LIKE?
WHAT DOES COURGETTE TASTE LIKE

. If you look up its pictures on the internet then you may see a resemblance to cucumber. 

But are they similar? Let’s dig deeper and see what difference it can make!

Cucumber And Courgette Difference

The pictures of courgette and cucumber look very identical, but, What’s The Difference Between Cucumber And Courgette?

After all, both are green and of the same shape. But, that is just the place where the similarities end.

Let’s observe a little more!

  • courgette is a vegetable, although botanists call it a fruit but in general it is treated as a vegetable, and cucumber is a fruit. 
  • If you cut them both open, you will see that courgette has a near cream and yellowish flesh while cucumber has an almost white or very light green color.
  • Another difference is that courgette is a dry vegetable/fruit and cucumber has a lot of water in it.

 So, tell us, would like to eat Courgette? If yes, CAN YOU EAT COURGETTE RAW?  Let’s find out right away!

Courgette Meal Preparation Time

As most of you must be knowing, you can eat cucumber raw without any worries. 

The courgette, on the other hand, cannot be and should not be eaten raw.

Why It Should Not Be Eaten Raw? 

Well, first of all, it is a vegetable and like every vegetable, you need to cook it before eating.

 Secondly, the nature of the courgette flesh makes it impossible to eat it raw. You see the flesh is soft but not that soft to be eaten raw.

Besides the two reasons, raw courgette also has a compound called cucurbitacin which is really toxic and can make you seriously ill. 

Word of Caution: Some restaurants may serve raw courgette but only in small quantities in the form of very thin shreds.

So, be vigilant before consuming.

Well, now you must be wondering, if not raw, can you boil Courgette.

Honestly, it will be a good idea. But, keep reading to know more!

How Long To Boil Courgette?

So, courgette tastes best when it is properly boiled. Boiled courgette is safe to eat as well. Before boiling though, cut a very small piece from the middle and eat it. If you find it too much bitter, throw it away immediately.

Now coming to the boiling, you should boil courgette for 5 mins. But you may ask how? So, here are a few simple steps to boil courgette:

  1. Cut the top and bottom ends of the courgette.
  2. Using a peeler, peel the green layer off.
  3. Using a knife, now cut the courgette into circles.
  4. In a pan boil water. Add a tbsp. of salt for taste in the water.
  5. When the water comes to a boil, lower the flame and slowly add the courgettes.
  6. Boil for 5 mins. Poke the courgettes with a knife to see if they are soft and ready.
  7. Serve them on a plate. 

Now that you know the cooking part, let’s look into the storage part as well.

Courgette Storing Story

WHAT DOES COURGETTE TASTE LIKE?
WHAT DOES COURGETTE TASTE LIKE

Now, when you know the way of cooking it, you should skip the way to store it too. Because we know you would not want wastage!

So, with that, let’s know some right ways!

 How To Store Courgettes

Like any other fruit, courgette also gets all messed up if left in the open. It is best to store them in your fridge.

If your courgette is raw, here is what needs to be done:

  • first place them in a plastic bag which is open from one end. 
  • Then, an open plastic bag will help the courgette remain fresh while the bag itself will protect it from excess moisture. 
  • It will be good for a maximum of 2 weeks.

But, if it cooked one, do it this way:

  • Cooked courgette should also be stored in the fridge in a closed container. 
  • Cooked courgette though only remains fresh and safe to eat in the fridge for a maximum of 2 days.

Now in the market, you may see that a fruit resembling courgette has been labeled as zucchini. But IS A ZUCCHINI A COURGETTE? Confused, aren’t you?

 Don’t be and read on to clear the confusion.       

Zucchini Courgette Relationship

To put it simply a zucchini is a courgette. It is just that the fruit has two different names. 

Let’s for the time being call it summer squash to avoid confusion.

Well then, zucchini is the Italian name of summer squash. It is called so in Italy as the word translates to small squash.

In the same way, courgette is the French name of summer squash and just like the Italian name, courgette also means small squash.

With that your confusion over zucchini and courgette must be over but what about its cooking method. Let’s look into it next. 

now ahead, we answer some of your repeatedly asked questions about courgette. 

Courgette Question Bank

1. What Is Similar To Courgette?

If you cannot find courgette in the market, you can try its alternative called the golden zucchini which is golden in color and tastes just like courgette.

2. Are Zucchini And Courgette The Same?

Yes, they are the same things. It is just that zucchini and courgette are the fruit’s two names. 

  • 3. Are COURGETTES NOT GOOD FOR YOU?

Courgettes are not good for you if eaten raw or your doctor tells you so.

  • 4. Why Are Courgettes Not Good For You?

Courgettes are not good for you if eaten raw or your doctor tells you so.

  • 5. Is Courgette The Same As Cucumber?

No, the two are very different. To understand the difference completely read the section dedicated to this thing above.

Now to sum up everything,

Conclusion.

Now after going through all of the above, it must be clear that courgette is a fruit. You now also know how it tastes like and how you should cook and store it. We hope the tip for finding foul courgette is useful for you. Now you can reap the full benefits of courgette without any worries!

Happy courgette eating!