Zucchini is a mild, versatile summer squash, typically long and cylindrical with glossy green skin (though golden varieties exist) and pale, spongy flesh with tiny edible seeds, harvested immaturely for best flavor and texture. Botanically a fruit but used as a vegetable, it's low in calories, high in water and fiber, and offers antioxidants like lutein, making it great raw, sautéed, roasted, or even in baked goods, with peak flavor when firm and slender.