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Cinnamon-Spiced Zucchini “Applesauce” Recipe

Similar to a chunky applesauce, mock zucchini "applesauce" is lightly sweetened, warmly spiced, and beautifully balanced with a hint of tangy fresh lemon juice. This recipe is easy to scale up, and a wonderful way to use a bumper crop of zucchini!
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword Mock Applesauce, Zucchini Applesauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Other Time: 8 hours
Servings 1 serving
Calories 136kcal
Author Faith Gorsky

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 200 grams zucchini (peeled, chopped, and processed in a food processor to form a chunky paste; 200 grams is about 1 medium zucchini and will yield around 1 cup of chunky paste; see Notes)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup, sugar, etc.; more or less to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/16 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
  • 1/16 teaspoon sea salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prep the zucchini and let it sit. The night before you want to make this (or up to 3 days in advance), add the peeled, chopped zucchini to a food processor and process until it forms a chunky paste with a texture similar to applesauce (see the photo in the post above). Cover the zucchini and store it in the fridge for at least 8 to 12 hours (or up to 3 days) until you’re ready to make the “applesauce” so the juices seep out.
  • Cook. The next day, transfer the zucchini (with the liquid that has seeped out) and all other ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then turn heat down to low and simmer (uncovered) until the zucchini is tender and the juices are mostly evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Enjoy. Serve how you like your applesauce – hot, warm, or cold.

Notes

  • Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of zucchini "applesauce" (1 serving).
  • Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated using honey as the sweetener, but you can swap that out for any sweetener (granulated or liquid) that you like.
  • Storage: Cool to room temperature, and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 136kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 406IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg