In Stir-Fries

• Chopped zucchini holds its shape nicely in stir-fries, as long as you don't overcook it. Chop zucchini into evenly sized pieces and add it to a stir-fry relatively late in the cooking process, after slower-cooking vegetables, such as beets, turnips and carrots. Grated zucchini does not work as well in a stir-fry because it becomes mushy and unappealing.

In Salads

• Incorporate grated or chopped zucchini in salads. Grated zucchini complements light summer salads, such as slaws. Eat salads with raw, grated zucchini soon after you prepare them, because they quickly turn brown and watery. Use chopped zucchini in salads that feature chunks of other vegetables. Chopped zucchini holds up well when it is marinated, and it can also be lightly steamed to soften it before adding it to a salad.

In Eggs and Patties

• Use either grated or chopped zucchini in egg dishes. Chopped zucchini is satisfying as a starring ingredient in omelets. Grated zucchini cooks well in scrambled eggs and frittatas, because they make a reasonably smooth mixture with beaten eggs. Use grated zucchini in pattie-like foods and fritters, whose short cooking time requires strands that cook quickly and evenly.

In Quickbreads

• Grate zucchini in quickbreads, such as zucchini bread. The fine shreds integrate well into the batter, and the grated zucchini cooks thoroughly and evenly. Chopped zucchini would not work well in a quickbread because the pieces would not bake at the same rate as the batter, and the finished product would be chunky rather than smooth.