Zucchini

Buy small to medium zucchini, ideally under 8 inches. The big ones are mostly water and seeds, and they cook up mushy no matter what you do. Look for firm, glossy skin with no soft spots and store them loose in the crisper drawer for up to a week (skip the plastic bag, trapped moisture turns them slimy). Cut into ½″ rounds or spears right before cooking, not ahead of time. I never bother peeling: the skin is where the color and structure are.

Zucchini is 95% water and that one fact explains every soggy zucchini you've ever eaten. The fix is simple: high heat, short time, and space in the pan so it browns instead of steams. Salt your slices and let them drain for 10 minutes before cooking and you're already ahead of most people. Every method below (roasting, grilling, air frying, sautéing) works if you pull it while it still has some bite.