Bottle gourd can be used in a fashion similar to that of zucchini. It can be sautéed, fried, pickled or grilled. Add cubed Bottle gourd to curries or grate and add to batter for quick breads, cakes and fritters.

More mature Bottle gourd is great for slow roasting, baking and pureeing for soups and stews. Mature Bottle gourd is also ideal for hollowing out slightly, stuffing and baking. In Northern India Bottle gourd is combined with channa dal to make a dish known as lauki channa.