This sautéed zucchini recipe is a straightforward, flavorful weeknight facet dish! Simple to make in quarter-hour, it is seasoned to perfection with garlic and lemon.
This sautéed zucchini recipe is on repeat in my kitchen each summer time. Prepared in quarter-hour, it’s such a straightforward facet dish. The zucchini cooks on the stovetop with olive oil or butter, garlic, salt, and pepper. When it’s tender and browned, I season it with a squeeze of lemon for brightness, then add garnishes like purple pepper flakes, parsley, and/or Parmesan for savory depth.
Out of the numerous, many zucchini recipes I’ve shared over time, this easy sautéed zucchini is one I make most frequently. It’s so fast and so flavorful, with scrumptious caramelization from the new skillet.
I’ve eaten half the batch straight from the pan on extra events than I’d wish to admit (oops!), however I additionally like it alongside summer time pastas, egg dishes, and something off the grill. I hope it turns into certainly one of your go-to summer time facet dishes too.
Sautéed Zucchini Elements
Right here’s what you’ll must make this sautéed zucchini recipe:
- Zucchini, in fact! Small to medium summer time squash are finest right here, as they have an inclination to have firmer flesh and smaller seeds than bigger zucchini do. Search for ones which can be agency and easy. Keep away from wrinkled pores and skin or tender spots.
- Olive oil or unsalted butter – It provides wealthy taste and helps the zucchini brown because it cooks. Select one or the opposite, or use a mixture of the 2!
- Garlic – For savory depth of taste.
- Recent lemon juice – For shiny, tangy taste. You don’t want a precise measurement right here—simply minimize a lemon wedge and squeeze it over the zucchini after cooking.
- Chopped parsley – It gives a pleasant contemporary distinction to the browned, tender zucchini.
- Pink pepper flakes – Elective, for warmth. Be happy to skip them in the event you’re delicate to spice!
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese – Additionally non-compulsory, however oh-so-delicious. It provides savory, nutty taste to this easy facet dish. In case you’re vegan, my vegan Parmesan cheese is a superb non-dairy substitute.
- And salt and pepper – To make all of the flavors pop!
Discover the entire recipe with measurements beneath.
Tips on how to Sauté Zucchini
Step one on this recipe is prepping the zucchini. Trim off the stems and use a pointy knife to slice the zucchini into 1/2-inch-thick cash. In case your zucchini are giant, minimize the cash in half to kind half-moons.
- Tip: Do your finest to chop the items to a constant thickness in order that they cook dinner evenly.
Subsequent, brown the zucchini on the primary facet. Warmth the oil or butter in a big skillet over medium-high warmth. Use the biggest pan you’ve—you need the zucchini to slot in as near a single layer as it could possibly. Prepare dinner with out stirring till the zucchini is browned beneath, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Tip: Don’t add salt but! It’ll draw moisture out of the zucchini, inflicting it to steam and soften as an alternative of brown.
Now add the garlic, salt, and pepper and cook dinner till the zucchini is tender. This may take about one other 5 minutes. Stir often throughout this time in order that the second facet of the zucchini makes contact with the pan.
Lastly, season to style! Squeeze with lemon juice and add your required garnishes. Take pleasure in!
Recipe Variations
There are such a lot of ingredient swaps and taste variations you’ll be able to play with on this recipe! Listed here are a couple of enjoyable methods I like to vary it up:
- Use one other herb, or many herbs. Change the parsley with contemporary thyme, basil, oregano, chives, or mint, or use a mixture of a number of herbs!
- No contemporary garlic? Use 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder as an alternative. In case you have garlic scapes helpful in early summer time, you can chop one up and use it as an alternative of the common garlic right here too.
- Change the cheese. Use pecorino or feta as an alternative of Parmesan.
- Brighten it up. Sprinkle the summer time squash with lemon zest.
- Make it saucy. High the sautéed zucchini with dollops of pesto or romesco sauce.
Let me know what variations you strive!
Tips on how to Retailer
Retailer leftover sautéed zucchini in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. It reheats effectively within the microwave, however I additionally take pleasure in it at room temp.
Serve it as a facet dish, or use it in a easy pasta, a frittata, or as a filling for an omelette.
Extra Zucchini Recipes to Strive
In case you love this straightforward sautéed zucchini, strive certainly one of these zucchini recipes subsequent:
Sautéed Zucchini
Serves 4
This sauteed zucchini recipe is certainly one of my favourite straightforward, wholesome facet dishes! Good for weeknights, it is prepared in beneath quarter-hour. Olive oil or butter, garlic, and lemon fill it with scrumptious taste.
Forestall your display from going darkish
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Warmth the olive oil in a big skillet over medium-high warmth. Add the zucchini in a single layer (as a lot as attainable), and cook dinner with out stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or till browned beneath.
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Stir within the garlic, salt, and a number of other grinds of pepper. Prepare dinner, stirring often, for five to eight minutes, or till the zucchini is tender and browned in locations.
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Squeeze lemon juice on prime and season with salt and pepper to style. Sprinkle with purple pepper flakes, if utilizing. Garnish with parsley and serve with Parmesan, if desired.
