Perfect Sauteed Zucchini

Here’s how to make the BEST sauteed zucchini that will have everyone talking! Just 10 minutes in a hot pan makes this green vegetable truly irresistible.

If zucchini doesn’t sound like a vegetable to sing praises about…you haven’t met this zucchini recipe. Yes, this really is the perfect sauteed zucchini. Just 10 minutes in a hot pan and this vegetable goes from tasteless to tender! Oregano and garlic make a pop of savory flavor, and grated Parmesan cheese takes it over the top. It’s beyond easy, and the best zucchini side dish we’ve had. In all honesty, this vegetable is not my favorite. But when we made this zucchini recipe, I could not stop sneaking bites of the stuff. Here are all our secrets!

Ingredients for sauteed zucchini…the best seasonings

Growing up, my mom used to make a sauteed zucchini recipe that the entire family loved. This recipe steals a bit of what I remember from that recipe, pairing the green vegetable with Italian style seasonings. Here’s what you need for this recipe:

• Zucchini: Use small to medium to get the best-looking rounds, but you can also use large if it’s all you have. (If you have one of those massive summer zucchini, cut the slices into half circles.)
• Olive oil or butter: Make it vegan with oil, or use butter for intense savory flavor.
• Garlic powder & onion powder: Many sauteed zucchini recipes use onion, but who wants to spend time cutting and sauteing one? You’ll get big flavor with onion powder here.
• Oregano: Oregano and zucchini are a match made in heaven.
• Parmesan cheese: It’s optional, but it adds savory flavor.

How to saute zucchini: a few tips!

Making sauteed zucchini is easy, and takes only 10 minutes in a hot pan. With zucchini you will have to babysit the pan for the entire time, because you’ll want to make sure the layers of rounds cook evenly. Here’s what to know:

• Use your largest skillet. Even in your largest skillet, the zucchini will have to be stacked in a few layers when cooking.
• Continue to move zucchini to the bottom of the pan as you cook. The zucchini at the bottom of the pan cooks the quickest and will brown quickly. Because there are layers of zucchini, continue to flip and move rounds to the bottom of pan so they can brown evenly.
• Cover in the first 2 minutes. Covering the pan helps to steam the entire pan and cook the zucchini on the top layer at the same time as the bottom layer. You’ll just do this for a few minutes at first, then do a traditional saute for the remaining time.

Ways to serve sauteed zucchini

Once you’ve sauteed it up, add that Parmesan cheese and a little chopped basil if you like. It makes a stunning side dish that goes with just about anything: especially in the summer! Here are a few ideas:

• Salmon or fish: Try it with Lemon Dill Salmon, Grilled Salmon, Pesto Salmon, Grilled Tilapia, Baked Salmon, Grilled Tuna, Pan Fried Fish, Grilled Scallops, or Seared Scallops.
• Shrimp: Add alongside Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Blackened Shrimp or Easy Baked Shrimp.
• Burgers: Try alongside this Best Veggie Burger or Portobello Burger.
• With pasta. Serve as a side for Creamy Cavatappi or Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo.
• IN pasta. Boil up a pound of pasta, add this zucchini, drizzle with olive oil and add goat cheese dollops or shredded Parmesan.
• On a pizza. Make Cheese Pizza and throw zucchini on top! (You’ll need about ¼ of the finished zucchini, if that. Use the rest as a side dish!)

More with zucchini

Summer is all about lots of garden zucchini! If you’ve got too much of it, we’ve got zucchini recipes. Here are some ideas for ways to use it up:

• Creamy Zucchini Pasta or Zucchini Boats Simple, massively delicious dinners!
• Squash and Zucchini Casserole A cozy summer side dish, it’s topped with crunchy breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
• Baked Zucchini So easy to make, covered in a light coating of crunchy breadcrumbs and Parmesan!
• Zucchini Lasagna Truly the best! Roasted zucchini noodles and three cheeses make just the right Italian flavor.
• Roasted Zucchini and Squash or Grilled Zucchini and Squash Bake or grill them until tender with Italian herbs: perfection!
• Grilled Zucchini An easy side dish for dinners on the grill, seasoned with basil and oregano.
• Easy Zucchini Bread or Best Vegan Zucchini Bread Perfectly moist and easy to make, these quick breads are a great use!
• Chocolate Zucchini Cake Moist, chocolaty, and you’ll never taste the zucchini.
• Zucchini Ribbon Salad Thin sliced zucchini, a tangy vinaigrette and Parmesan cheese.
• Easy Zucchini Muffins Seriously good muffins starring this green veggie.

01

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

02

Creamy Zucchini Pasta

03

Best Zucchini Muffins

04

Baked Zucchini

This sauteed zucchini recipe is…

Vegetarian and dairy-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, omit the Parmesan cheese.

Print

More sauteed vegetables

Turns out, sauteing vegetables is one of the quickest, tastiest ways to get food on the table! Here are a few more of our favorite flavor-popping sauteed vegetables:

• Best Ever Sauteed Mushrooms Attention, mushroom lovers! The meaty flavor here is out of this world good.
• Perfect Sauteed Carrots The best sauteed carrots you’ll ever have! Just 3 ingredients and done in 10 minutes.
• Simple Sauteed Onions Get them browned and delicious in just 10 minutes!
• Sauteed Cabbage Tender and flavored with garlic and lemon, it’s the perfect easy side dish to accent any meal.
• Sauteed Spinach, Best Sauteed Kale, or Sauteed Rainbow Chard Guaranteed to make eating your greens taste amazing! Quick and simple.
• Simple Sauteed Broccoli or Pan Fried Broccoli Full of fresh flavor, it comes out perfectly crisp tender.