Simple Sautéed Zucchini Recipe
I saw a table at the market the other night groaning under the weight of a mountain of summer squash. Squash that looked like it wanted to avalanche its way into my basket. I took pity, grabbed a bunch, and made my way home. I ended up using a couple in a favorite nothing-to-it sautéed zucchini recipe. It's pictured here served over a simple plate of spaghetti. 
The sautéed zucchini? It's a single-skillet kind of thing. Coins of zucchini are browned in a pan, but what makes it special is the toasted golden slivers of garlic combined with lots of fresh dill. Throw in a sprinkling of almonds for crunch, and you're all good. Prep takes five minutes, if that, and you can treat this as a side dish, or use it as a component of something else...
Variations
I often cook up a pan of the zucchini like this, and then use it to top off a frittata. Or toss it with a platter of pasta. Over farro with some harissa-spiked vinaigrette? Not bad. Baked as a hand-pie in a simple pastry with a smudge of goat cheese? Even better. Anyhow, it's really adaptable. And for those of you who don't use much dill in your cooking...let me just say, dill is under-rated and under-utilized. The more I cook with it, the more I love it - fingers crossed you like this spin as much as I do.
Different Types of Zucchini
You can sauté just about any kind of zucchini! Or a blend of zucchini / summer squash, as pictured here. A pro tip - attempt to slice it all the same 1/4-inch thickness. As far as shape goes - you can slice full coins, or half coins. You can slice zucchini straight across, or angle it, and slice on a bias. Feel free to experiment!
Simple Sautéed Zucchini
I hate to say this, but if you want to do a larger amount, double the recipe, but divide and cook the zucchini in two pans. If you crowd the squash too much, it steams rather than browns, and loses too much structure, which isn't what you're after.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 medium shallots or new red onions, thinly sliced
- fine grain sea salt
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick coins
- a good handful of dill and/or scallions, chopped
- 1/4 cup Marcona almonds or toasted almond slices
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In your largest skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until it starts to take on a hint of color. Stir in the shallots and a big pinch of salt, and cook until they start to soften, a couple minutes.
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Add the zucchini, stir to get it coated with a bit of oil, and arrange the coins in as much of a single layer as your pan permits. Dial the heat up a bit if needed, add another pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until the zucchini browns - ten minutes or so. Remove from heat and fold in the dill and almonds before serving. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
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Comments
Looks delicious !!
Hari Chandana
Curiously, I haven't yet received ridiculous amounts of summer squash in my CSA share. I'll have to seek some out this week! (And for what it's worth, my Russophile boyfriend adores dill on everything.)
Maddie
I think I'll try this on pasta with lemon zest and parmesan. Mmmmmm....
Anne Marie
I'm growing some gorgeous round yellow courgettes (zucchini) in Scotland this year - this will be a great recipe to use. How do you avoid the garlic going bitter when frying?
edinburghfoody
I love using dill with zucchini. The flavors are so fresh, clean and just delicious. This seems like its going to quickly become a staple in my Summer weeknight meals. I think I'll try it tonight with on a fritatta. Thanks Heidi!
Brandon
This sounds easy and delicious. I have never cooked zucchini before, but it seems about time for me to start! ;)
Mavis
Simple and lovely! I just made oven roasted patty pan squash and zucchini for my 7 month old. I took a little of her puree, added coarse salt and ground black pepper and plopped a few spoonfuls on top of some wide tubular noodles for me and my husband. Was sensationally sweet and fresh - and simple!
nithya at hungrydesi
my mother used to boil zucchini and drown it with dried dill which to this day (i'm 50) leaves a bad taste in my mouth. but this looks tasty and if i moderate the dill i think it could be quite good. another quick, easy recipe: quarter and slice 1 lb. of zucchini along with 2 yellow bell peppers cut into 1-inch pieces, a pint of grape or cherry tomatoes and a couple of smashed garlic cloves and saute in a bit of olive oil for about 6-8 minutes. add salt and pepper. it's delicious!
Benjamin
Courgettes... that's what we call them from my side of the Atlantic. It is the season for them. Great recipe as usual!
Nathalie
Fantastic! I have been trying to figure out more creative ways to use all the squash I am seeing!
Belinda @zomppa
I do something similar but use basil or mint and add fresh lemon. Also, fresh corn kernels are a tasty "supplement." As Heidi notes, the key is that things get browned.
MINX
Looks yummy - just picked up some zucchini and yellow squash at the market and have been wondering what I felt like doing with it. This will be perfect! About the dill - my husband would never eat brussel sprouts until I roasted them with balsalmic vinegar and then just before serving sprinkled them with some fresh squeezed lemon juice, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and fresh dill! Oh, just the BEST!!
Marianne
My favorite thing to do with zucchini is to saute it with some mushroom slices and toss a little seasoning and parmesan cheese on it. Putting that with some pasta sounds like a great idea. I will be doing that soon. (will skip the dill though. not a fan, sorry)
Jenn
Double the recipe? How about quintuple - my zucchini's going nuts! This will help abate the invasion: Killer Zucchini Overtake Vancouver. Does it keep well in the fridge if I make lots?
Lauren
Heidi, you must have read my mind because I was just not 10 minutes ago staring at the bag of zucchini I have in the fridge and looking for some inspiration. I already love simple, saute vegetables but I'm so excited to try it with the addition of almonds, slivered garlic, and dill! Thank you!
angi
I love the idea of zucchini in a homemade crust with a dab of goat cheese. A sort of savory hand pie. Yum! Thanks for tonight's dinner idea-I'm overwhelmed with squash :)
DessertForTwo
Thanks for the links. I have a feeling I will be obsessed with teuxdeux very soon. :) Sorry for the anonymous comment right before this! whoops!
Teri [a foodie stays fit]
Yum! this looks great! I've been making zucchini flatbread and find it's the perfect use for this wonderful vegetable!
Simply Life
Almond? It's a brilliant idea. Lovely recipe, thank you!
Ildy
Dill is one of my favourite herbs. My grandpa used it in alot of his Doukhobor recipes, and it always reminds me of his house.
Anonymous