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I consider zucchini a low maintenance vegetable. Unlike, say, artichokes. (Sorry artichoke lovers!)
I love artichokes too, but consider the facts.
Zucchini needs little prep, no matter how you choose to use it. It plays well with many herbs and veggies. And you can serve it raw for some crunch in a salad, grilled or sautéed.
And sautéed zucchini cooks up in about 10 minutes. Take that, artichoke!
Zucchini is Super-Healthy
Zucchini is rich in nutrients, antioxidants and aids digestion. As with tomatoes, some nutrients are highest when zucchini is cooked.
For more health benefit information, read this article!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Sautéed Zucchini in 10 Minutes in 3 Easy Steps
Slice the zucchini into even disks.
Add a small amount of oil to a pan over medium - high heat. Add garlic paste and stir for 20 second until it begins to bubble.
Add the zucchini, salt, pepper and any dried herbs you choose to use. Toss in the oil, and sauté for 8 - 10 minutes and remove from the pan. Top with fresh herbs and serve.
How do you sauté zucchini without getting soggy?
Sautéed zucchini is best tender with a little bite to it, IMHO. Al-dente. But it's easy for it to turn out soggy.
If the cooking instructions for 10-minute sautéed zucchini result in zucchini a little too soft for you, here are a few tips.
Slice the zucchini into evenly thick round disks so they cook up evenly.
- Zucchini is very easy to slice, so a sharp chef's knife does the job well. But if you plan to sauté several zucchini, a hand-held mandolin is faster. This is the one I use.
Pre-salt the zucchini slices, and arrange on paper towels or in a colander.
- Zucchini are almost all water, and salt draws out some of it. I don't recommend using more than ½ teaspoon kosher salt. (Kosher salt is easier to sprinkle evenly over the zucchini than table salt).
- Dab any moisture on the zucchini with a paper towel to dry the slices.
Start with a very small amount of oil - only enough to coat them.
- Too much oil makes the zucchini slices soggy. It's easy to add more oil if you need it, but difficult to remove once the zucchini begins to cook.
Cook the zucchini quickly at medium-high heat in a single layer.
- A quick 5-minute sauté is best - only until they're a bit translucent and a few slices very lightly brown.
- Arrange the zucchini slices in one layer, as much as possible. The more they're stacked on top of each other, the more they'll steam.
Hot Tip: If you add herbs, consider oregano, dill, thyme, lemon thyme, basil or lemon verbena. They all marry well with zucchini.
Storage Tip
I store any left-over zucchini in reusable Zip Top plastic-free containers for up to 3 days. When I'm ready to warm them up, I place the container filled with zucchini in the microwave, open the container a little to allow steam to escape, and microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes.
This zucchini can be eaten on its own as a side dish, or added to a salad like this quinoa zucchini salad. This salad is one I make a few times a month all through the summer.
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10-Minute Sautéed Zucchini
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini, each around 7 ounces
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste, or minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Remove the tops and bottoms from the zucchini. Slice into â…›" thick disks.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and garlic. Cook until the garlic begins to sizzle, about 20 seconds.
- Add the sliced zucchini, salt, pepper, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Toss to coat with the garlic and oil. Spread the zucchini out to create one layer, as much as possible.
- Hot Tip: You should only have enough oil in the pan to barely coat the zucchini. Drain off any excess oil.
- Sauté for 3 minutes, or until most slices just begin to turn translucent. Flip using tongs, and cook an additional 5 - 6 minutes. The zucchini should be tender, only slightly translucent, and browning just starting. Thinner slices will be more translucent than thicker slices.
- Remove from the skillet and top with fresh oregano before serving.
- If you prefer zucchini to be more al dente, see the Notes below for tips.
Notes
How do you sauté zucchini without getting soggy?
Sautéed zucchini is best tender with a little bite to it, IMHO. Al-dente. But it's easy for it to turn out soggy. If the cooking instructions for 10-minute sautéed zucchini result in zucchini a little too soft for you, here are a few tips.Slice the zucchini into evenly thick round disks so they cook up evenly.
- Zucchini is very easy to slice, so a sharp chef's knife does the job well. But if you plan to sauté several zucchini, a hand-held mandolin is faster. This is the one I use.
Pre-salt the zucchini slices, and arrange on paper towels or in a colander.
- Zucchini are almost all water, and salt draws out some of it. I don't recommend using more than ½ teaspoon kosher salt. (Kosher salt is easier to sprinkle evenly over the zucchini than table salt).
- Dab any moisture on the zucchini with a paper towel to dry the slices.
Start with a very small amount of oil - only enough to coat them.
- Too much oil makes the zucchini slices soggy. It's easy to add more oil if you need it, but difficult to remove once the zucchini begin to cook.
Cook the zucchini quickly at medium-high heat in a single layer.
- A quick 5-minute sauté is best - only until they're a bit translucent and a few slices very lightly brown.
- Arrange the zucchini slices in one layer, as much as possible. The more they're stacked on top of each other, the more they'll steam.
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