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10-Minute Sautéed Zucchini

How to make quick sautéed zucchini in 10 minutes, plus tips for preventing soggy zucchini.
Prep Time1 minute
Pre-salting if desired15 minutes
Course: Vegan side, Vegetarian Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy vegan side dish, Easy vegetarian side dish, how to cook zucchini, Sautéed zucchini
Servings: 2 side dishes
Author: Susan Pridmore

Equipment

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 ⅛" 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.

 

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.