Pretty and Easy Zucchini

Zucchini season is upon us once again, and I’d like to share with you my go-to ways to prepare it. It’s easy and versatile and the char on the zucchini makes it pretty enough to serve to company. It makes for a great side dish all on its own or you can serve it in any number of ways: with salad greens, over pasta, or nestled into your favorite tomato sauce to name just a few. You can sauté the zucchini on your stove top (as I’ll describe here) or you can grill it. There are so many ways to “make this your own” many times over, depending on your mood, what you have on hand, or the occasion!

In addition to the zucchini, you’ll need only olive oil, salt and pepper. Equipment needs are just as simple: a sauté pan (I like to use a 10-12” pan), a chef’s knife, a pair of tongs, a basting brush (for this you can just as easily use the back of a spoon if you don’t have a basting brush), and a plate lined with paper towels (not included in the photo).

I’d like to note that there is no reason to have your burner set any higher than “medium” (for a gas range, let the flame just “kiss” the bottom of your pan). This medium heat level will accommodate using olive oil, which has a lower smoke point than more neutrally flavored oils such as grapeseed oil. A higher heat level can cause olive oil to burn and make for a bitter taste. The olive oil will impart a lovely flavor to the zucchini by cooking them on a gentle, medium heat.

I’d also like to mention that you may substitute or add other types of pepper or seasoning for the simple salt and pepper noted in the recipe. Feel free to use crushed red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper if you like a bit more heat. For a more unique spice to complement your meal, a sprinkling of za’atar would be wonderful. Again, you can “make this your own” in so many delicious ways.

Let’s get started!

Sautéed Zucchini Rounds

Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe 

Serves: 2 

Prep time: 5 minutes 

Cook time: 5-8 minutes 

1 zucchini, about 2” in diameter, about 8” long, at room temperature

Olive oil to coat the pan, as well as for brushing (I like to pour some into a small bowl to have handy for brushing)

Kosher salt for seasoning

Black pepper for seasoning (feel free to add or substitute seasonings, as desired)

1. Preheat a sauté pan for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Preheating your pan will let the olive oil heat up quickly once you add it, minimizing the risk of overheating/burning it.

2. Use the time the pan is heating up to slice the zucchini into half-inch rounds, setting them on a plate and brushing them with olive oil. I like to use a basting brush, but if you don’t have one, the back of a spoon will do just fine.

3. Season the zucchini rounds with salt and pepper (or other seasoning ingredients, as desired).

4. Now add enough olive oil to your sauté pan for a light coating. It will only take about 30 seconds for it to heat up in the preheated pan. Add your zucchini rounds to the pan with the seasoned side down, making sure they are not touching one another. If you don’t hear a “sizzle” when you place the first round in, remove it and wait another couple of seconds. They will cook for about 4-5 minutes. When all the zucchini is in the pan, brush the tops of with a light coat of olive oil and season with salt and pepper (or other seasoning you may be using). Whenever I’m adding ingredients that will need to be flipped to a pan, I like to start at the handle and work my way around, so I know where I started and can flip them in the same order. Of course, this method doesn’t account for “hot spots” in your pan and the pieces may still cook at different rates – but at least you’ll have a benchmark of what’s happening! This video will show you what I mean:

5. After about 4 minutes, take a peek at the first zucchini round you placed in the pan to see how the browning is coming along. Once it’s dark enough for your taste, flip it over. The remaining zucchini should also be ready to flip. If they’re not cooking at the same pace, just keep an eye on them and flip them when they’re ready. The zucchini rounds will only need about 2 minutes on the second side.

6. After about 2 minutes, check the browning. Once dark enough for your taste, remove the zucchini rounds to your paper towel-lined plate. If you need to keep them warm while the rest of your meal finishes cooking, place them in a warm oven for about 15 minutes.

7. You’ll find that the centers get pillow-soft while the zucchini skin provides enough stability to hold them together.

The night I made these, we were going to eat them as an entrée over rice, so I set them in a little pool of tomato sauce and garnished them with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and torn fresh basil. 

I love the bounty of summer vegetables! Summer heat automatically makes me eat lighter and all the vegetables in season make it easy. If you feel the same way, our vegetable-focused classes at The Chopping Block in July include Vegetarian Summer Feast and Vegetarian Tex Mex on the Grill.

In addition, we have a very special “Vegan Takeover” class Easy Cheesy Vegan with Dustin Harder, our favorite celebrity vegan chef. Take a look at our class calendar for other vegetable-forward options!