Sautéed Garlic Butter Zucchini – A Simple Yet Delicious Recipe

Whether you are overwhelmed with freshly picked zucchini or you are just looking for a quick side dish to make for the whole family, this Sautéed Garlic Butter Zucchini recipe will be just what you need!

During the summer months, it’s easy to become loaded up with a ton of fresh zucchini from your garden. In fact, one single zucchini plant can produce between 3 to 10 pounds of produce!

Maybe instead of growing it yourself, you are one of the lucky ones who has a neighbor who likes to deliver all their extra zucchini to your doorstep. (It’s so great to have neighbors like that!) Whatever the reason, the summer months are the perfect time to try a few new recipes for using zucchini.

One of my favorite ways to quickly cook zucchini is to sautée it on the stovetop. I don’t have to heat up my kitchen with the oven on, and I can easily whip up a batch in less than ten minutes from start to finish. It’s the perfect side dish for almost any type of meal since you can adjust the seasoning to match your main course.

You can always play around with the flavors and seasonings to make it your own, but you can’t go wrong with this basic garlic and butter combination! It’s by far our favorite, and I hope you can enjoy it, too!

Tips For Successful Cooking

A key to sautéing zucchini is to cook it to your preferred consistency. If you overcook it, the zucchini can become a bit mushy, which is actually the consistency I prefer! So you will need to vary your cooking time based on how mushy or firm you want your finished zucchini to be. There is no right or wrong way, just personal preference!

For best results, don’t peel the zucchini prior to cooking. The peel is packed full of nutrients and flavor. Without the peel intact, your zucchini will end up more like mashed potatoes by the end of cooking. The peel does soften some while cooking.

Use a wide skillet to cook the sautéed zucchini. You want a large enough pan so all the pieces are in a single layer. This will allow all the pieces to get evenly browned and cooked through. I like to use my straight-sided 12″ skillet when I cook zucchini like this. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet also works well. (This is the cast iron skillet I like to use – Product Link: Lodge 12″ Cast Iron Skillet.)

You can use oil instead of butter for making this recipe, but the butter gives the zucchini a nice nutty flavor that helps to elevate the dish in my opinion. It doesn’t take a lot of butter, so it’s overall a fairly healthy recipe. If you decide to use oil, olive oil works as a great substitute.

When I am in a real pinch or I am out of fresh garlic, I like to use garlic salt to season the dish instead of freshly minced garlic plus salt. The flavor isn’t as rich, but it works well enough and makes the dish even easier to do!

Variations On Seasonings – Sautéed Garlic Butter Zucchini

As mentioned earlier, there are several different ways you can change this recipe to make it your own. The key is to season lightly at first and adjust as needed.

If your family isn’t a huge fan of garlic, try different types of seasonings that your family does prefer. Italian seasoning, Old Bay spices, or even cajun spices can all elevate the zucchini and give it a different flavor.

Think of the zucchini as being a carrier for your favorite spice combinations and see what your family likes best.

In addition or instead of the garlic, you can add in a bit of shredded or grated parmesan towards the end of the cooking time. The cheese can add a whole new flavor profile and will give you a nice crunch if cooked properly.

You can also elevate the dish by adding in your other favorite vegetables from the garden. Broccoli, carrots, onions, mushrooms, etc are excellent choices to add. Just keep in mind that harder, firmer vegetables will take a bit longer to cook, so you might need to hold off on adding your zucchini until toward the end.

How To Make Sautéed Garlic Butter Zucchini

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

Ingredients

• Butter (or olive oil)
• Zucchini
• Freshly Minced Garlic (or swap this and the salt for garlic salt)
• Salt
• Pepper

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Large Skillet
• Spoon or tongs

Instructions for Sautéed Garlic Butter Zucchini

First, you need to chop up your zucchini. Choose zucchinis that are between 6 to 8 inches long. They have great flavor and you don’t end up with a ton of large seeds. Save your larger zucchini for making zucchini bread or muffins!

I like to cut most of mine in half lengthwise, then I cut each half into three long strips. (You can do more if your zucchini are wider.) Then I cut those strips into bite-sized pieces.

You can even try cutting the zucchini into discs for even quicker cooking time. This circle disc shape works well for topping with parmesan cheese. The most important part is to make all of the pieces the same size for even cooking.

Next, melt a little butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Allow the butter to just start to brown before adding in the chopped zucchini for a more nutty flavor profile. Once melted, add the zucchini and stir evenly to coat all the pieces.

Cooking the Zucchini

Allow the zucchini to cook for about 1-2 minutes before stirring. This will help to get a nice brown coat on the bottom. If you are using fresh minced garlic, add that now and mix. If using garlic salt, lightly sprinkle over the pieces and stir to evenly distribute the seasoning.

Continue cooking and stirring occasionally for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the zucchini reaches the desired consistency. The pieces should be tender and have a less opaque look to them.

If you used fresh minced garlic, add salt and pepper to taste. If you used garlic salt, add pepper to taste and more garlic salt if needed. Remember, you can always add more seasoning but it is hard to take it away once you’ve added it! Optionally, sprinkle on some grated parmesan.

Turn off the heat and serve warm. Store any remaining pieces in the refrigerator. They can be reheated but they will be slightly mushier in texture (which I really enjoy!). For another excellent zucchini side dish recipe that you can also freeze for enjoying during summer, check out my Garlic Butter Zucchini Mash recipe.

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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