Zucchini Side Dish

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This zucchini side dish is full of onion, tomato, herbs, and of course zucchini to make a bright and fresh side that tastes out-of-this-world delicious!

Can’t get enough zucchini? (Or maybe can’t seem to get rid of it if your garden is bursting with it this time of year?) I love cooking and baking with zucchini, and it’s so versatile and adaptable… Try a few of these recipes next time you have a lot of zuccs on hand: Easy Taco Zucchini Boats, Easy Healthy Make Ahead Zucchini Egg Bake, and 20-Minute Roasted Zucchini, Corn, and Black Bean Tacos.

This zucchini side dish is full of onion, tomato, herbs, and of course zucchini to make a bright and fresh side that tastes out-of-this-world delicious! #zucchini #zucchiniside #easyzucchinirecipe #zucchinimedley

Easy Zucchini Dish

My mom’s garden in Indiana was so prolific with no shortage of squash. She was really good at using what her garden had to offer, and we ate lots and lots of fresh vegetables all summer long. This is a recipe that she and I made up one day and just loved. It’s about the only way we’ve cooked savory zucchini since; why mess with perfection? It is honestly my very favorite way to cook zucchini, and I can eat most of the dish myself.

Want to know what we did when the squash got away from her and she ended up with two-foot-long zucchini? She would let us carve them out into boats and decorate them. Then we would go to Anderson Falls in Indiana and send them sailing down the river. Our favorite part? When they went over the falls and crashed at the bottom. Pretty great mom, wasn’t she?

This zucchini side dish is full of onion, tomato, herbs, and of course zucchini to make a bright and fresh side that tastes out-of-this-world delicious! #zucchini #zucchiniside #easyzucchinirecipe #zucchinimedley

How long do you cook zucchini?

Zucchini is a fairly fast-cooking veggie, and I prefer it al dente. (In fact, there’s almost nothing worse than mushy, over-cooked zucchini in my mind.) When you add the zucchini to the pan, it’ll only need a few minutes to cook, about 4 or 5. It should still have some crunch to it when you bite in, and it’ll maintain its shape well.

How do you cut up zucchini?

Remove the ends of the zucc with a knife, and then cut it into quarters, lengthwise. Cut each of those spears into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch pieces. You don’t need to remove the seeds or skin if you’re working with small or medium zucchinis!

What herbs do you use in zucchini side dish?

You can use really any herbs you like in this recipe! I’ve used and loved cilantro, basil, chives, and parsley — you could also use a combination of a few herbs. If you use rosemary or thyme, only add a tablespoon since they’re a lot stronger in flavor.

How long does zucchini side dish last?

Zucchini notoriously gets mushy when you reheat it, so if you expect to have leftovers, just be sure you cook it al dente so it doesn’t soften too much when you reheat the dish. It’ll keep for about 2 to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.

This zucchini side dish is full of onion, tomato, herbs, and of course zucchini to make a bright and fresh side that tastes out-of-this-world delicious! #zucchini #zucchiniside #easyzucchinirecipe #zucchinimedley

This zucchini side dish is full of onion, tomato, herbs, and of course zucchini to make a bright and fresh side that tastes out-of-this-world delicious! #zucchini #zucchiniside #easyzucchinirecipe #zucchinimedley

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zucchini and tomato side dish in a baking pan

Zucchini Side Dish


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  • Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6

Description

This zucchini side dish is full of onion, tomato, herbs, and of course zucchini to make a bright and fresh side that tastes out-of-this-world delicious!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced, about 1 cup
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium zucchini (about 2.5 inches in diameter)
  • 2 or 3 fresh tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup your favorite fresh herbs
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium to medium-high heat until melted.
  2. Add the onion, and saute until the onion starts to get clear on the edges, about 5 minutes.
  3. While the onion is cooking, cut the ends off of the zucchini, and then cut it in to fourths long-ways. Slice each quarter into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices.
  4. When the onion is starting to go clear on the edges, add the garlic and chopped zucchini.
  5. While the zucchini is cooking, coarsely dice your fresh tomatoes.
  6. When the zucchini is cooked to your liking (I like it al dente), add the tomatoes. Stir to combine, and heat through without over-cooking the tomatoes.
  7. Remove from the heat, and add your fresh herbs and plenty of salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Serve right away.

Notes

  • I love to use cilantro, basil, chives, or parsley for this dish, or a combo of herbs. If using an herb such as rosemary or thyme, only add about a tablespoon because they are a lot stronger than the others listed.
  • Don’t overcook the zucchini unless you truly like it soft. Just a touch of crunch left in it is perfect.
  • If using 1 medium or 2 small zucchinis, then there is no need to peel or remove seeds. If you are trying to use up a large zucchini, I would peel off the outside and remove the big seed after quartering it.
  • Feel free to use a good quality olive oil in place of some or all of the butter.
  • There is a whole lot of onion in this dish. If you aren’t an onion lover, then feel free to reduce the amount. I wouldn’t go less than a 1/3 cup of chopped onion for flavor, though.
  • Prep Time: 15 min
  • Cook Time: 15 min
  • Category: side
  • Method: stove top
  • Cuisine: American

Other Zucchini Recipes You’ll Love:

This post was originally published in 2012, but has been updated and rephotographed in September 2019.

Zucchini side is a heavenly yet simple veggie side that packs rich flavor and beautiful colors onto your plate with just a handful of fresh ingredients!

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4 Comments

  1. Just finished eating this for dinner. YUMMY. Used my veggies from the farmers market and added mushrooms and shrimp to bulk it up for an entree and served it over couscous. Healthy and delish. Thanks for sharing!

  2. Melissa,Can I just say that your blog is UH-Flipping-MAZING? Seriously! Your pictures are beautiful, your posts are written perfectly, and you have so much style! I swear, if you keep it up, your blog is going to explode with followers. You remind me of Pioneer Woman 🙂 I keep referencing back to your post on painting your hutch, because I want to paint some dressers for my daughter 🙂 Thanks for working so hard on your awesome blog. Cami

    1. Too nice! I just need something to go viral. I just happened on some chicks blog who got her start because she posted about homemade pet odor remover and it went nuts – I know right… LOL. I’ll get there one day! Thanks for the encouragement.