Squash Archives - Vegetable Recipes

Southwest Chicken Skillet with Corn and Zucchini

Mary Younkin — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 08:30:00 +0000

Tender, spicy bites of chicken are tossed with fresh sauteed vegetables and plenty of Mexican spices to create this easy skillet meal.

Southwest Chicken Skillet

While it isn’t a time-intensive recipe, I like to cook this at night, or on the weekend, and reheat through the week for easy lunches. We typically serve this southwest chicken skillet over rice or tucked into warm tortillas.

A squeeze of lime keeps the flavors here fresh, along with a sprinkling of cilantro. My kids like a dollop or sour cream or maybe some extra cheese in their tacos and sometimes a bit of hot sauce for heat.

The key to stress-free stir-fry recipes is prepping every ingredient before you begin cooking. Make sure that all of the ingredients are lined up next to the stove before you turn on the heat. The bulk of the prep time for this recipe is spent slicing and dicing the meat and vegetables, so give yourself about 20 minutes for prep time.

Once everything is assembled and ready to cook, the actual cooking time is just a few minutes. And if you plan to serve this with rice, start the rice cooking before you prep the ingredients for this recipe.

Easy Skillet Meals

My favorite stir-fries are salty, savory, sweet, and just a little bit spicy. And this ground beef and broccoli stir fry nails all of those things.

Juicy, salty kielbasa sausage and tender-crisp cabbage is a match made in food heaven. With the addition of some chopped onions and garlic, this sausage stir fry becomes a simple one-pan dinner the whole family loves.

This stir fry chicken with zucchini is an easy Asian-inspired dinner that delivers a whole lot of great flavor. Served on its own or over rice or noodles, this is a meal that always satisfies.

Thinly sliced flank steak in a garlicky ginger sauce makes for a delicious weeknight steak and pepper stir fry. While tender chunks of savory chicken dance with crisp green beans in a sauce that’s the perfect blend of savory and spice in this chicken and green beans stir fry.

Every bite of this shrimp and zucchini stir fry is pure shrimp-loving heaven – and you can make it start to finish in under 15 minutes. Garlic butter shrimp is one of my top 5 favorite foods. So naturally, when I had the idea to pair some shrimp with perfectly tender-crisp zucchini and toss it in a mouthwatering lemon garlic butter sauce, that had to happen immediately.

Tender broccoli florets and chunks of spicy sausage are scattered through every bite of this hearty, satisfying broccoli sausage pasta. When you’re craving pasta comfort food, but still want to enjoy a generous serving of vegetables (without messing around with a salad), this is the answer.

Southwest Chicken with Corn and Zucchini

Tender, spicy bites of chicken are tossed with fresh sauteed vegetables and plenty of Mexican spices to create this easy skillet meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 332kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

Chicken Ingredients

1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into ½-inch wide strips
2 teaspoons light olive oil divided
1½ tablespoons chili powder
1½ teaspoons cumin
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon oregano leaves
¼ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
¼ teaspoon granulated onion or onion powder
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Vegetable Ingredients

1½ pounds Italian zucchini sliced very thin, approximately ⅛-inch, about 4 cups
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 large red pepper sliced into thin matchsticks, about 1 cup
2 garlic cloves minced
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large lime about 2 tbsps fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
2-3 tablespoons cotija cheese crumbled (optional)

Instructions

Place the chicken in a medium-size bowl. Drizzle with 1 tsp of oil. Sprinkle with chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, paprika, oregano, garlic, onion, and red pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp oil to the skillet. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cook for 3-4 minutes, constantly stirring, until the chicken has browned and is cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Add the zucchini, peppers, corn, and garlic to the empty skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the zucchini and the peppers wilt just slightly and everything is warm, about 4 minutes.
Add the chicken back to the skillet. Add the lime juice and scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet, stirring and mixing the juices over the chicken and vegetables. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle cilantro and cotija over the skillet, if desired.

Notes

The spices for the chicken may be substituted with 2 tablespoons of this taco seasoning. The spices for the vegetables may be substituted with 1½ teaspoons of the taco seasoning.

Store-bought taco seasoning may also be used. However, I recommend starting with a slightly lower amount, and tasting the dish before adding more, as the sodium content is often higher in commercial taco seasoning mixes.

Nutrition

Zucchini Corn Fritters

Mary Younkin — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 08:30:00 +0000

With little more than a few small zucchini and a couple of ears of fresh corn, you can be on your way to piping hot, crispy, craveable Zucchini Corn Fritters.

You’ll eat these crisp-edged corn zucchini fritters all year long, but they’re especially spectacular made with corn cut straight off of the cob in sweet corn season.

Read through the whole post and note the tips provided to ensure you will achieve the perfect fritter results!

Corn and Zucchini Fritters

These fritters are a mouthwatering fusion of flavors and textures. Fresh zucchini and sweet corn kernels are transformed into golden fritters with crisp edges through a quick pan-frying process. Corn zucchini fritters offer a medley of earthy zucchini, juicy sweet corn, and rich flavors in every bite.

Whether enjoyed as a side dish, appetizer, or light meal, zucchini corn fritters showcase the essence of summer produce in a delectable and satisfying way.

My mom and brother were visiting when I made these and it was all I could do to keep their hands off of them long enough to snap a few photos. The fritters were an enormous hit with my mom.

Corn and zucchini are a couple of our favorite summer vegetables and they’re a perfect match in this fritter recipe. Even better, it’s a delightfully snackable way to use up abundant zucchini all summer long.

Zucchini Corn Fritters

The most important step and the KEY to making fritters that will actually crisp up when cooked this way is to squeeze every single possible drop of liquid from the zucchini.

You may be surprised just how much liquid can be removed. The recipe as written below includes directions for using paper towels to squeeze the zucchini. This is likely the most approachable method for most people and it does work – you just might need quite a few paper towels.

Corn Zucchini Fritters

However, I’ve found that a clean tea towel is simpler and so much easier to use. You can squeeze it tightly without tearing any paper towels or making a big mess.

While I wouldn’t recommend using your favorite towels for this, I have this set of very inexpensive kitchen towels. I use the darker ones for tasks like this. They don’t typically stain and I can shake out any lingering bits of zucchini before tossing them in the wash.

Zucchini Corn Fritters Recipe

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

grated zucchini
corn
all-purpose flour
granulated garlic or garlic powder
salt and pepper
eggs
green onions
olive oil

Zucchini and Corn Fritters

Line a bowl with a triple layer of paper towels or a single, clean tea towel. Grate the zucchini and place it in the towel lined bowl.

Use the towel or paper towels to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the shredded zucchini. (If the paper towels soak through and begin to tear, repeat with fresh paper towels, as needed.)

Discard the liquid and place a clean, dry paper towel or tea towel in the bowl. Transfer the squeezed zucchini towel lined bowl and let it rest for a few minutes.

Combine the flour, garlic, salt, and pepper in another large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs and whisk again. Add the drained zucchini, corn, and green onions. Stir to combine.

Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, ease golf-ball sized scoops of the zucchini fritter mixture into the oil. (Approximately 3 tablespoons worth for each fritter.)

Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip them over and cook for 2 minutes more.

Transfer the fritters to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process with the remaining oil and batter.

Serve warm with sour cream, bang bang sauce, ranch dip, or marinara sauce.

Zucchini and Corn

Fresh corn with zucchini and herbs is a straight-from-the-farmer’s-market side dish worth sharing at your next cookout.

This smoked sausage vegetable stir fry with fresh corn, zucchini, and bell peppers is a complete meal, in one pan, on the table in less than 20 minutes. The best part is the amazing flavors that are created with just a few ingredients!

Looking for a quick and easy meal that is both delicious and nutritious? This recipe for mixed vegetable rice creates a hearty and flavorful meal that you can easily pair with your protein of choice. Just add your favorite vegetables!

Sweet onions, fresh zucchini, and grilled corn along with a bit of chicken and plenty of melting cheese made these some of the best vegetable quesadillas that I have made recently.

Crispy tortillas, sweet corn, and gooey cheese combine to create these flavorful, hearty street corn quesadillas. Whether served as a midday snack or a last-minute dinner option, the whole family is sure to love these quesadillas. Add some zucchini for another great combination.

Looking for more snack recipes? While zucchini isn’t usually a vegetable most folks crave, these zucchini fries are about to change that! Tender zucchini wedges are coated in a crunchy, crispy, utterly crave-worthy Parmesan breadcrumb coating to create these zucchini fries.

Zucchini Corn Fritters

With little more than a few zucchini and a couple of ears of corn, you can be on your way to piping hot, crispy Zucchini Corn Fritters.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 40

Servings fritters

Calories 93kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

3 cups freshly grated zucchini about 3 medium zucchini
½ cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups corn kernels cut off the cob, about 2 large ears
⅓ cup sliced green onions
¼ cup olive oil or vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Line a bowl with a triple layer of paper towels. Grate the zucchini and place it in the bowl with the paper towels. Use the paper towels to squeeze as much liquid as possible from the shredded zucchini. (If the paper towels soak through and begin to tear, repeat with fresh paper towels, as needed.)
Discard the liquid and place a clean paper towel in the bowl. Transfer the squeezed zucchini to the bowl with the dry paper towel and let it rest for a few minutes.
Combine the flour, garlic, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs and whisk again. Add the drained zucchini, corn, and green onions. Stir to combine.
Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, scoop golfball sized scoops of the zucchini fritter mixture into the oil. (Approximately 3 tablespoons worth for each fritter.) Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip them over and cook for 2 minutes more.
Transfer the fritters to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process with the remaining oil and batter. Serve warm with sour cream, bang bang sauce, ranch dip, or marinara sauce.

Nutrition

Fresh Corn with Zucchini and Herbs

Mary Younkin — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 19:00:32 +0000

Is it really summer if you don’t have crazy amounts of zucchini and corn? Whether you’re hitting the farmer’s market for a deal or growing zucchini like it’s your job, this simple yet delicious side dish pairs these two classic warm weather vegetables!

Zucchini with Corn

Corn and zucchini are like peas and carrots. They just plain go together.

Whether from your own garden or the farmer’s market, these two summer vegetables positively sing when combined with fresh herbs. Every bite has a little bit of the best of summer produce.

How to Milk a Corn Cob

“How to milk a corn cob” is such a funny phrase and the visuals that pop in my head are even funnier. But it really is super simple process that yields a flavorful, natural thickener for your corn dishes.

If you’ve ever cut corn from the cob, you’ve seen corn milk. It’s the creamy, starchy, sweet liquid that comes from the cob once you’ve cut kernels away from it. It is used to add flavor as well as thicken things like soups and creamed corn.

To milk a corn cob, start with a fresh, uncooked ear of corn. Using a bundt pan or angel food cake pan, prop your shucked ear of corn in the center of the pan.

Use a sharp knife cut the kernels off of the cob. Next, use the back of your knife and scrape it down the empty cob.

The pan can neatly collect both the corn and the corn milk. It really is that easy.

For this recipe, empty the corn from the pan before you milk the corn cob. You need to keep the corn and the corn milk separate.

You will use the corn first and then add the milk towards the end. This adds creaminess and a burst of fresh, summery corn flavor to the finished dish.

Zucchini and Corn Recipe

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

corn on the cob
vegetable oil
zucchini
garlic cloves
fresh basil
fresh chives or green onions
fresh parsley
lemon juice
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Zucchini with Corn

Remove the corn kernels from each cob and set the corn aside. Working over a bowl, scrape the spine of a knife down each corn cob to scrape away the corn milk. Reserve the milk.

Do not peel the zucchini for this dish. Simply dice it into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. Keep your cuts even for quick, easy cooking. A multi-use vegetable chopper like this one makes quick work of the dicing.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add zucchini and cook until barely softened, about 3 minutes. Add corn and cook until deep yellow and softened, about 2 minutes.

Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, stir in the corn milk, basil, chives, parsley, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Summer Vegetables

For more great zucchini and corn combinations, try this vegetable-filled rice pilaf. Have you ever tried Zucchini Cobbler? Trust me, it’s not as crazy as it sounds. A surprisingly apple-like flavor will make this dessert a summertime staple in your kitchen.

Fresh Corn with Zucchini and Herbs

Is it even summer if you' don't have loads of zucchini and corn? Whether you're hitting the farmer's market for a deal or growing zucchini like it's your job, this simple yet delicious side dish pairs these two classic warm weather vegetables!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 155kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

5 ears corn about 5 cups worth of kernels
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 zucchini, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
1 tablespoon fresh chives or green onions, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste

Instructions

Remove the corn kernels from each cob and set the corn aside. Working over a bowl, scrape the back of a knife down each corn cob to scrape away the corn milk, reserving the milk.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add zucchini and cook until barely softened, about 3 minutes. Add corn and cook until deep yellow and softened, about 2 minutes.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, stir in corn milk, basil, chives, parsley, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Nutrition

I found this recipe in Cook’s Vegetables Illustrated and I’ve lightly adapted this from the original. The bright fresh flavors in this dish can not be beaten.

Zucchini Taco Boats

Mary Younkin — Thu, 02 May 2024 08:30:00 +0000

Zucchini Taco Boats are full of flavor and cheesy goodness. Let’s face it tacos make everything better, especially zucchini.

Taco Boats

Tacos make a regular appearance on the menu around our house but every once in a while we need to mix things up a bit. Usually mixing it up means hard or soft shells but zucchini makes a good option my kids actually really like.

For filling these taco boats my preference is ground beef. I do like to go a bit leaner on the ground beef for these. A 90/10 works really well with little to no grease to discard.

To season the meat I keep homemade taco seasoning on hand. Here is my favorite recipe for taco seasoning, it is so simple and packed with flavor. You can also use prepackaged.

What I love about most taco recipes is that you can use whichever meat you like best or have on hand. Ground turkey, beef, or chicken, shredded leftover pulled pork or chicken, I can’t think of any meats that we won’t happily toss with taco seasoning.

When making taco boats, you’ll want to use medium-sized zucchini that are even in thickness and of similar length. This makes baking them simpler as they will cook evenly and all be ready at the same time, resulting in everyone having a perfect zucchini boat.

To make the boats start by scooping out the seeds and a little bit of flesh. Leave about a 1/4 inch of zucchini along the skin. This will give you a hollowed out spot for the filling as well as remove the center portion that can get a bit mushy when cooked.

Don’t forget to roast the zucchini before adding the taco filling. However, be careful not to overcook the zucchini. Keeping the zucchini a little firm gives a nice texture and a slight crunch to the taco boat.

Taco-stuffed zucchini boats are perfect served on their own. But, sometimes I serve them on a bed of rice or top it with avocado, sour cream, or fresh crema. Maybe some black olives and jalapenos, have some fun with what you have on hand.

Zucchini Taco Boats

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

zucchini
olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
ground beef
taco seasoning
onion
black beans
tomato sauce
Mexican blend cheese
fresh cilantro

Taco Boat Recipe

To make your taco boats, you’ll start by slicing the zucchini in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds and part of the zucchini flesh. Leave about ¼-inch of zucchini along the skin of each halved squash.

Place the zucchini halves on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and rub with your hands to coat. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bake for 15 minutes.

While the zucchini is baking, start the filling. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef. Season with taco seasoning while it cooks. Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften.

Add the black beans and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and add 1½ cups of shredded cheese. Generously fill each zucchini half with the filling, pile it on top to use all the filling. Top each zucchini with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm.

Zucchini Recipes

BBQ Chicken Zucchini Boats are a saucy, cheesy, deliciously hearty meal that is a refreshing change from the typical sandwiches we usually make with leftover chicken.

Zucchini Pizza Boats are proof that anything can be a carrier for the amazingness that is cheesy pizza toppings.

These Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats are baked to cheesy perfection and served warm for a winning dinner all summer long.

Fresh zucchini is shaved thin and tossed with olive oil and lemon juice before being sprinkled with salt, pepper, basil, and Parmesan to make this easy, fresh from the garden Zucchini Ribbon Salad.

Parmesan zucchini can best be described as crispy, and delicious, the best way possible to eat zucchini. Seriously so good my kids devoured seconds.

And if you have an abundance of summer squash on hand, there are a lot of great ways to cook it! From roasting to sauteeing, steaming to grilling, you really can’t go wrong using up your zucchini harvest. You can even air fry it.

Zucchini Taco Boats

Zucchini Taco Boats are full of flavor and cheesy goodness. Let's face it tacos make everything better, especially zucchini.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 442kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

4 large or 6 medium zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt divided, adjust to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided adjust to taste
1 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
1 small onion diced very small, into ¼-inch pieces, ¾ cup worth
1 can black beans drained and rinsed OPTIONAL
½ cup tomato sauce
3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice zucchini in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds and part of the zucchini flesh. Leave about ¼-inch of zucchini along the skin of each halved squash.
Place the zucchini halves on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and rub with your hands to coat. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the zucchini is baking, start the filling. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef. Season with taco seasoning while it cooks. Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften.
Add the black beans and tomato sauce. Stir to combine and add 1½ cups of shredded cheese. Generously fill each zucchini half with the filling, pile it on top to use all the filling. Top each zucchini with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm.

Nutrition

Chicken Zucchini Stir Fry

Mary Younkin — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 08:30:00 +0000

This Zucchini Stir Fry with Chicken is an easy dinner that delivers a whole lot of great flavor. Served on its own or over rice or noodles, this is a meal that always satisfies!

Zucchini Stir Fry

Many years ago, there was a time we tried our hand at gardening and that led to a LOT of zucchini. If you have ever gardened, you likely understand this quite well. Anyways, all of that zucchini led to a great many zucchini-inspired recipes, first over here and now many more zucchini recipes here as well.

Luckily, zucchini remains one of my favorite vegetables to add to a stir-fry skillet. The key when cooking zucchini is to get it off the heat before it softens too much.

Learning how to saute zucchini is a bit of a game-changer when it comes to cooking this popular summer squash. Perfectly tender and still crisp zucchini is positively irresistible. And once you’ve mastered sauteeing zucchini, you should try roasting, air-frying, and grilling it too!

Chicken with Zucchini Stir Fry

I enjoy zucchini stir fries very much, (this shrimp and zucchini stir fry is another tasty option!) but only when the squash retains a bit of its crispness. Summer squash is the perfect example for “tender-crisp” vegetables when cooked well.

This entire meal comes together easily in one large pan. But you’ll want to take the extra minute or two to cook it in batches to avoid overcrowding in the skillet or wok.

This stir fry begins with the chicken. Depending on the size of your skillet this might need to be done in one or two batches. (If you are on the hunt for a new skillet check out this one, it’s a favorite.)

Give the chicken enough room to not be touching in the pan or it will steam instead of getting the brown edges we are looking for. Then cook the zucchini in the same way.

Chicken Zucchini Stir Fry

You’ll need the following ingredients for this recipe:

Stir Fry Ingredients

chicken thighs
olive oil
zucchini
garlic
green onions
sesame seeds

Sauce Ingredients

oyster sauce
rice vinegar
soy sauce
sesame oil
cornstarch

Zucchini Stir Fry Recipe

Start by making the sauce. Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a large skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring or tossing frequently, until it is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside.

Add the zucchini to the empty skillet. Cook, stirring or tossing frequently until the zucchini begins to soften about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, while tossing constantly, for an additional minute until fragrant.

Add water to the pan and use a wooden spoon or metal spatula to scrape up all the browned bits. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and return the chicken to the pan.

Cook, while stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice if desired.

There are so many great ways to cook zucchini! This sweet and spicy chicken stir fry is a favorite for my ever-hungry crew. This stir fry uses seasonal fresh vegetables for a quick to prepare meal.

BBQ Chicken Zucchini Boats are a saucy, cheesy, deliciously hearty meal that is a refreshing change from the typical sandwiches we usually make with leftover chicken.

With little more than a few zucchini and a couple of ears of corn, you can be on your way to piping hot, crispy Zucchini Corn Fritters.

And last but not least, Zucchini Cobbler. Zucchini??? Cobbler? YES. You read that right and you should definitely keep reading. It turns out that zucchini cobbler tastes a whole lot like apple cobbler, my friends. I didn’t believe it either – until I tasted it.

Looking for more dinner recipes? Tender, spicy bites of chicken are tossed with fresh sauteed vegetables and plenty of Mexican spices to create this easy Southwestern Chicken Skillet meal.

Chicken Zucchini Stir Fry

This Zucchini Stir Fry with Chicken is an easy dinner that delivers a whole lot of great flavor. Served on its own or over rice or noodles, this is a meal that always satisfies!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Chinese

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 157kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs about 1½ lbs cut into 1/2″ strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 small or 2 large zucchini sliced into rounds, about 1/3-inch thick, about 4 cups worth
3 large cloves garlic minced
¼ cup water
3 green onions thinly sliced for topping
1 teaspoon sesame seeds for topping

Sauce Ingredients

2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

Whisk together the oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and cornstarch. Set aside.
In a large skillet, warm the oil over med-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring or tossing frequently, until it is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add the zucchini to the empty skillet. Cook, stirring or tossing frequently until the zucchini begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, while tossing constantly, for an additional minute until fragrant.
Add water to the pan and use a wooden spoon or metal spatula to scrape up all the browned bits. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and return the chicken to the pan.
Cook, while stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice if desired.

Nutrition

Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

Mary Younkin — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:30:00 +0000

Every bite of this Shrimp Zucchini Stir Fry is pure shrimp-loving heaven – and you can make it start to finish in under 15 minutes!

Garlic butter shrimp is one of my top 5 favorite foods. So naturally, when I had the idea to pair some shrimp with perfectly tender-crisp zucchini and toss it in a mouthwatering lemon garlic butter sauce, that had to happen immediately.

Shrimp Zucchini Stir Fry

As it turned out, a couple of zucchini and a pound of shrimp added up to a garlicky lemon butter skillet of deliciousness that I simply could not stop eating! It would be embarrassing if anyone else had been here to witness my lunch, but since I was on my own? It’s all good.

I did call my husband after I tasted it to tell him he should probably get home to help me eat it before I polished off the entire recipe by myself. (I easily could have done that. It proved irresistible to me.!)

Full disclosure, this recipe makes four servings for normal, non-shrimp-addicts, who practice a wee bit more self-control than I did. Served over rice or pasta this will be a great dinner option. Me? I ate it exactly as pictured, nothing else was required.

Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

For a very long time, I was intimidated by the idea of cooking shrimp at home. The first time I tried it, I bought the least expensive shrimp I could find, spent what felt like forever peeling and deveining them, and then overcooked them. Sigh. The learning curve felt like too much and I didn’t try again for several years.

Well, I’m here to walk you through just how incredibly EASY it is to cook shrimp perfectly and to make sure you skip any kind of experience like my first one! I’ve been cooking shrimp this way for at least 15 years now and it really is simple.

First, I have a couple of shrimp cooking tips for you. Watch for a sale and buy your shrimp peeled and deveined. It usually isn’t much more expensive, and when it’s on sale it’s often the same price as shrimp in the shell. Just pay attention to what you’re buying and save yourself the extra work.

Second, you’re going to cook the shrimp FAST and then get it out of the pan. I’m not kidding here. The shrimp needs barely a minute on each side and then you’ll transfer it to a plate and toss it back in the stir fry at the end.

Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

raw shrimp peeled and deveined
olive oil
salt and pepper
zucchinis
butter
garlic
lemon juice
Italian parsley

Shrimp and Zucchini Stir Fry

Rinse the shrimp and lay them out on a paper towel-lined tray. Pat them dry. Prep the other ingredients and set them next to the stove. (Remember that this is a FAST recipe and you need to have everything ready to go when you begin.) Set an empty plate next to the stove.

Heat a large stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and when it is hot, add the shrimp. Spread the shrimp across the pan and sprinkle with about a ¼ teaspoon of salt and a smaller amount of pepper.

Let the shrimp cook for about 1 minute, just until the side touching the pan begins to turn pink.

Stir and then quickly flip the shrimp to the other side. Sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Cook about 1 minute longer, just until pink and barely cooked through. Take care not to overcook. Remove from the pan to the plate.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and then add the zucchini. Stir to coat and then sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the squash barely begins to soften.

Add the butter along with the garlic and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook for another minute or two, until the butter has melted and the pan is fragrant.

Return the shrimp to the skillet, along with the lemon juice. Stir to mix and then sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

Shrimp and Zucchini

Do you enjoy shrimp as much as I do? If so, shrimp, bell peppers, and pineapple simmered with your favorite barbecue sauce add up to a sweet and spicy shrimp bell pepper stir fry that is quite literally, finger-licking good.

Fresh vegetables are tossed in a mixture of oil and spices before being quickly cooked to create this irresistible skillet of sauteed zucchini and onions.

Want to make the most of this summer’s zucchini before it’s gone? Summer’s squash is very lightly breaded and broiled to perfection with plenty of buttery garlic and lemon to make this crispy buttered zucchini.

Fresh zucchini can be shaved thin and tossed with olive oil and lemon juice before being sprinkled with salt, pepper, basil, and Parmesan to make this easy, fresh-from-the-garden zucchini ribbon salad.

This spicy orange garlic shrimp was our favorite shrimp recipe for so long; it was the only shrimp dish I made for quite a few years. This is a very simple recipe that packs a lot of awesome flavor.

Want a hearty dinner that won’t weigh you down? Try these chicken parm zucchini boats. We love them.

Grilled shrimp, marinated in chipotle and lime, and wrapped in bacon is something my whole family would very happily eat every day. These bacon-wrapped shrimp kabobs disappear within five minutes every time we make them.

Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

Every bite of this Shrimp Zucchini Stir Fry is pure shrimp-loving heaven – and you can make it start to finish in under 15 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 8

Total Time 13

Servings

Calories 168kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

1 pound large raw shrimp peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
2 medium-large zucchinis halved and sliced ½-inch thick, about 4 cups
1 tablespoon butter
6-8 cloves garlic minced, about 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice about ½ medium lemon
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley chopped small

Instructions

Rinse the shrimp and lay them out on a paper towel-lined tray. Pat them dry. Prep the other ingredients and set them next to the stove. (This is a FAST recipe and you need to have everything ready to go when you begin.) Set an empty plate next to the stove.
Heat a large stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and when it is hot, add the shrimp. Spread the shrimp across the pan and sprinkle with about a ¼ teaspoon of salt and a smaller amount of pepper. Let the shrimp cook for about 1 minute, just until the side touching the pan begins to turn pink.
Stir and then quickly flip the shrimp to the other side. Sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Cook about 1 minute longer, just until pink and barely cooked through. Take care not to overcook. Remove from the pan to the plate.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and then add the zucchini. Stir to coat and then sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the squash barely begins to soften.
Add the butter along with the garlic and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook for another minute or two, until the butter has melted and the pan is fragrant.
Return the shrimp to the skillet, along with the lemon juice. Stir to mix and then sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

Mary Younkin — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 08:30:00 +0000

Tender noodles and lightly roasted vegetables come alive with a zesty dressing in this Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad. So good, you’ll make it twice.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

I may have something of a pasta salad problem. My love affair with this versatile dish goes way back. It’s flexible enough to support whatever I’ve got on hand, and they’re so simple to throw together for a snack or lunch.

No need to be a Michelin-starred chef to get flawless results with this dish. There are no special techniques, here. Just wholesome ingredients mixed together in a colorful, tasty dish that will keep you coming back for more.

Pasta Salad with Roasted Vegetables

This roasted vegetable pasta salad is a little bit more involved than just using raw ingredients, but I love the way roasting changes and enhances the flavors. Roasting is one of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables.

If you’ve never made a pasta salad with roasted vegetables, you are missing out! Adding tender vegetables with crisp edges brings so much wonderful texture to a pasta salad.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

red and yellow bell peppers
zucchini and broccoli
red onion
small bite-size pasta
kosher salt and black pepper
Italian parsley and minced garlic
olive oil and red wine vinegar

Any bite-size pasta will work for this recipe. I used a Gigli (also called Campanelle) pasta for these photos. Penne, ditalini, fusilli, rotini, and cavatappi are a few more of my favorites for different pasta salads.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the bell peppers, zucchini, and broccoli on a large baking sheet and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of oil.

Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss well to coat. Roast for about 10 minutes until barely tender and still crisp. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil along with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, but do not rinse the pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, place the onions and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining olive oil and vinegar to cover the onions.

When the pasta has been drained, add it to the mixing bowl and toss well.

Add the roasted vegetables and the parsley. Toss everything together to mix well and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Taste the salad and add more salt and pepper, as needed. Serve immediately at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

This salad will keep nicely for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Roasted Vegetables and Pasta

Looking for more roasted vegetables and pasta recipes?

If you’re a fan of cold pasta salads, then you’re likely to love this Creamy Macaroni Salad with ditalini pasta, broccoli, bell pepper, cucumber, olives, and red onions. This pasta salad is perfect for any occasion.

For those of you looking for a hot meal, Vegetable Spaghetti is perfect when the garden is producing in high gear. Al dente works for your vegetables as well as your spaghetti!

The rich flavors of butter, garlic, and lemon come together with the earthiness of fresh asparagus to create a Roasted Asparagus Pasta you will immediately crave again. I have never had leftovers when making this recipe.

I’ve had my eye on this Potluck Pasta Salad for several days. It’s filled with bell pepper, pasta, tomatoes, olives, red onion, and cheese, and looks like an instant classic for barbecues or any gathering.

Savor a delightful medley of fresh, ripe vegetables with a tangy homemade vinaigrette in this Zucchini Pasta Salad. This is a recipe you will make more than once!

Tender pasta with broccoli and mushrooms in a garlicky cream sauce is a quick dinner that my whole family enjoys with Mushroom Broccoli Pasta.

Creamy, sweet, and tangy poppy seed dressing lightly coats each bite of this Broccoli Slaw Salad. With crisp fresh broccoli and carrots, the bite of red onion, the crunch of pecans, and the sweet chewy fun of dried cranberries, this broccoli salad is a terrific side dish for almost any meal.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad

Tender noodles and lightly roasted vegetables come alive in a zesty dressing in this Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 247kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

1 red bell pepper cut into ½-inch pieces, about 1 cup worth
1 yellow bell pepper cut into ½-inch pieces, about 1 cup worth
2 small zucchini cut into ½-inch pieces, about 2 cup worth
1 medium broccoli crown cut into small florets, about 2 cups worth
6 tablespoons olive oil divided
1½ teaspoons kosher salt divided, adjust to taste
1¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided, adjust to taste
8 ounces mini penne or alternate bite-size pasta
½ small red onion, thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces about 1/4 cup
4 large cloves garlic minced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

Roasting Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the bell peppers, zucchini, and broccoli on a large baking sheet and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of oil. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss well to coat.
Roast for about 10 minutes until barely tender and still crisp. Set aside.

Salad Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil along with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, but do not rinse the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, place the onions and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining olive oil and vinegar to cover the onions. When the pasta has been drained, add it to the mixing bowl and toss well.
Add the roasted vegetables and the parsley. Toss everything together to mix well and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Taste the salad and add more salt and pepper, as needed. Serve immediately at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Nutrition

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Mary Younkin — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 08:30:00 +0000

Fresh zucchini are hollowed out and filled with a savory saucy mixture of sausage, bell peppers, and onions before being topped with cheese and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs. The sausage stuffed zucchini boats are baked to cheesy perfection and served warm for a winning dinner all summer long.

Zucchini Boats with Sausage

Stuffing zucchini boats with sausage was a bit of a no-brainer over here, considering how often I add sausage to recipes. I love the way a pound of sausage adds so much flavor to all sorts of dishes.

I enjoy using spicy breakfast sausage in these zucchini boats, but a pound of whichever sausage you like best will work nicely in this recipe.

We’ve already made zucchini boats that are taco-inspired and pizza-inspired. Both of those were serious hits with the family.

If you happen to have a bit of leftover chicken to use up, try some zucchini boats with bbq chicken or turn them into a vegetable lover’s chicken parmesan dinner.

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Zucchini
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Plain or Italian bread crumbs
Butter
Breakfast sausage (regular or spicy)
Yellow onion
Bell pepper (red and/or yellow)
Pasta sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Monterey Jack cheese
Parmesan cheese
Italian parsley

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Slice zucchini in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds and part of the zucchini flesh, and leave about ¼-inch of zucchini along the skin of each halved squash.

Place the zucchini halves on a large baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil; rub with your hands to coat. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper before baking for 15 minutes.

Stuffed Zucchini with Sausage

While the zucchini is baking, start the filling. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the bread crumbs and stir quickly to coat, then saute, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes, until toasted. Remove from the heat, transfer to a plate, and let cool.

In the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the sausage. Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the pasta sauce and stir in half of each cheese.

Generously fill each zucchini half with the filling, piling to the top; you’ll want to make sure you’re using all the filling! Top each zucchini with the remaining cheese and top with the toasted breadcrumbs.

Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted, then remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm.

Zucchini Stuffed Boats

Zucchini Taco Boats are full of flavor and cheesy goodness. Let’s face it, tacos make everything better, especially zucchini. And Zucchini Pizza Boats are proof that anything can be a carrier for the amazingness that is cheesy pizza toppings.

Dive into this timeless combination of flavors with savory chicken, gooey mozzarella, and marinara sauce, nestled in tender crisp squash, and topped with toasted bread crumbs. Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats are a big hit!

These saucy, cheesy, and hearty BBQ Chicken Zucchini Boats are a refreshing change from the typical sandwiches we usually make with leftover chicken.

These Italian stuffed peppers might be the inspiration for the next batch of zucchini boats that we make. Wouldn’t that be delicious?

Looking for more zucchini recipes? Parmesan Zucchini can best be described as crispy, and delicious, one of the best possible ways to eat zucchini.

Air Fryer Zucchini is both tender and crisp, with beautifully caramelized edges. The air fryer is perfect for small portions.

Every bite of this Shrimp Zucchini Stir Fry is pure shrimp-loving heaven – and you can make it start to finish in under 15 minutes!

Finely shredded zucchini and a handful of sharp cheddar cheese are mixed into fluffy white rice to make this quick and easy Cheezy Zucchini Rice.

With some easy homemade zucchini noodles, you can have healthy and delicious Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Noodles ready to eat in just minutes – perfectly seasoned with just butter and herbs or topped with your favorite pasta sauce.

Savor a delightful medley of fresh, ripe vegetables with a tangy homemade vinaigrette in this Zucchini Pasta Salad. This is a recipe you will make more than once!

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Fresh zucchini are hollowed out and filled with a savory saucy mixture of sausage, bell peppers, and onions before being topped with cheese and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 442kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

4 large or 6 medium zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt divided, adjust to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided adjust to taste
½ cup plain or Italian bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound regular or spicy breakfast sausage
½ small yellow onion diced very small, into ¼-inch pieces, about ½ cup worth
1 red bell pepper diced very small, into ¼-inch pieces, about 1 cup worth
1 yellow bell pepper diced very small, into ¼-inch pieces, about 1 cup worth
1 cup pasta sauce store-bought or homemade, divided
¾ cup freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice zucchini in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds and part of the zucchini flesh. Leave about ¼-inch of zucchini along the skin of each halved squash.
Place the zucchini halves on a large baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and rub with your hands to coat. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the zucchini is baking, start the filling. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the bread crumbs and stir quickly to coat. Saute with stirring frequently for about 2 minutes, until toasted. Remove from the heat, transfer to a plate, and let cool.
In the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the sausage. Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the pasta sauce and stir in half of each cheese.
Generously fill each zucchini half with the filling. Pile the filling on top to use all the filling. Top each zucchini with the remaining cheese and top with the toasted breadcrumbs.
Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm.

Nutrition

How To Bake Zucchini

Mary Younkin — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 08:30:00 +0000

Learn how to bake zucchini for an easy side dish all summer long. This baked zucchini recipe proves the maxim that the simplest things are often the best.

If you’re in the Midwest, you may come home to find a pile of zucchini and summer squash left on your porch by a gardening neighbor. Bake your way through that pile; everyone will love the perfect texture this super easy method gives zucchini!

Baking vs Roasting

Baking and roasting zucchini are terms often used interchangeably. However, roasting happens at higher heat with a shorter time in the oven.

When you bake zucchini, you’ll use a lower heat with a slightly longer baking time. Luckily, the results are equally delicious.

Understanding the difference between baking and roasting is handy when you need to share the oven.

Baked Zucchini

Baking zucchini is a good way to bring out its subtly sweet taste and smooth rich texture. Baked zucchini softens the bite and is easily enhanced by the herbs and spices you put on it.

First, high-quality produce is always going to taste better. Select zucchinis that are firm and are covered in tiny bristles of hair. These are the freshest.

Second, toss the zucchini pieces gently with oil before putting them on the pan. You can also toss them on the sheet pan, but it gets messy. Spread them out so there’s plenty of airflow.

Third, Baking by itself will not usually give you any charring. You can get it though, by finishing the zucchini under the broiler for a few minutes.

When making baked zucchini instead of roasted zucchini, the temperature is reduced and the cook time is increased. Baking at a lower temperature also gives you more leeway between cooked and overcooked.

I cannot tell you how many foods I have burnt using the broiler. Pay attention, and be ready to remove them as soon as they are finished.

How To Bake Zucchini

Prep the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Prep the zucchini: Clean the zucchinis, then trim off the ends. Chop them into spears or slices. Oil and season them, then place the pieces on the sheet pan.

Note: If you are concerned about soggy zucchini, you can place it atop a baking rack in the sheet pan. This elevation increases the airflow around it and helps to remove excess moisture.

I don’t stress this myself, as I like mine a good bit crispy and it doesn’t have a chance to overcook or become soggy.

How Long to Bake Zucchini

Not sure how long it will take to bake zucchini? Expect baked zucchini to take 20 to 25 minutes to cook through.

Baking may be a better option than roasting if you need more time to complete other dinner prep tasks or if you need to cook more than one dish at the same time in the oven.

Different Ways To Use Zucchini

You can serve zucchini with nothing more than butter, salt, and pepper. But, I love it many different ways. Look in the spice rack for inspiration, this french fry seasoning is pretty darn fantastic on vegetables. Try sprinkling cheese or buttered bread crumbs on top for some crunch. This versatile vegetable can handle almost anything.

Because of its sweetness when baked and smooth texture zucchini is a great substitute for apple sauce and bananas in baked goods. Try zucchini in waffles or muffins for a fun weekend brunch.

Baked Zucchini

Baked zucchini is slightly sweet with crispy edges and a smooth rich texture. It's an easy side dish all summer long.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 31kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium size zucchini cut into 1-inch pieces
½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper adjust to taste

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the zucchini on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Bake the zucchini for 10-12 minutes and check for doneness. Depending on the size of the pieces, cook an additional 2-4 minutes until the pieces are barely fork-tender and remain crisp on the edges.

Notes

Putting your zucchini under the broiler for a few minutes after baking adds a nice crispness to the tops and edges.

Nutrition

Crispy Buttered Zucchini and Summer Squash

Mary Younkin — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 08:30:00 +0000

Tender vegetables are breaded and broiled to perfection with plenty of buttery garlic and lemon in this Crispy Buttered Zucchini and Summer Squash.

Crispy Zucchini

I spied this recipe in the Vegetable Love Cookbook and I’ve lightly adapted it from there. Crispy zucchini, buttered and lightly breaded sounded like heaven. I had to try it right away.

You can use any variety of summer squash that you like when making this recipe. Zucchini is typically my go-to option, but if other varieties are available, go for it.

Zucchini is a vegetable that can be tough to get just right, if you want those gloriously crispy edges. So, if you’re wondering how to make crispy zucchini, the answer is simple: first, do not overcook the squash, and second, use the broiler.

That said, I’ve burned many a dish because the recipe called for me to broil something in the oven. So, please PLEASE keep a close watch on the squash while it’s under the broiler.

Buttered Zucchini

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

butter
zucchini or summer squash
salt
garlic powder
fresh lemon juice
Italian bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese

Salt and Parmesan cheese are both listed in this recipe, however, NO SALT is needed if the optional Parmesan is included. The cheese provides enough salt for the dish on its own. Without the cheese though, salt is required.

To begin, set a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and then add the squash to the pan. Season with salt and garlic powder.

Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the inside of the squash is tender but the outside is still firm and slightly crunchy. This should take 5-6 minutes.

While the zucchini is cooking on the stove, set an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element and set the oven to broil. Then, drizzle lemon juice over the squash. Stir and remove from heat.

Top with bread crumbs and Parmesan and stir to coat. Place the pan under the broiler. Broil for about 1 minute, watching closely to prevent burning.

Remove from the oven when the zucchini is crispy and the bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve immediately.

Baked Zucchini with Breadcrumbs

My family eats a lot of zucchini. It’s one of my favorite vegetables. So, if you are also a fellow lover of baked zucchini with breadcrumbs, I strongly recommend that you try these Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats next.

I hold the opinion that everything can be improved by tacos, and zucchini is no exception. Plus, kids love these Zucchini Taco Boats.

If you’re looking for a great side dish, the Parmesan Zucchini is incredibly simple and knocks it right out of the park. And, for a lighter option, give this fabulous Zucchini Pasta Salad a go.

Fresh vegetables are tossed in a mixture of oil and spices before being quickly cooked to create this irresistible skillet of Sauteed Zucchini and Onions.

This Zucchini Stir Fry with Chicken brings so much flavor to the table. Serve it with rice or noodles, and dinner is a cinch.

Crispy Buttered Zucchini and Summer Squash

Tender vegetables are breaded and broiled to perfection with plenty of buttery garlic and lemon in this Crispy Buttered Zucchini and Summer Squash.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 106kcal

Author Mary Younkin

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow squash, quartered lengthwise, and cut across into ½-inch pieces about 1½ cups
2 medium zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut across into ½-inch pieces about 3 cups
½ teaspoon kosher salt ONLY add salt if no Parmesan is added
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
¼ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese OPTIONAL

Instructions

In a large oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the squash, and zucchini. Season with salt and garlic powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, or until the inside of the squash is tender but the outside is still firm and slightly crunchy.
While the zucchini is cooking on the stove, move an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler element and preheat the oven to Broil.
Drizzle lemon juice over the squash. Stir and remove from heat. Sprinkle with half of the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Toss to coat. Top with the remaining bread crumbs and Parmesan.
Place the pan under the broiler. Broil for about 1 minute, watching closely to prevent burning. Remove from the oven when the bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve immediately.

Notes

Nutrition