Looking for an easy vegetarian side dish to serve along with dinner? My Sauteed Zucchini and Tomatoes recipe is done in 15 minutes and full of flavor.
I have been making Sauteed Zucchini and Tomatoes for decades now. There is something about a caramelized piece of zucchini with a soft flavorful tomato that just completes a meal. I probably make this side dish at least once a week in my home. In fact, it’s a side dish that I have multiple family members request whenever they come over for dinner.
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Why this Recipe Works
Seasonal Ingredients – I love being able to use seasonal ingredients for a quick side dish.
Easy – Even the most inexperienced cook can make this veggie side dish.
Versatile Side Dish – I typically love to serve this recipe alongside Italian dishes that could use a vegetable side.
Ingredients
- Vegetables – This recipe will use both fresh zucchini and grape or cherry tomatoes. Plus, a few cloves of garlic.
- Seasonings – A mix of salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning is all you need to give the veggies flavor.
- Oil – I like to use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe since it adds a nice flavor to the veggies.
Directions
First, heat a saute pan on medium low heat. Pour the olive oil in the pan. While the oil warms dice the zucchini and chop the garlic.
Turn the heat up to medium and add in the diced zucchini, cherry tomatoes, chopped garlic. Then season with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning
Saute for 10 minutes (mixing often making sure it doesn’t burn) or until zucchini is cooked to desired doneness and has a nice caramelized color to it. Serve immediately.
Recipe FAQs
The more you stir the zucchini the mushier it will get. Also, if you keep a lid on your saute pan too long it will make the zucchini too mushy.
No need to peel the zucchini before you cook it. I never peel zucchini because the peel acts as a holder of the flesh that can sometimes go mushy.
You will know if zucchini is bad if it has a strange smell and visibly has dark or fuzzy moldy spots. Sometimes you cannot physically tell that the the zucchini is bad until you have sliced the zucchini open. The inside of the zucchini could be white to brownish in color with stringy, mushy flesh and large, hard seeds OR possibly slimy.
Yes, you absolutely want to wash the zucchini, but wait until you are ready to cook with it.
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks when making Sauteed Zucchini and Tomatoes.
- Larger Batch – You can easily double this recipe to feed more people.
- Vegetables – You can add in yellow squash or even thinly sliced onions to the zucchini and tomatoes.
- Tomatoes – If you don’t have grape or cherry tomatoes a diced plum or beef stake tomato works as well.
- Tomato Sauce – My sister in-law loves to add a few tablespoons of tomato sauce into her sauteed zucchini. If I am making Italian food I will sometimes do the same right before serving.
- Cheese – If you like cheese then you can finish off the zucchini with some grated or shredded Parmesan cheese.
What to Serve with Zucchini
Not sure what to serve with zucchini? Here are a few of my favorite dishes I love to serve this sauteed zucchini and tomatoes with.
If you make this Zucchini and Tomatoes recipe, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a ⭐ star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!
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Sauteed Zucchini and Tomatoes
Equipment
- 1 Stove Top
- 1 Saute Pan
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- 2 Zucchini diced
- ½ cup Grape or Cherry Tomatoes
- 2 Garlic Cloves chopped
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Instructions
- Heat a saute pan on medium low heat. Pour the olive oil in the pan. While the oil warms dice the zucchini and chop the garlic.2 Zucchini, 2 Garlic Cloves, 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- Turn the heat up to medium and add in the diced zucchini, cherry tomatoes, chopped garlic. Then season with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.2 Zucchini, ½ cup Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, 2 Garlic Cloves, ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper, 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- Saute for 10 minutes (mixing often making sure it doesn't burn) or until zucchini is cooked to desired doneness and has a nice caramelized color to it. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Larger Batch – You can easily double this recipe to feed more people.
- Vegetables – You can add in yellow squash or even thinly sliced onions to the zucchini and tomatoes.
- Tomatoes – If you don’t have grape or cherry tomatoes a diced plum or beef stake tomato works as well.
- Tomato Sauce – My sister inlaw loves to add a few tablespoons of tomato sauce into her sauteed zucchini. If I am making Italian food I will sometimes do the same right before serving.
Courtney
Always looking for new ways to eat zucchini – yum!