How to Sauté Zucchini

Zucchini is a popular type of summer squash.

Zucchini is a summer squash commonly cultivated in home gardens. Zucchini is typically used as a savory vegetable side dish and can be sliced, cubed or diced. Zucchini is delicious on its own or it can be sautéed with onion, herbs or garlic to give it more depth. It's often sautéed in butter or oil and has a relatively short cooking time. Some prefer zucchini a bit crisp, while others like to sauté it until it's soft.

Things You'll Need

• Zucchini
• Sauté pan
• Butter or oil
• Spatula
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the zucchini. After you've washed and dried the zucchini, slice it into rounds. If you prefer smaller pieces, you can halve the slices, dice them or cube them.

2. Heat the oil or butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sautéing means to cook something in a small amount of oil over direct heat. You can use any type of frying pan and any kind of oil. Italian-style zucchini is commonly sautéed in olive oil, however, any type of vegetable oil or butter will do.

3. Add the zucchini. Once you've added the zucchini, use a spatula to turn it to ensure that all sides are cooked. For crisp zucchini, gently sauté it just until you see a hint of color, usually two to four minutes. For softer zucchini, sauté it for five to seven minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Many sautéed zucchini recipes call for the addition of onion, garlic or herbs. If you choose to use onion, sauté the onion for a few minutes before adding the zucchini. If you don't like onions or garlic, you can sauté the zucchini on its own.

References

• Epicurious: Food Dictionary: Saute, Sauteed, Sauteing
• Allrecipes: Zucchini and Summer Squash
• Cooks: Sauteed Zucchini
• 101 Cookbooks: Sautéed Zucchini Recipe