My favorite side dish takes five minutes to make. It has only three steps. No garlic or shallots get minced, nothing gets topped with butter, and shockingly, it involves no truffle salt. It has only two ingredients, and the only reason I’ve held out this long telling you about it is because when I see a recipe that swears it will combine two ingredients in an entirely new and innovative way, I roll my eyes.
But this doesn’t mean that you should be limited by my jaded expectations. In fact, I’d be spectacularly sad if you were, because this is wonderful. Fantastic. It’s so fresh but deep, so simple but eloquent. I have craved it incessantly this week, and am certain I could eat it morning, noon and night.
I had it for the first time at the Red Cat restaurant in Chelsea a few years ago. I liked it, but found it a tad oily for my tastes. I don’t like it when something as innocent and taste in its original packaging as zucchini is rendered into something excessive. (Fine, you got me, I’m lying.) I started making a version of it at home with far more minimalism, not to mention improvisation: I don’t measure a thing about this. That’s right, nothing gets measured. If you want a high almond-to-zucchini ratio, go for it. If you want more zucchini than almond, this will work for you as well. The only two things that matter are that the almonds get brown and toasty in the pan, and that you only cook the zucchini for one minute.
It cannot be made in advance. It benefits from a good salt and pepper seasoning. You can throw some thin slices of parmesan on or skip it, as I often do, but beyond this, no matter how hard I try, I can not make this any less simple than it is. It is impervious to my need to make everything more difficult than it actually is. It will not bend to my fusspot will. It wants nothing to do with my fluted tart pans, my differently textured salts and my lightly fried discs of garlic. This recipe could be my Lord Voldemort; I’m convinced it mocks me.
The last time we ate at the Red Cat, they inserted the recipe for this with our check. I have to admit, I snickered. Two frying pans? Adding ingredients to each half at a time and setting them aside? A quarter-cup of olive oil? Apparently somebody figured out how to make this dish high-maintenance, and for once, it wasn’t me. For a minute there I gloated, until I realized that the joke was on me because they’d already figured out how to market it for eight bucks a serving. Thank goodness I’ve got no qualms about giving the goodies away for free, eh?
More zucchini:
Quick Zucchini Sauté
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced almonds
- 1 medium or 2 small zucchinis, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Peelings of pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, to taste (optional)
This is not your “he who shall not be named.” It is your Harry Potter, simple, with only good in its heart and no desire to be the difficult, fussy star. Looks like a sure win to me. And finally an excuse for me to buy zucchini (I don’t like vegetable breads). Thanks for yet another great idea.
For this zucchini lover, thank you! I can’t wait to get my sense of smell back so I can just enjoy the waft from almonds as they cook. I love having new side dishes to try. :D
I love this at Red Cat, but I also love the big triangles of cheese they put on top of it- so sculptural. We make this at home too, except ours has 3 ingredients: zucchini, almonds, and (important) lemon zest, so good and takes 5 minutes!
I have the Red Cat Cookbook and think it’s fab, except I totally agree the way they’ve written up this particular recipe is wack. Still, the cookbook is worth checking out, the corn soup, the trout recipe, and the malted chocolate ice cream have all been hits in our kitchen.
Sounds yummy, and I just picked some zucchini a few minutes ago. I can see what I’ll be having for dinner!
I love zucchini but tend not to vary it up so much. So thank you for the recipe!
Ah! I make this all the time. In fact, I made it last week with the leftover zucchini slices from your ratatouille recipe . SO good!
This is one of our family’s summer favourites. I toss through a handful of torn mint leaves fresh from the garden (sounds odd but tastes wonderful) with the salt and pepper. Unfortunately in drought zucchini are $8 per kilo now so we won’t be having this anytime soon.
Ooooh I love this dish idea. Also, it’s fun to see a harry potter reference… I must admit that I can’t seem to get my mind off of book 7 and the end of the series…
Woah…people are BUYING zucchini around here? I have bushels and bushels, and none of my friends like vegetables (how did I find such rascals to be my friends?! Just KIDDING, dears)! I wish it would ship well or I would thrust some into your poor deprived hands. No zucchini?! No zucchini! I had previously thought it inconceivable this time of year.
A co-worker of mine brought in a ginormous basket of torpedo-sized zucchini today. As much as I like the vegetable normally, these mutant-seeming ones freak me out. I think two of them could polish off all of the recipes you’ve listed here…
Thanks for linking to my gnocchi recipe. This looks wonderful, and though I’m not growing zucchini, I keep buying more than I can use at the farmers’ market. Your recipe is going right to the top of my zucchini list!
how funny… i actually have some zucchini bread in the oven RIGHT NOW! :) i love taking zucchini & saute-ing it with some butter (and that’s it. no spices or anything. not even salt) and then putting it on some pasta with some parmesan cheese. i also like sauted zucchini & mushrooms as a side dish.
Love this and going to try it
I am not sure if you’ve been informed about this already, but the person who writes http://lovelyglamour.blogger.ba has used (without permission, I suspect) many of your photos. She claims that this is actually her blog in preparation of an upcoming book and that the pictures are from her “collection.”
If I am mistaken, I deeply apologize, but I thought I’d better let you know.
Outstanding! I’d just gotten an “entry-level” spiralizer and decided to try this with “zoodles” instead of thin rounds. Perfect! The browned almonds are truly key to the recipe and the finishing Parmesan shards just gild the lily! Thanks for another simple and delicious veggie gem!
Wow. And here I thought I didn’t like zucchini. I’m going to have to try this recipe!
Taking a simple dish and making it complicated is an art form! Totally unnecessary, and I think I’d laugh out loud if a restaurant presented such a tortured recipe for such a simple and elegant dish. I love your version of this and will try it tonight!
Deb, you’re a saint. We just got more zucchini in our weekly produce delivery and it’s too hot for zucchini bread, and I’m tiring of the basic sliced-and-grilled, even if they are perhaps the most delicious zucchini I’ve ever set my teeth to.
Hi Esma — Thank you. Someone mentioned it last week, but every time I click over, the site is down so I have yet to see the offending pictures.
Rachael — I’m just faking Harry Potter-ness. It’s my husband and his entire family that are obsessed with the books; I just watch the movies. I have trouble suspending disbelief. I am no fun.
Merecedes — Malted chocolate ice cream? Okay!
Once again proving that it isn’t high maintenance and hard work that makes a particular recipe great. This one looks interesting; I’ll need to try it sometime soon. It looks like Jocelyn doesn’t have a chokehold on the simple food (what’s next Jocelyn? PB&J?). Thirty Minute Meals? Too long! Yeah, this is going to blow that right out of the water. Listen to this: Twenty… Nine… Minute… Meals! (Hmm, there’s something about Mary in there…)
Deb-it was nice to know what Alex would eat for his last meal but what would YOU eat?!!??
A while ago, I garnished my sauteed zucchinis with toasted flaked almonds. It was just to have the waou, zaouuu vroummm effect. It was good, actually very good. But then completely forget about it. This is indeed a great side dish.
MMMMMmmmmm, love zucchini. My problem with this is that I wouldn’t even know where to begin slicing almonds? And matchbook sliced zucchini? Can you do that in the blender?
You can buy sliced almonds. I doubt a blender would cut zucchini evenly, but a mandolin-type slicer should be pretty fast.
(BTW, how about another option for comments: “I have a comment” ? Or combine with the question option? This isn’t a question, and I haven’t made the dish.)
That looks fresh and tasty. I’m going to try it as soon as I quit making those Simply Recipe zucchini fritters every week…
Hey, thanks for the link! The recipe, too–sauteeing zucchini is something I definitely wouldn’t have thought of.
Oh my. This looks lovely and simple and just about perfect. I’m sure it will be a fantastic accompaniment for many a meal! I too am a devout zucchini lover, and am happy to have another to add to my repertoire.
Can we say, loudly and in unison, OH HELL YUM?!?!?!?!?! *drool
I do something similar, but with pinenuts instead of almonds, and crumbled goat cheese instead of romano. Also, a squeeze of lemon juice to finish it off…Yum.
My thought while reading this was, “I wonder how this would be with toasted pine nuts”. I have them in the cupboard so I think I know how I’m making this tonight!
Thanks so much for all the zucchini recipes! I’ve been getting a lot of summer squash lately and was looking for some simple, delicious ideas.
I’m going to the co-op right now, in a convertible with the top open because the AC kills polar bears, in killlller Vermont sun (ha), to get zukes & almonds. Right now (OK – in a few minutes). This is going to be my excuse for an oaky Chardonnay tonight, like I need one…
Hi Deb!
I’ve been a lurker for a few weeks; I was steered your way via Molly @ Orangette and DC365. I love your blog and have been reading all of your archives for the past week :) I’m going to the farmer’s market bright and early tomorrow, and they BEST have zucchini because I NEED to make this! It sounds divine, and any post with a Potter reference automatically wins my heart. Have a wonderful weekend!
Best,
Sarah
Hi.Like Candy I have some zucchini carrot bread in the oven RIGHT NOW for a blogger event tomorrow.
Thanks for your recipe.
Tried this dish last night and it was wonderful. So simple but so tasty. My husband loved it too. Side dishes are always the tough part for me, so now I have a winner that I will use over and over. Thanks!
Thanks for the easy! and tasty recipe. Made it with zucchini fresh from the garden, which was a treat.
Wow, this looks wonderful! Actually when I was in college there was one chef who used to make something just like this, and I’ve never seen it anywhere else. I hope to give it a try soon!
MY, this is so good! I made its last night and even though I forgot to “match stick” the zucchini, it was fabulous. My DH said it is his new favorite side dish and it sure is mine. Two teenagers liked it also.
I love your web site. Thank You!
I’ve made this twice already! To bulk it up, I used carrot once and mushroom the other time. It was fantastic and my boyfriend who doesn’t like vegetables enjoyed it immensely. :-) Thanks for making a fantastic dish that is so simple!
Sounds like perfection itself.
Thank you for that.
This post is like a gift from the gods of grow-your-own. This year I have grown my own courgettes (sorry, I’m British, I can’t say zucchini) and now we are buried under a glut of the things. So it’s great to get my hands on some new recipes. Thanks!
Hi Deb,
Thank you SO much for this post. I’ve never seen this side-dish in Singapore and I loveloveLOVE it! In fact, I love it so much that I’ve recreated it into a pasta dish on my blog with full thanks to you.
Mmmmmmmm luvlyjubbly!!! xoxox
Sometimes the best dishes are simple and umcomplicated. I came home with 4 large zucchini from my local farmers market on Saturday morning. I am always looking for something to do with it. This is when I miss my gardens and all its fresh produce. You have to give up something when you move to a condo.
Made the zucchini and almonds dish tonight and thought it was delicious – I ate two plates full myself. It will definitely into one of my new standard ‘quick, easy, good’ dishes.
Made this dish tonight, and even though my husband and I usually actively dislike zucchini, we both loved it. We wondered whether it was just that we liked the almonds, but I don’t think so. The shape of the zucchini, and their fresh crunchiness were really pleasant, as opposed to the soggy format they’re usually served in. Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’ve been intrigued with this recipe since seeing it here. We tried it tonight and really liked it. I did burn the first batch of almonds. They go really fast in a hot skillet. But I toasted a second batch and made the dish and it was great. Thanks for a keeper recipe.
Okay, I didn’t believe this. And I may have cooked my zucchini for a tad more than a minute. But.
It was lovely! So nice, in fact, that my husband accussed me of holding out on him. “It was just posted!” was my defense. I think a month counts as “just” don’t you?
Anyway, thank you, thank you, I was eating it out of the pan.
Thanks for a superb side dish, just the way I like it! Cooked it and blogged about it, of course gave you the credits. :-) (http://monkeyfood.net/2007/09/20/paaruoan-parhaat-kaverit/)
Greetings from Finland and keep up the good work :-P
An update –
I had a lazy evening and decided to see what would happen if I shredded the zucchini on the big side of a grater (instead of slicing it by hand). It cooks way faster – 30 – 40 seconds – but is still very very good.
Continuing thanks for sharing this incredible recipe!
Supper (2nd st. between ave. A and B) does a version of this called “zucchini tagliatelle,” with the zucchini cut to resemble the pasta (and a little flat leaf parsley, just to complicate things)…it’s my favorite side dish there, and I can’t wait to try it at home! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hey — Just found this recipe and made it for the first time last night. Added a chiffonade of basil and it was just delicious — a nice light accompaniment to our first grilled burgers of the season!
Thanks!
Emily
Just dropping by to say we had this with our dinner tonight and it was gorgeous (and so simple!). Even the zucchini hater of the family enjoyed it loads and thought he might be able to make it himself
I just made this for dinner! It was fabulous. Really, I had no idea I would like it so much! I used slivered almonds instead. I will be eating this all summer, what a great use for my extremely abundant zucchini harvest!
I have been meaning to try this for ages & just made it this weekend – and ate a whole little panful myself for dinner! I usually like my zucchini cooked to hell & back rather than crunchy like a cucumber (not sure why) but this has changed my mind & totally become my new favorite side dish too!
Gosh, I just made this (for a light lunch, cooked 10 ounces of whole wheat tortellini and tossed it in at the end) with a little romano grated on top. I love that the entire shebang including slicing the zucchini was 15 minutes tops!
I just happened to buy my first zucchini for some minestrone soup. I had tons left over and knew you would have an awesome recipe for it. I had some almonds (not slivered) and I sliced them up. This was so absolutely delicious I couldn’t believe it. And to think, I thought I didn’t like zucchini.
I’m doing the zucchini and almond side dish tonight!
It’s early autumn here in Australia and the zucchini are just finishing.
A recipe from a New Yorker ..I love it! *smile*
When I first saw this recipe, I thought it was a bizarre combination of flavors so I never tried it. This evening I found a bag of sliced almonds from Trader Joe’s that have been in the cupboard forever so I decided to try it out. Wow! It’s really good. I’ll definitely make this again.
i didn’t have zucchini or almonds to hand when i spotted your recipe last night, so i used broccolini and maccadamia nuts instead. i added a bit of lemon juice because it would have been wasted otherwise and cooked exactly as you said – nuts in first to be fried, then added broccolini and then lemon, salt and pepper. tasted great – i ate a whole bowlful which is something i rarely do with veges. thank you thank you for the inspiration!
made this with my lunch today… so, so delicious!!! thanks for the idea : )
I made this tonight and it was delicious! The recipe seemed so (almost too) simple, but even without the cheese, it turned out to be the highlight of the meal.
Made this for dinner tonight. Just this. Ate it all myself.
I used TJ’s Marcona almonds with rosemary because it’s all I had, and it was incredible! So simple and so delicious.
Oh my. So easy. Even inspired me to try matchsticking for the first time. And SO SO SO fast I didn’t even have time to finish matchsticking, so my almonds were overdone (I used sliced). But I am totally cribbing from Maggie and using the flavored marconas that have been hanging around for a while next time–yum! Thank you for this great summer recipe!
I am making this as a side dish tonight.. it looks so good.
I am thoroughly shocked at the previous comments where people have added ingredients to this recipe! The simplicity is the beauty of this dish!!!
The only change I would make is cutting back slightly on the oil. Otherwise, perfection! I could have eaten a entire garden’s worth of zucchini prepared like this. Excuse me, I need to go lick the pan. . .
Fantastic! I made this for a dinner with barbaqued halibut, corn…It was a big hit…then used left overs for an addition to our lunch salad the next day…another big hit disquised in my “kitchen sink salad” creation…great,
but, becareful not to over cook the almonds before you add the zuccinis…
I almost blew it!!
Thank you so much for this. I just ate a pound and a half of zucchini all by myself.
Love it. Looks delish. Making it tonight.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all these zucchini recipes! We are under seige at Trout Towers and cannot eat them fast enough. The zucchini bread was delicious – I’ve made it thrice.
Quasi-unrelated, do you know how to take a high-altitude recipe and convert it to sea level? I have a chocolate zucchini cake recipe from my childhood I’ve been craving, but not enough to fly to Colorado, bake it, and bring it home.
I’ve made this twice this week. Loved it. First time with cheese and tonight without; it was still fabulous. This is the best zucchini dish I’ve ever made! My partner and I ate a huge zuc tonight and didn’t have a matchstick left. Thanks.
This recipe is going in my “keeper” file! So incredibly simple and fast, yet incredibly flavorful. Mind-boggling. You rock!
Fantastic. Our neighbour handed us a some courgettes from his allotment a few hours. One down, three to go. Thanks for the great recipe.
great, great, great.
we had ours with heaps of chopped herbs. next time i’ll bring a hunk of parmesan and a grater to the table.
I made this tonight and everyone loved it – I’ve never heard my 3 year old say “I want more zucchini” before! Thanks for sharing – it was delicious – we served it with slices of parmesan reggiano.
Oh, thank you! I, a non-cook, have prematurely been medically forced into a (nearly) no-salt diet, and a simple, flavorful (healthy!) dish like this just warms the cockles of my taste buds, while keeping my guilt reflex under control. All the best to you and yours.
This was, bar none, the most delicious vegetable recipe I have made in just forever and I am sharing it with all my friends. I can’t stop saying “how about that zucchini recipe last night? Wasn’t that FANTASTIC?!”
I tried this for the first time last night and it was wonderful! So simple, so easy, yet so elegant. My roommate came in and was thoroughly impressed – I felt like I fooled her into thinking I made something much more complex than it was.
I’ll definitely be making it again and trying the cheese, lemon and mint additions (probably not all together, ha).
Fantastic, thanks!
I spent most of yesterday preparing several elaborate dishes for a get together with friends. At the last minute they needed an extra veggie so I grabbed all the ingredients for this dish and made it in five minutes at my friend’s house…and what dish do you think got all the rave reviews from amongst my medley of culinary creations? Yep, this one. Great recipe.
Absolutely delicious! A hit with my family, and getting them to eat “green things” isn’t easy. Made this tonight and had an immediate request to make it again! I used only 1 Tbsp olive oil (and possibly could have used less) and added 1 stalk of celery. 3-4 Tbsp of shredded parmesan on top was plenty. I wasn’t sure how I was going to cut those veggies in matchsticks, but my Saladmaster machine (cone # 2) worked perfectly to julienne the zucchini and celery. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I made this tonight, and while I enjoyed it, my husband did not. He thought there was a hint of rancidness, but he and I ate from the same saute pan, and I have no idea what he was referring to. So, sadly, I will likely not make it again unless I am making it solely for myself and my son. I did like the idea of julienning (sp?) the veggies in my much neglected mandoline, and I plan on using that technique again, so I still consider it a worthwhile experience. Thanks!
loved this! used a squeeze of lemon rather than cheese.
I made this last night and am thrilled to report that my last zucchini holdout (middle son, Joe) in our family of 5 LOVED it! And I even forgot the optional cheese. Simple, delicious, lovely.
I am really excited to try this recipe – I wanted a go-to side dish!! I love to bake, and have used a ton of your recipes. I am trying to be a better cook, though, and I have a silly question (or 2). Could you give advice on how to cut into matchsticks? And do you peel the zucchini?
Erica — I don’t peel the zucchini. I cut matchsticks by making very thin slices and then cutting them in the other direction in parallel lines, close together.
I made this last night- 3 days after stumbling over the recipe, which I kept for some lazy night. This was fantastic, just as promised!! No parmesan on hand, but I did add a touch of lemon juice according to some other reviewers, and found this zucchini sauté spectacular. The key – really – was to cook it minimally to keep it crunchy. I can’t believe I never had the idea of preparing zucchini like this before! It was just as you just as you said it would be: so simple, so fresh, so tasty!
yum! enjoying this as i write. although, i fully succumbed to my inner fusspot and added parmesan, lemon juice, AND parsley. also put the whole thing over some bulgar for a delicious vegetarian dinner. thank you!
i have something very similar on the menu at my restaurant in ohio
Just made it for dinner and loved it! But, oh my, I wish I were the executive chef and could make my sous chef do all the chopping!
I’m *sob* on a new diet plan, and this fits right in with what I’m doing. I use slightly less olive oil, since I have a brilliant new non-stick pan, and I shred the zucchini in my processor instead of cutting it into matchsticks, but it still turns out delicious. I ate a whole zucchini myself yesterday! Oh, I also use a squeeze of lemon juice, stirred in at the last minute, with 7-year-old aged cheddar grate on top. It’s zucchini heaven!
So simple. So good. Yum yum.
ate at red cat wayyy back in december after reading this. it was so good. thanks!
side dish? i do believe i just ate a whole plate of this for dinner (along with remnants of last night’s warm butternut squash and chickpea salad). the perfect solution to the scenario: it’s 6:45, i just got out of class, i need to leave in 1 hour, and i have a zucchini in the fridge that will go bad before i get a chance to actually cook something with it.
I made this for dinner the other night and then used the little bit of leftovers as the base for a fritatta for breakfast! yum.
laura: similar experience! my girlfriend & i slaved over homemade pesto manicotti with homemade tomato sauce & the hit of the night: this silly little (wonderful! delicious!) side dish. he he
I cannot tell you how much I love this recipe! It’s so simple, so quick and so delicious that I’ve craved it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Now I have a habbit of always keeping my refrigerator stocked with zucchini. It’s also delicious cold! I saw your note about how it’s best when it’s fresh, but I had some zuchini and yellow squash past their prime and decided to make it and take it to work for lunch. I was going to heat it up, but I ate the whole bowl cold and it was delicious! I came across your blog not too long ago, but now I check in every week! Thanks for your great recipes!
This is absolutely delicious! I rarely have time to make elaborate lunches, so this is my go-to (:
I was looking for a zucchini side dish, and this fit the bill perfectly. I loved it! I’ll definitely be making this again and again. My only complaint was that I didn’t have enough zucchini because I want more.
This was AWESOME! It’s now my favourite quick & easy vegetable dish! I made it with your roasted chicken with dijon mustard sauce for dinner last night, and I couldn’t resist raving about it for the entire evening. I just wish I made more because it was gone so quickly! I didn’t add the cheese (I forgot about it), but even with teh omission it was so good. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
I just made this to go with our dinner and it was so delicious! Sometimes the simpler, the better. I never really fell in love with zucchini before but this has changed my mind. :)
I just stumbled across this recipe and I absolutely love it! I’ll be making this more.
Made it tonight and it’s awesome! Totally beats out some complex casserole I tried the night before with zucchini. Thanks!
Wow, this is scrumptious. My husband who said he would never eat another zucchini gobbled it up. I did just what you said and loved it . Thanks!
Had this for supper and it was great! I also added some tomatoes in to the second half and it was a nice add in! Thanks for the awesome recipes!
Does it taste bad if you make it in advance? Or is the raw/half cooked zuchini a health concern? I’d love to make this, but I usually cook for 2 at night, eat one for dinner and bring one as lunch for next day (usually without heating it).
It’s not a health concern but it does get soggy and the crisp-ness of this is much of the charm. Don’t underestimate the recipe, however! You might eat the whole thing. We always do. :)
This recipe had me at first bite. I even made it again for breakfast. AMAZING.
PS I used less oil and more almonds the second time and preferred it. YUM.
Although the pictures looked pretty, I did have my doubts. BUT I tried it anyway as written, and it is my new favorite way to eat zucchini!! I had it for dinner, and plan on having it again for lunch tomorrow! YUM!!!!
I just stumbled across this after getting a garden-grown “squash” from my parents (that looks suspiciously like a zucchini). Can’t wait to try this as–interestingly–this is the exact same way I make green beans! Great blog, I’ll be coming back again.
mmm, i made this for lunch today and it was just as good as the real thing. i can’t believe that i like it better without cheese…that never happens.
This is a great recipe! I too reduced the oil and tossed in several handfuls of sliced almonds. What a great side dish that takes only moments to complete.
Trying it now… with the addition of pinenuts and lime suggested in the comments. It looks and smells divine!
Just made this and it was a WINNER! Not only was it easy and delicious but it used zucchini… I’m always looking for good zucchini recipes to use up my CSA zucchini. Thank you so much!
Thank you for this recipe Deb! I made this last night and now I cannot stop thinking about it. We completely forgot to put the cheese on, and it was so good I can’t even imagine how the cheese would make it better!
I made this last night as a side dish to accompany baked grouper and bacon + pea risotto. the zucchini was so simple to make, and delicious. i’m looking forward to the leftovers for lunch tomorrow. thanks for the simple, elegant (and delicious!) idea.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I just found out after 22 years of thinking I have a nut allergy, that I actually don’t; and this is the first nut including meal I have made. A perfect milestone meal for me! also, being a broke college student, I paired it with a little cottage cheese and pepper, and the two go together quite well. Thanks again!
Thanks so much Only vegetable I had in the fridge was a zucchini and although I didn’t have any almonds I made it with pumpkin seeds enjoyed by the whole family thank you for the inspiration
This is my favorite side dish too. After having made it, about a year ago, it has become a favorite at my house. I loved the Voldemort poke, by the way; and your comment of different textured salts and such. This dish’s greatness definitely lies in its simplicity.
When my husband & I were courting, 21 years ago, we ate a very similar dish at a restaurant. It was so sublime that we didn’t imagine it could be made at home. Lovely to find this, kids liked it, I polished off the pan, and I can’t wait for my husband to be home later this week so I can make it again.
I had my tonsils out last week and have spent the few hours I wasn’t conked out from the meds perusing my favorite blogs, yours included! When I found this post I remembered that I might have a lone zucchini in the bottom of the produce bin and lo and behold when I checked it today, I did! It wasn’t in the best shape, it was mighty fine in this saute. My 9-year old son and I inhaled it for lunch with lots of pecorino. Thanks (as always) for the lovely recipes and inspiration.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! A firm new favourite in my house.
Don’t usually comment on blogs, but had to on this one. This has been my very favorite side dish recipe for years now, so I just wanted to say thank you. And you’re awesome. Cookbook pre-ordered. :)
OMG !
Super easy, delicious, but I found this the year we decided NOT to plant zucchinis! Ah, well, we will just willingly accept everyone else’s zucchinis when they lose their taste for them. About a month, usually. ;)
I’ve been making a variation of this for the past few years since discovering it on Fine Cooking. I use butter instead of oil and julienne a combo of zucchini and yellow squash. I finish it with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
So easy, so good.
I am totally with your comments in the blog (written only 5 years ago, I’m sure you remember) that you could eat this dish morning, noon, and night. Wow so yummy. A recipe that stands the test of time.
REVELATORY is the word that comes to mind. I wouldn’t say I could eat this 3 times a day — without specifying that at each meal I could eat it by the POUND.
Omg! It’s 1:00am and I just read your recipe…. Proceeded to the kitchen… Lord voltomore is spot on! Iol! When my boyfriend gets home I’m making this for him! For sure it’s as new FAV!!! Thanks so much!
This recipe sounds delicious. I like how you cut the zucchini into match stick, what a great idea :)
Charming! I have the same fusspot tendency for high maintenance dishes, while loving the simple elegance found in Italian cooking, which this dish reminds me of – three essential ingredients delivering a pure, potent experience straight to the heart. Thank you, Deb.
I think I can get done with this recipe. Love the simplicity. Let the 2 ingredients shine through. They are both incredible on their own so why not together. I look forward to whipping this one up.
I did not have any almonds, so I used chopped walnuts. Great! Made it again a few days later and tossed it on pasta with fresh grated Romano cheese. Fab! (I only recently found your blog after your appearance on Today Show.) Love it!
Chopped walnuts sound good Sharon!
I had a spaghetti-squash handy and it turns out zucchini is also part of the squash family so I decided to mix the two!
It definitely changes the salad/snack but it is equally good:
http://munchaholic.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/zucchini-spaguetti-squash-medley/
Sarah
I’ve made something similar for years, but I start with a shallot quickly sauteed in the pan before the zucchini gets tossed in. Like Chloe (no. 85), I shred the veg with my food processor. It all cooks in about 2 minutes, flat. I like a bit of fresh tarragon in my version.
um, i’m sorry that this is the only thing i have to reply to this post… but you HAVEN’T read the harry potter books?! after all your references to it, and your “suspension of disbelief” for game of thrones? HP is nothing compared to GoT, but once you fly through the first or second book you’ll get sucked in.
also, can’t wait to try this. thanks for providing the recipes that constitute 75% of my cooking :)
hi deb,
i’ve made this 3 times now and still it doesn’t taste very good to me. i’m thinking that maybe i’m not seasoning it correctly (I’m a very inexperienced cook!). i was wondering if you could give me some pointers. i think i’m adding too much pepper and maybe not enough cheese.
btw, thanks so much for all of your recipes, especially your quick ones! they are keeping me and my bf from starving while in school. :D
Hi Stephanie — It may just not be something you enjoy. I know zucchini isn’t for everyone. The key flavors in the dish, however, are: deeply toasted almonds (so they have a lot of flavor), don’t skimp on getting them a deep light brown color; enough salt and pepper that it tastes right to you; zucchini that’s still firm enough/not limp, you only want to quickly cook the zucchini; then parmesan for salty/nuttiness/depth.
Thanks for this simple recipe. I’m growing several delicious varieties of summer squash (Lebanese squash, Costata Romanesca, and more) and we’re eating this dish every night. I use chunkier sliced almonds and no cheese. Also cooking your zucchini fritters and zucchini bread. Many nights at our house are all-Smitten dishes!
Small zucchini? What does that look like? Mine are ginormous.
Made this for lunch today. Wow, it’s so delicious. Thanks for the scrumptious recipe. Of course I DID add the cheese. Can’t wait to go pick another batch of zucchini and have this again. There’s no cursing and gnashing of teeth going on at this house over the onslaught of zucchini. We consumed the better part of a half bushel basket this week, and the piggies enjoyed the rest.
This is now one of the regular weekend veggie sides. Perfectly seasoned, crunchy – even the kids like eating their zucchini. I will probably try this preparation with a number of other vegetables, as well.
I added lentils to this – in between the almonds and the zucchini so I could get them nice and brown and almond-flavoured before adding the zucchini. I know it ruins the simplicity, but it added protein and made it the main dish!! Super yummy :)
This was exactly what I needed tonight. I love a simple prep for zucchini, because it so often just gets lost in a dish.
Loved this one. So simple. So delicious. Thanks!
I over-toasted my almonds to dark brown but this was still wonderful. I was a tad skeptical of the “warm” versus “fully cooked” zucchini, but the texture was perfect. I resisted all temptation to add garlic, onions, bacon, etc. I added a small splash of lemon-herb marinade I had on hand to a small amount, just to see what happened, and it was good, but I wouldn’t say “better.”
Deb, I just wanted to say thank you – I am literally obsessed with this dish, I make it at least 1-2 times a week as my go-to side. I have started crumbling some fresh feta on top, which I don’t see that anyone else in the thread has tried – so just wanted to recommend trying that as a fun variation – it is really delicious!
Just made this – the first vegetable I’ve eaten in probably 5 days after being sick with no appetite – and it was SO good! Thank you, Deb, awesome as usual. :)
I like this very much, and I’m always on the look out for a good, straight forward veggie side dish. Thanks.
Deb – itsy bitsy typo in the parmesan in the ingredient listing :)
Shellie — Thanks! All fixed. Can’t believe you’re the first one to notice it. :)
This is the best easy college recipe ever! Thank you!!
Just made this after reading through the recipe once (typically takes me multiple rereads even for something as simple as toast). I remembered your note to add as little or as much of the ingredients as was desired. It was one of the least stressful dishes I have ever attempted to reproduce. Thank you for this. I thought I had burnt the sliced almonds, but this was not the case. I added lemon juice after serving a bowl for myself. The flavor is addicting. This one is a keeper. Perfect.
Just discovered this recipe today and made it tonight. Oh my goodness! It was SO good and I will be making it frequently this summer. Thanks, Deb; you’re the best!
another wonderful way to cook the zucchini that ‘friends’ keep dropping by. very simple and delicious just the way it is. Thanks
What is the approximate serving size for this?
Emily — I’d say 2 to 4.
Made this last night. My husband and dad both don’t generally care for zucchini; they each had seconds, and my dad said “your mom tries to tell me that zucchini is good for you, but I don’t see how something good for you can taste so good.” I served with a veggie pasta that was a riff on your tomato zucchini galette filling made w some green tomatoes, some red, smoked paprika and a few pieces of bacon and about 3/4lb of rotini.Thanks for consistently great recipes!
Is it possible to OD on zucchini? Because I’ve been eating this almost daily for the last few weeks. Mostly because it is SO easy. I sometimes add garlic or a red chili or a touch of butter, but for the most part, 3 minutes and done means I’ve been eating a zucchini a day while its in season
I just bought one of those kitchen tools that makes ‘noodles’ out of zucchini ad squash, etc. That tool works great and makes this recipe even easier, as it takes less time to prep the zucchini than cutting into matchsticks. If you use the ‘thick’ side of the tool, and cut the ‘noodles’ into smaller strands, they cook up in about the same time as called for in the recipe.
One word for your three ingredient recipe: Zucchini, olive oil and almonds:
Awesome!
Delicious! I couldn’t help but add a teensy drizzle of toasted sesame oil on top!
Delish!
This is incredibly good. Could eat it daily and probably will. Love your recipes. Each one is a winner. Thank you!
So good!! I was looking for something to do with my courgette today and was momentarily puzzled why you didn’t seem to have any recipes for them when I remembered that of course they are zucchini in the US! I had everything for this in the house and it was delicious, nutritious and quick, just perfect! Thank you!!
This zucchini dish is spectacular! I questioned that something that is SO easy could be delish. It exceeded my expectations. Zucchini is easy on the digestive system, too. Thank you!
Woo hoo! One that works for vegans and non-vegans in our household. Thanks, Deb!
Just made this the other night as the garden zucchini have started to roll in in hoards…..It was fantastic. Because I can’t ever leave anything alone, I also drizzled a bit of sesame oil over it when it was done and it was fantastic! The few leftovers found their way on top of some orzo to make a pasta salad of sorts for lunch. Delicious!
I made with this with a bunch of extra almonds and mixed it with pasta, adding in a bunch of grated Parmesan, crispy prosciutto, and lemon juice. I just ate it for lunch and put some raw CSA tomatoes on top. Heaven.
I got home late last night and was tired and hungry. I hadn’t been grocery shopping in a few days, but I had a zucchini on hand. I shredded it and made this, topped with a fried egg and some shredded parmesan, with a piece of toast on the side. It was a delicious meal, and much healthier than my other late nite quick meal alternatives. Thank you!
Out here in San Francisco, the lovely neighborhood Italian restaurant Jackson Fillmore serves this recipe almost exactly. It is amazing and shockingly simple for so much flavor! I’m happy to find your recipe as I have been trying to replicate theirs!!
I used to work at their sister restaurant, La Fiametta. JF’s version also includes a heathy amount of chopped parsley. A favorite for sure!
I didn’t think a recipe this simple would be so good. It’s really amazing! I wouldn’t skip the shaved cheese on top. Try it!
WOW! Ramps up zucchini to outstanding! Who would have thought a couple tablespoons of almonds could make such a difference?
I made this using pignoli nuts and it was terrific as promised.
I tried this (just the simple version without parmesan) 3 days ago just for me. Last night I made it for both of us. It is a winner! I think I could eat this every day; it is that tasty! Thanks so much.
OMG! I’ve got to make this. I was going to go all zoodles with it which would work instead of the matchsticks. I think we’ve got almonds, if not we are getting some. Everyone needs an easy as pie (which is not easy) vegetable side recipe!! Thank you, Deb. Will tag you on Instagram when I make this.
It is amazing!! I zoodled the zucchini — my husband went nuts over it and now I’m sharing and of course giving the goddess of delicious cuisine the credit!!
Instead of cutting matchsticks I’ve been using a large cheese grater which makes small slivers or matchstick like slivers. I’d cook them very quickly and like a previous comment I add fresh mint and a splash of lemon juice. I don’t add cheese or almonds but will try it. Been meaning to try the spiral noodle like cuts of squash once I buy the tool to make them so this might be another alternative.
Love this! And by the way, the Zucchini Saute at Red Cat is now $14!!
No way! I haven’t been there in almost 8 years, since we moved from Chelsea. I keep wanting to go back but can’t remember another dish I loved there besides this.
When I saw the picture I wondered if it was inspired by the Red Cat. So good. Your match stick making skill is very impressive.
Spot on…my new favorite zucchini recipe. Thanks so much for something totally different and classy!
Sounds really good. Now, just wondering if my husband will eat it. Or will I will be lucky to have this all to myself!!!!
This is the recipe that got me hooked on Smitten Kitchen many years ago. Still one of my favorites, everyone loves it and it’s so easy!
You missed out on a favorite zucchini recipe of ours Zucchini soup which is fast and can be served hot or cold. Just chopped onions & zucchini sauted in butter until soft, puree with chicken or vegetable broth added to the consistency you want. Season with salt, pepper, dill and parsley. Yum!
Zucchini just went from something I loathed to my favorite food. OMG. I added garlic the fourth time I made it (in a week).
I would rather eat this than cake.
I’ve been making this for months now. I hadn’t known I was able to eat an ENTIRE zucchini in one seating, not to mention several days in a row.
on vacation in a rented condo, didn’t have almonds so I used lime zesr instead. Delicious!
Guess who figured out how to login again? Here’s the other recipe I made today, and boy, you are right on about it being low risk/high reward. It’s way better than the sum of its parts.
Slightly burned the almonds and it was still delicious! Such a fast and simple way to enjoy zucchini; looking forward to gulping this down all summer long
I made a riff on this tonight using hazelnuts, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and the barest squeeze of lemon at the end. I’m not sharing with my family.
I do a similar thing, but I admit mine has more ingredients than yours. Mine is zucchini OR yellow squash, carrots, onion, olive oil, and thyme, fresh if possible.
I will have to try your version soon!
Yum! I made this tonight to go with some panko-crusted chicken and it totally stole the show. I used the mandolin for the zucchini, and doubled the almonds. Looking forward to making it again with our own zucchini!
Made it as suggested with the first zucchini from my garden this year. It is excellent!! You’re right about the cooking times-this takes no time at all to achieve perfection. Can’t wait to make it again. Delicious! Thanks again Deb.
Still combing through the comments but am so happy to hear that walnuts can replace the almonds (I find the latter too sweet and cloying).
Zucchinis and eggplants mystify me but this seems like a good entry level recipe.
Looking forward to giving it a try!
We thought we didn’t like zucchini. We were wrong. This is delicious! I had a little fresh mint to use up, so sprinkled about a tablespoon (finely chopped) on top – otherwise, followed the recipe exactly. Couldn’t be easier or more yummy!
Loved it! I get tons of zucchini dropped off by friends in the summer, and was getting tired of all my recipes. Made this last night, finished it off today. Yum!
Made this for dinner tonight. I was a bit skeptical, but i was wonderful. So easy. I will definitely be making again.
“It will not bend to my fusspot will.” Even if I didn’t love to cook and even if I didn’t love making your recipes, I would still read Smitten Kitchen faithfully because you are SUCH A DANG GOOD WRITER, Deb. This is me patting you on the back and hoping you’ll keep up the good work on all fronts.
Sooo good!
THIS.WAS.AMAZING. We used a small yellow zucchini…even to picky husband loved it.
So easy, so good. would prob. use a tad less oil next time. I could live on this stuff! My kind of summer meal says this vegetarian.
Wow… it’s actually $14 on the Dinner menu! Thanks Deb! <3
Yummmmmy. I had to restrain myself from eating the entire pan of it!
I tossed in a tiny bit of goat cheese with mine on my plate because I’m goofy that way. It was divine.
Thanks Deb!
Delicious, quick side which will go with everything. I added a squeeze of lemon juice.
Didn’t have any almonds, so I used some Walnuts and left the cheese off. Definitely worth repeating!
I confess that when I first read this I thought it sounded interesting but had doubts that it would be as wonderful as you said. I was wrong. It is amazing. I go ahead and cut extra zucchini and put it in s bag, making it even easier to prepare.
I fixed again for dinner tonight and forgot to put the parmesan on it. It was still delicious, but I do like it a bit more with the cheese.
Thanks for this gem.
Oh my goodness! Made this last night and we thought it was incredible. I have a good friend who owns a B&B in Tuscany and she taught me that you only need a few ingredients to make something really wonderful…the key is everything must be really fresh. This is an example of Lucia’s theory. I literally could eat this 3 times a week! I’m actually making it again this week-end at the request of my husband. Thank you so much!
Tasty meal in a hurry, served with poached eggs and avocado toast.
If you use pecorino or Parmesan can I suggest a drizzle of decent runny honey to finish amazing combination
This dish is simple and fabulous = simply fabulous!!!! The sum is so much greater than the parts!
I adapted this for broccoli and it was just as good or even better! My grandkids only eat broccoli florettes so I save the tender part of the stems for stir fries and soup. Well I chopped it up, sauteed it in the olive oil at high heat, and when it was tender, added the almonds. Continue to cook until the almonds are toasty and the broccoli slightly charred. I ate a huge mound just for my lunch and it was amazing!
Oh wow that’s delicious and quick enough to cook on a week night! Thank you.
Can I do something comparable with other vegetables?
I haven’t found another vegetable I like as much with this prep but now I want to. What are you thinking?
Love this! Have done it with broccoli stems!!!
Super easy prep, and the almonds gave the dish a unique flavor. Thanks for a great side dish recipe!
This is the third recipe of yours I’ve made this week (and not the last!). So good, and I made exactly as written except adding a smidge of lemon zest. We serve it with panko/Parmesan crusted chicken. Great way to use up the zucchini bounty!
Just made this. So tender, so simple, so good! I used pepitas because it’s what I had on hand and it was yummy – but I will want to try with almonds next time. I think some lemon zest or juice would be amazing here as other commenters have mentioned. Such a better alternative than gloppy overcooked zucchini–I really like it in matchstick form just briefly cooked. Thank you for this quick summer side dish Deb!
Has anyone tried this with spiralized zucchini?
I only spied one comment about it:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/08/quick-zucchini-saute/#comment-1102413
SO GOOD!!! I could not stop eating this! Thank you!
Fantastic Keto friendly veggie dish that uses 2-3 zucchini (yay!!) almonds and olive oil or butter. Sooo yum! Will try it with mint and or/lemon-zest next time….definitely a keeper.
OMG Love this! So simple and so good. Thank you for sharing.
This is a GREAT, simple recipe! I made this as written, with the exception of crooked-neck squash + patty pan squash in place of zucchini. It was delicious! We piled it on our pinto beans & rice burritos (whole wheat tortillas) along with tomato salsa, hot sauce, & a little shredded raw pepper jack. One note: the squash does require a surprisingly generous amount of salt, just as you suggested. Thank you!
My husband made this last night with the addition of sliced black olives. It was so quick and so tasty! I would never have put almonds in a dish with zukes, but those browned almonds made the dish. Love that it was fast and that the zukes stayed tender but not mushy. Thank you!
I made this twice this week! It’s so good. Thanks for sharing it.
Last night’s dinner was pasta in a creamy zucchini sauce. Today my husband went to the store to get a vegetable to go with tonight’s crispy whitefish and came home with…two zucchini. I thought, “I think Deb (being on a first-name basis as we are) has a recipe for a sauté….” The julienne blade on my mandoline made short work of the zucchini, and, having a sad history of burning nuts in a frying pan, I tossed the almonds into my air fryer to toast. An unbelievably quick dish, and a delicious side. I’m glad I had the nudge to finally try this winner.
I adore this recipe and have made it lots of times. With autumn upon us, I’m wondering if anyone has used this method for a winter vegetable preparation. Zucchini cooks so quickly that this comes together in a flash, unlike most winter veggies. Anybody using the crispy almond deliciousness for another vegetable?
I have made this recipe, several times and it is phenomenal! The sun is definitely more than the parts! My question is this. I know you can’t make the dish ahead, but can you cut those zucchini into matchsticks ahead of time? Or will they sweat? You can answer this as soon as possible I want to make it for Christmas!
This food is delicious and nutritious. This is the occasional meal I eat. It is also a nice and fun meal to look at. It helps to increase digestive power.
I like this food . It is delicious food. It helps to increase digestive power. plz add to new some cardamom seeds or ground cardamom to the recipe.
This recipe had slipped my mind until the post today. It is my favorite way to make summer squash. So simple and easy, but delicious. I always make a huge batch so that I have extra for breakfast with an egg then next day.
I have 1 small zucchini & 1 small yellow squash. Has anyone tried it with yellow squash?
Yellow squash worked great for me. I also did a colorful mixture of green and yellow. I think the yellow squash cook a tad faster so be sure to not overdue the sauté step. Just heat them through.
This is a perfect side dish—so simple, so delicious! Certainly greater than the sum of its parts!
Made this tonight as written and it was delicious. It rounded out our dinner of various appetizers. Maybe more salt to taste at the end, but the flavor was incredible.
I made this last night, and loved it. Love recipes that make me fall in love with something I rarely give a thought to. Zucchinis are not my favorite, but I’ll be buying them more often now!
Made this tonight with pine nuts subbed for almonds (I’m weird, I don’t like almonds) and inhaled it in short order. Even my five-year-old gave it a stamp of approval (not a chore when pine nuts are involved). This will definitely be on rotation this summer!
Also, I usually never toast nuts/seeds with oil (preferring a dry pan) but I think toasting them in oil, then stirring in the zucchini really made a difference here. The pine nut flavor really infused the oil and thus the zucchini!
Love this recipe… even my kids came back for a 2nd helping!
Deb, Have you had zoodles?
I love this dish so much! So happy to see how you sliced and slivered your zuc!
This sounds perfect to me. Not much of a cook, but love to eat (!) – usually healthy. Will try this tonight.
So so so good. Made this with a huge zucchini my neighbor gave to me last night. It was a huge hit with the family. Even the teenage boy loved it! I followed the recipe closely and added the parm at the end. Easy, fast, and we devoured it.
I am so glad you reposted this as I had forgotten about it. I don’t think I will forget again! Made it tonight—so so delicious! Thank you! :)
This is a magic recipe and the first time my partner has EVER liked a zucchini recipe! The secret indeed is in the almonds.
Thanks, gracias, dank je wel y merci!
I knew I had to make this for dinner last night, as it looked delish, was quick, and I didn’t want to fuss with lots of steps. So yummy! I did not have almonds, so used pecans instead, and it was tasty in a pinch. The nuts really elevate the flavor of the zuke! Thanks for posting such quick ‘n easy recipes that are healthy and look beautiful too!
I made this last night and it was delicious. Super easy and a perfect side on a hot summers day! Ooo I added a dash of chili flakes at the end.
Perfect dish!! I loved it, thank you! I was stubborn when it comes to the 2-ingredients and have added some garlic and some pine nuts that I had left over; and it works out beautifully! I can so imagine craving this several times a week! And I am planning to make this for my veggie-haring dad! :-)
I’ve been reading about this recipe on your blog for 10 YEARS, and never made it.
I kept wondering, how good could a zucchini dish be with only 2 ingredients? I finally made it last night, and of course, it blew me away. The almonds were so delicious! The zucchini wasn’t mushy at all! My husband and I gobbled up 4 servings between the 2 of us. I’m going to start making this all the time.
Thank you Deb for showing me that I don’t have to shove the zucchini into some kind of cutting apparatus or food processor in order to get match stick size cuttings of zucchini. I cannot be bothered with that and will always shy away from recipes using grated or shredded zucchini. I guess no zucchini bread for me.
This is so good! I’ve made it 5 times in the last two weeks. The almonds give it just the crunch it needs. I add a little lemon at the end too. Winner.
I’ve made this before and loved it, but can’t find any sliced almonds nearby. Do you think this would work with pine nuts or are they too chunky?
I think it could work!
What makes this simple recipe so good are the almonds! After reading the comments, I doubled the amount of almonds and was careful to brown but not burn the almonds. So good, so fast.
Still my favourite zucchini recipe. I have made this for several years now. Sometimes I add in fresh thyme. Once in a while some basil or rosemary depending on the time of year. Rarely the cheese as I make a large batch and have it over several days. Love it! Thank you.
I made this with summer squash (seeds scooped out) and whole pecans. It was amazing. Definitely going on the favorites list. Imagine you could use pretty much any summer veg, any nut in the pantry! Thank you!
I finally made this after reading your blog for more than 10 years. It’s glorious and worth the extra time it takes to cut the zucchini, which, if we’re being honest, is what kept me from trying it.
Wow, Deb, another amazing zucchini recipe. I made it tonight outside on my grill- cast iron skillet on the side burner. Added some broccoli to it because we had guests and needed to stretch it a bit. Spot on with the toasted almonds- they really elevated it to a wonderful side dish. Served it with some delicious New York Strips, garlic toast, and a wonderful Barbera from OR. Thank you again for sharing delicious recipes. ♥️
I made this for a quick lunch in-between zoom calls. I used up one whole courgette (fine – zucchini). I ate it with rice on the side. I then made the whole dish again, using another whole courgette. And ate it all. That’s how good it is. Thank you, Deb.
Courgette is such a lovely word, though!
I’m just checking in for those who you reminded, via this week’s newsletter, that it’s time to make this dish. I did, again, and yum.
Oh wow. Cannot stop eating this. Soooo simple and absolutely delicious. Thanks you, Deb.
Just layer this on top of kale shreds dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, a soft boiled egg, and some steamed potato. It was delicious. My 6year old went back for thirds! Thanks!
So delish – my knife skills made these a little bigger and I popped 2 over easy eggs on top of the parm. I will be making this again soon.
Made it. Delicious, perfect for summer ! Also used french cut green beans instead, works great.
This is one of my very favorite breakfasts…I have it underneath a couple of over easy eggs. Yum!
So easy. So good. Definitely greater than the sum of its parts.
It’s almost mind blowing that something so simple could be so incredibly delicious. Made this as an accompaniment to sheet pan chicken shawarma. My husband was gobbling down his Naan (instead of pita) filled shawarma and “ignoring” the zucchini. I finally asked him to please take a bite, which he did, then proceeded to proclaim that the zucchini trumped the shawarma! He couldn’t get over how good it was (and neither could I). Repeating the dinner tonight and I can tell you I can’t wait to have this zucchini side again!!! Made as written and don’t plan to make it any other way. Thank you for such a. Great recipe!
This dish is a favorite! I have now made it three times this week, it’s a replica of a dish I love at a local restaurant in Boston. Franklin Cafe calls it “matchstick zucchini” and never really want to share it! Now that zucchini season is in full force, I will make this for the next few weeks, thank you for sharing!
Very simple and very delicious. Made for lunch. Did not have almonds so a substituted some crispy, baked chick peas I had.
I could eat this for days. Amazing. I add lemon juice and lemon rind at the end. So simple and so delicious.
I missed this the first time around, so I’m glad to see you flag it for us now. Your final paragraph made me laugh, not least because you’re laughing at yourself as well and we all understand!
I can’t wait to make this, probably over and over again. Thank you!
Would this work with zucchini noodles?
This dish has been in regular summer rotation since … I think 2007!
My one suggestion is to add a good sprinkling of furikake, which can take zucchini to new and other-worldly heights!
RIP Red Cat. So sorry to see this wonderful restaurant has closed.
I made this exactly as written and it was just fabulous! It is indeed one of those recipes that is more than the sum of it’s parts. Only one little comment – I find it much quicker to julienne the zucchini by cutting them into 1/8” slices the long way, then the slices into long think strips and then cut the strips into short lengths.
This is exceptional! The absolute best way to eat zucchini! We tend to shy away from squash recipes but this time of year, with tremendous quantities of zucchini and summer squash available, I had to try this recipe. I could easily eat seconds and thirds! Thank you so much for posting this!
Your recipes are THE BEST! Every time I have an ingredient I need to make good use of, I consult your site and am WINNING each and every time! Your unfussy sugar cookies have changed my life and this zucchini dish is served at one of my favorite spots here in Columbus and now I shall have it always!
Wow! This was really delicious! I was skeptical about adding almonds to zucchini, but toasting them in the oil to start really set the dish off. In fact, next time I’ll use more almonds. I think I cooked it a little too long because it started to release liquid and the squash ended up soft. Very quick and easy dish. Will definitely make this again.
This zucchini sauté looks so delicious and so simple, I just have to try it!
We made this tonight with (the very first) yellow and green zucchini picked fresh from our garden. Really, it’s the toasted almonds that make this veggie shine. So simple, so easy. My daughter said that this is the only way she wants to zucchini from now on. Thanks for sharing.
Can confirm! Made w chopped hazelnuts, pinch of red pepper flakes, lots of shaved parm, and just a sprinkle of lemon juice at the end. Delightful!
This recipe is so fantastic! It’s one of those miraculous little dishes that sounds too simple to be good, but somehow it is so, so tasty. Love the texture of the zucchini — not raw but not at all mushy. Will be making this one a lot more this summer. Love!
This was delicious and super easy! Just for fun I added grilled corn, couscous, feta and a squeeze of lime. Will be a great leftover with a fried egg on top :)
So simple and so delicious. Will definitely be part of my recipes! Thank you, Deb.
So I’ve been making this one regularly every winter (zucchini is a winter vegetable here) for at least seven or eight years, ever since I saw it on the site. And I’ve pretty much always made it exactly as written, usually without the cheese, and I love it. It’s the perfect dinner for one. Then today, I thought I didn’t have almonds and decided to use chopped cashews instead. And then I figured since I was changing one thing, I might as well change another, and instead of the salt and pepper, I seasoned it with “gunpowder”. That’s the common English word for what is known in Tamil as “idli podi”. It’s basically roasted lentils, with roasted garlic and dried red chilli and a bunch of other roasted spices all ground together into a grainy powder that is then mixed with gingelly or sesame oil and used as a dip for idli and dosa (South Indian steamed rice cakes and crepes). Anyway, I had a bottle of idli podi sitting on the shelf just above the salt and decided to shower it all over my zucchini in the pan. Utterly divine. Both the warm, rich taste and the gritty texture. If you can get hold of the stuff (every household has a different recipe, but this one was heavy on the roasted dal and relatively light on the chilli), do try this version. I’m going to have to switch between this and the almond-salt-pepper thing from now on!
This is honestly one of my favorite dishes, EVER. Its so quick and easy! I at least double the almonds, because I love them so much, and cook 2-3 minutes. I often serve a big pile as a main dish, and just serve with fresh corn on the cob. DELISH!!!!!!
This was lovely. My vegetable avoiding spouse gobbled his up readily, and asked me to make it again. Thank you!
Made this and loved it. So fast! I have wrist issues so used the large shred blade of my food processor instead of a knife and had the zucchini in and out of the pan in about 30 seconds so it still had crunch. Thinking of slipping a fried or poached egg on top next time….
OK, despite being convinced that I do not like zucchini, Deb’s enthusiasm combined with rave reviews convinced me to try it tonight. Well, I guess I like zucchini now because this was fantastic — unexpectedly delightful and so quick to throw together. Can’t wait to make it again!
I have no idea where I found the Red Cat zucchini recipe, but I’ve been making it for years. It’s so delicious. I use a mandolin and cut the zucchini into planks. Easier to get the julienne.
Oh my goodness…This was so unexpectedly delicious! I did add a frozen pod of chopped garlic to the oil/almonds before adding the zucchini. We cooked the zucchini a bit longer (maybe 2 minutes) and topped it with shavings of good parmesan. We will make this often!
My favourite zucchini dish is an omelet.
Saute sliced zucchini & sliced mushrooms with dried basil.
(optional add small chunks of fresh tomato)
When vegs cooked remove to a dish and season with salt.
Make omelet (also flavoured with basil)
When omelet is cooked, top with grated cheese (cheddar is fine), and add the sauted vegs to half
Fold the omelet over the vegs and devour.
So good. I top it with hot sauce (optional).
For a perfect meal add toast + a dish of mixed fruit + your favourite beverage
Good for breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner.
Enjoy.