There’s a reason why this is my go-to summer side!
A few years ago I discovered the magic of this super simple sautéed zucchini squash recipe.
It was the beginning of summer and the zucchini and yellow squash were beautiful! And wanting an easy meal, I grabbed my skillet.
“Sautéed zucchini and squash?” I thought. Up until this moment I had only ever enjoyed them in casseroles, like this Summer Squash Casserole or as Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries.
I got to work on the chopping board and starting cooking.
To be honest, I was expecting it to taste a bit, well, boring. After all, there weren’t too many flavors that went into the recipe.
Boy, was I wrong!
The zucchini and squash absorbed the flavors from the fats and garlic. And then with a little caramelization, they became almost… sweet?!
I fell in love instantly and have been making this recipe ever since! It’s one of the best ways to cook up these veggies in a hurry.
And when the zucchini and squash really start piling up, I blend a batch into this Creamy Zucchini Soup to change things up.
My husband loved these. He said he could eat them like this everyday. This is definitely going in my favorite recipe collection. Thank you!
– Jennifer
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Oil & Butter. A mixture of oil and butter is used when sautéing these vegetables. If you’re vegan or dairy-free, feel free to use a vegan butter substitute (such as vegan buttery sticks) or all olive oil instead.
- Squash. A mixture of both fresh zucchini and yellow squash are used in this recipe. If you only have one or the other, feel free to use all of that instead! (And if you have any leftover, you can always learn how to freeze zucchini!) Confused about the difference between the two? This post on Squash versus Zucchini should clear things up.
- Onion. Finely diced sweet onion was originally used in this dish and is preferred. Feel free to substitute with white, red onion, or yellow onion.
- Garlic. Fresh minced garlic cloves are the secret to giving this recipe a punch of flavor. You can swap out garlic powder if absolutely necessary, but it’s not recommended.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Cut the veggies.
Remove the blossom and stem ends of both the squash and zucchini, then slice each vegetable in half lengthwise, and again into quarters. Make cuts about ½-¾-inch apart to get bite-sized pieces.
Then, dice the onion. You want small pieces of all the vegetables so every bite is full of flavor.
The size of your cuts really matters. Too small and they’ll come out watery. Too big and they’ll take too long to cook in the middle and burn on the edges.
Cook the onion.
Heat oil and onions in a large skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the squash.
Stir in the slices of yellow squash, zucchini, sea salt, black pepper, and butter. Try to get them in as much of a single layer as possible. Cover the hot skillet with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
Uncover and stir. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes or until the squash is cooked to your liking.
The total time will vary based on how large the slices are and how done you prefer this summer squash side dish.
Pro Tip: If you leave the zucchini and squash in the skillet a little longer at the end and crank up the heat, they get this beautiful brown caramelization that makes them slightly sweet and full of flavor.
My tricks for avoiding soggy squash!
Soggy, watery squash is the only thing that can go wrong here, and it’s easy to avoid. A few simple moves keep it tender with golden edges instead of mushy.
- Serve it right away. It’s best straight from the skillet, while the edges still have a little crisp.
- Get the pan hot first. Medium-high heat and a hot skillet sear the squash instead of steaming it.
- Don’t crowd the skillet. Give the pieces room in close to a single layer. Pile them up and they steam in their own moisture.
- Pick small, young squash. Bigger squash holds more water and more seeds. Smaller ones stay firmer and sweeter.
- Cut them chunky. Half-inch pieces hold their shape better than thin slices that go limp.
- Resist the urge to stir. Let the squash sit for a minute or two so it can caramelize before you toss it.
Ways to switch up the flavors!
- Add cheese: A handful of grated Parmesan or crumbled feta right at the end is never a bad idea.
- Make it Mediterranean: Finish with feta, a few olives, and a pinch of oregano or za’atar.
- Bring the heat: A pinch of red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño wakes the whole thing up.
- Switch the herbs: Fresh basil, thyme, or oregano all work. Stir them in at the end so they stay bright.
- Add more veggies: Mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, or bell peppers sauté right alongside.
- Make it a meal: One reader tosses it with cooked bowtie pasta and lots of Parmesan, and I’m fully on board.
- Give it a Southwest spin: Another reader adds Hatch green chile and a little cheese, which sounds incredible.
FAQs
Depending on how caramelized you like the veggies, you will need to cook this simple side dish for 10 to 20 minutes. Start out by sautéing the onions for a couple of minutes, then add in the squash for about 5 minutes, covered. Cook uncovered for another 5 to 7 minutes.
It is not necessary to peel squash and zucchini before cooking. The peel adds a nice color, texture, and fiber to the dish. But you can remove it if you’d prefer in this delicious side dish.
Technically yes, for up to 3 months, but this one’s really best fresh. Cooked squash softens a lot after freezing and thawing, so reheat it in a hot skillet with a little oil or butter to bring back some texture.
Keep leftover sautéed squash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. While you can always pop it back in the microwave, the best way to reheat this yellow squash and zucchini is to add it to a skillet with a touch of oil or butter. Cook over medium-low heat until heated through.
What to serve with it?
You can go as fancy or as simple in your dinner plans as you want. Try any of these recipes alongside this easy side dish.
Have a date night at home with Olive Garden Chicken Marsala, French Onion Chicken, or Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Try some spice with Hot Honey Chicken and Honey Sriracha Glazed Salmon.
Air Fryer Shrimp is a super simple dinner, too!
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Sautéed Zucchini and Squash Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter or additional oil
- ¾ cup sweet onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 2 medium yellow squash* cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 medium zucchini cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Parsley finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and onions to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 30-60 seconds, or until fragrant.2 tablespoons olive oil, ¾ cup sweet onion
- Stir in the squash, zucchini, salt, pepper and butter. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.1 tablespoon butter, 2 medium yellow squash*, 2 medium zucchini, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Uncover and stir. Continue cooking for 5-7 minutes or until squash are cooked to your liking. (If you would like to lightly brown and caramelize your squash, let sit for 1-2 minutes before stirring.)
- Serve zucchini and squash with additional salt and pepper to taste and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.Parsley
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Notes
- Squash: Feel free to substitute with all yellow squash or all zucchini. Fresh varieties are best.
- Oil: Use oil or vegan butter in place of regular butter if dairy-free or vegan.
- Topping: Add some grated Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs, Italian seasoning, or even red pepper flakes for some extra flavor.
- Peeling: This adds color, texture, and extra nutrition.
- Skillet: You want enough room so the sautéed squash pieces aren’t on top of each other. Letting the squash sit will let it caramelize, which results in a deeper flavor
- Onions: Use sweet onions instead of white or yellow.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Zucchini and Squash Recipes
Have more zucchini or yellow squash you want to use up? Here are a few more perfect side dish recipes along with some vegetarian meals you might enjoy.
I grew up in a Italian household so zucchini and squash was always a part of my diet but this recipe is to die for! Absolutely no regrets on making this and I will make it again
Yay!! So happy to hear you enjoyed the dish, Laura. Funny how something so simple can be so good! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating! 🙂
I made this today for supper and we loved it. It’s easy and like you said not at all boring even though there’s not a lot of ingredients. Thank you for sharing.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it, Linda. Isn’t it incredible how simple flavors can taste so good?! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating! 🙂
I just commented and forgot to leave the stars.
Wonderful, Terri!! Thanks so much for leaving the rating, too 🙂
This recipe was delicious. I cooked my garlic and onion in a little bit of butter, but instead of cooking the vegetables in the butter I added chicken stock to the pan and steamed the veggies. The vegetables came out terrific with the garlic and onion, Since my husband and I are watching our weight I served the veggies with a nice piece piece of grilled salmon on top.
What a great idea, Terri! I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed the dish. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Love this recipe! I make without garlic because I am very sensitive to it along with just using extra olive oil to make dairy free! It is so delicious!
Yay! So happy you enjoy the recipe, Bella. Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
This was so easy to do and the taste was wonderful. I added some green pepper at the very end of cooking so it would be a little crisp. Also some basil from my garden added a great flavor! Thank you!
What a great idea to add some green pepper, Toni! I bet it was delicious. Thanks for your comment and rating!
This dish is WONDERFUL!!!!! I have been looking for more fresh vegetable sides, and this fit the bill- and then some! I think I will pan sear some chicken to add in and make it as a main dish in the future. Absolutely divine!
What a great idea, Megan! So happy to hear you enjoy the recipe so much. Thanks for the comment and rating 🙂
I love this recipe my favorite
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Kathy! Thanks for the comment!
It was pretty tasty.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for your comment and rating!
I have been looking for a recipe to use up our garden veggies. Thanks for this recipe. I can’t wait to make it!
This one is perfect for that, Suzy! Can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂
It says sauce. What sauc?
It doesn’t show in the recipe.
Sorry for the typo! It should say “saute”. I have updated the recipe to reflect this. Thanks for letting me know!