Pan-Seared Zucchini

By Lidey Heuck

Pan-Seared Zucchini
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(1,116)
Notes
Read community notes

A zucchini and a steak may not have much in common, but, like steak, zucchini takes incredibly well to the method of quickly searing in a smoking hot pan. Zucchini has a high water content, so cooking it fast means it retains its structure and doesn’t release too much water, and doing so over high heat yields a beautiful char. A quick baste with brown butter, rosemary and garlic adds even more steakhouselike flavor. The recipe calls for 1½ tablespoons butter, but feel free to use a bit more if you like. Finally, choose smaller zucchini if you can; they tend to be less watery, more flavorful, and contain smaller seeds than their larger counterparts. If you can only find larger zucchini (or if you only have a 10-inch skillet), use two zucchini instead of three to avoid crowding the pan.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:3 to 4 servings
  • 3small zucchini (6 to 8 inches each)
  • 1tablespoon grapeseed, safflower or other high-heat cooking oil
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1½tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more to taste
  • 1garlic clove, peeled and smashed
  • 1fresh rosemary sprig (or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary)
  • Coarse sea salt, for serving
  • Lemon zest, for serving
  • Red-pepper flakes, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

89 calories; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 233 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim the zucchini lengthwise on two opposite sides to create flat edges. Discard the scraps and cut the zucchini in half lengthwise into two planks that are about ½-inch thick. (If you’re using larger zucchini, you may get three planks from each one.) Pat them dry with a paper towel, pressing gently but firmly on both sides to absorb any moisture.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and heat until it’s almost smoking. Add the zucchini, spacing them evenly in the pan and pressing lightly with a spatula so that the planks make contact with the pan. Sprinkle the tops with salt and pepper, and cook for about 3 minutes, until the zucchini is nicely charred on the bottom. Lower the heat to medium, flip the zucchini, and season with salt and pepper again. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the bottom is charred.

  3. Step 3

    Turn the heat to low and add the butter, garlic and rosemary. Carefully tilt the pan, letting the garlic and rosemary cook in the butter for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the butter has begun to brown. Spoon the butter over the zucchini, and cook for another minute, flipping them a few times to coat both sides with the butter.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the zucchini to a serving platter, along with the garlic and rosemary, and spoon any butter that’s left in the pan on top. Top with coarse sea salt, lemon zest and red-pepper flakes, and serve hot.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,116 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Kathryn

Don't discard the "scraps!" Dice and put in a salad. Add to an omelet. Or, better yet, don't trim the zucchini in the first place. We should not be throwing away perfectly good food.

Mike Kruger

Would this work with eggplant?

Ess

If you don't want so much fat, just place the zucchini 'steaks' on a lightly oiled (or else nonstick) sheet-pan in a hot oven (say, 425, low shelf). Optional: You can finish off briefly under the broiler—or not. Just be sure to watch broiling closely, as not to burn. We season the slabs before cooking, e.g., w granulated onion, Thyme, pepper + a little sea salt... but you could do it plain, too. Super easy in the oven—and low-fat, low-cholesterol, sears with hardly any clean-up. Comes out great.

Michael

I like to grill zucchini over charcoal -- no need to trim the sides. After cooking, I season with olive oil, coarse sea salt, and marjoram flowers when they're in season.

Cyril

Substitute EVOO for butter and use Old Bay Seasoning or celery seed powder instead of rosemary.

Elaine

Run a vegetable peeler two times along the length of opposite sides of the zukes before slicing to create a flat surface for browning with minimal waste

Mike

Is anyone else bothered by recipe directions that tell you to oil until it is “almost smoking”? I’ve never figured out how to identify that point.

Mia

Shred Parmesan over it before you flip the final time and let it become golden!

Bernie

Like Michael (below), I also do them on the grill. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, coat with a thin coat of oil and cook on both sides until a little soft. You can eat them plain, with a little salt and pepper or in a sandwich with fresh pita bread and some hummus. Eggplant will also work. Make it into 1/2 inch slices. It needs more oil as the eggplant absorbs it readily and it cooks more quickly than the zucchini. Enjoy.

Pietro

Way too complicated for me. I’ve done these countless times over the decades. A tablespoon of olive oil or even nothing. Instead of a pan better use a cast iron skillet. Sear the zucchini sliced lengthwise. Put in a plate and dress with good olive oil , oregano or other spice of your liking, salt and a little vinegar. Much healthier and simpler.

Laura Ingersoll

No need for a recipe here! This technique works beautifully with zucchini, eggplant or bell peppers. It can be done in a frying pan or at 450F for 20 minutes in a toaster oven, without flipping, or on a BBQ grill. Topping variations are unlimited; any fresh or dried herbs work, including Indian, Oriental or European spices. Drizzle with olive oil, add some Panko and top with Parmesan. Always a favorite of family and friends. Even kids love it!

Elle

Grilling or broiling works with the long asian eggplants that I grow. I don’t peel them and since they have no seeds inside they aren’t bitter - just delicious.

sandra d

Seriously people. This recipe is for a delicious brown butter sauce to go with the sautéed zucchini. I don’t get why people add their completely different versions to the notes.

Holley Atkinson

Six minutes total is too much at high heat! I cooked on one side for four and then barely flipped, served immediately with the grilled side up. PS Bittman has a great archived feature with 12 different zucchini recipes: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/09/08/magazine/bittman-zucchini-recipes.html

Cyril

Yes, eggplant (particularly Japanese) substitutes for zucchini. You may want to remove the purple/white skin. It can be bitter.

Donna Pasiechnik

Could've used a wee bit more flavour but easy peasy and quite yummy.

Maja

So simple, so delicious! :D

MplsMike

Making planks wastes too much. Better to cut the zucchini in long quarters and sautée the two inside sides.

MMS

Zucchini, not my favorite vegetable, but this works. Important to add the lemon zest and red pepper flakes at the end.

Betty

Made this last night, filtering the recipe. New favorite way to serve zucchini. It was delicious.

Sarah

8/10

Gabi McCarthy

Try these zucchini slices as part of a sandwich. I assemble the layers as follows: slice of sourdough bread, mayo, thin slice of summer tomato, slice of turkey, zucchini, grated fontina, another slice of bread. I select the size (length) of the zucchini according to the size of my bread to get perfect coverage.

tess

Also a big squeeze of that lemon in nice

MickyC

I possibly cooked this a minute or two too long, so the slabs became caramelized a bit, which was wonderful actually. Wonderfully simple and delicious. I personally found the rosemary a bit overpowering, and on the next cook will do sprigs of thyme instead.

Gin

When I pan-sear zucchini I usually cut the zucchini into disks bc that's what my family prefers. I put oil in a large pan or toss the disks with oil, make it really hot, and add a little salt and pepper. Then I flip them with tongs (sometimes rapidly) as they get a nice brown char on them. I add them to pasta but they are quite good on their own.

Adrian Benepe

I do essentially same recipe but use smaller pieces of cut-up zucchini, using olive oil, no butter. Get a good char on zucchini pieces, then make a small well in the middle & add a diced half onion (yellow or red), & let sautee for a few minutes. Then add a diced large garlic clove & saute for a minute. Toss in a small handful of chopped herbs: Oregano, thyme, basil, marjoram, etc., few pinches of red pepper flakes. Let cook for a while, then stir together with zucchini

Maui Maggie

Kinda meh. Rosemary is the wrong herb, thyme would be better.

Clover88

We have not done a good job of "drying" the slices and it doesn't make a difference for us. Every time the grill is going, I make this.

Jo Cabo

I skip the butter, use olive oil and finish with a dash of soy sauce.

debbra

Of course grilling is a great technique for zucchini. This is something different. And fabulous. Try it as written, with the brown butter. Made to rave guest reviews last night and will make again often. Of course keep the scraps for another recipe

Private notes are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.

More From Best Zucchini Recipes

More Recipes From Lidey Heuck

Cooking Guides