Easy 5 Minute Pan-Fried Zucchini
This 5-Minute Pan-Fried Zucchini is one of my favorite ways to get a quick, flavorful vegetable side dish on the table. With just 4 basic ingredients and a hot pan, the zucchini becomes tender with beautifully browned edges. This is my go-to high-fiber addition to everything from weeknight dinners to last-minute meals. I have one simple trick I use when I’m already cooking a meat dish that makes this simple zucchini taste even better. Give this easy zucchini recipe a try the next time you need to add a vegetable to your meal in a hurry!
Easy Zucchini Side Dish For Healthy Meals
Now that I’m in my 30s, one thing I’ve been really focusing on is adding more fiber and protein into my diet while also making sure that I’m getting enough carbs to fuel my runs. But, I’m still not a fan of any crash diets, and I’m not really counting my macros. My favorite way to eat right is simply choosing options that match from things I already love eating.
This zucchini is part of my Five Spice Chicken Rice Plate, with Taiwanese Five Spice Chicken and High Fiber Furikake Veggie Rice. It’s such a satisfyingly high fiber bowl I can eat again and again! In fact, when I posted this on Instagram recently, I had so many requests for the recipe!
4 Ingredients For Zucchini Side Dish
- 2 zucchini, sliced into thick rounds
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- oil, or reserved fat from cooking meat
Secret Tip For Extra Flavorful Zucchini
Zucchini is a low-calorie, nutrient-rich vegetable that is packed with fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants with a high water content. It requires minimal prep work and cooks pretty quickly, so it’s my top choice for a last minute cooked veggie-side dish.
It’s pretty good with just salt, pepper, and oil. But, I actually have a quick trick to elevating that flavor to the next level: pan drippings. After I finish cooking a meat dish, like my Taiwanese Five Spice Chicken, and want to add a veggie side, I use the same pan, with all the reserved drippings instead of using oil in a clean pan. This way, the zucchini soaks up all the flavor from the fat and the marinade or seasoning of the meat with no extra work at all.
How To Make Sautéed Zucchini
- Slice the zucchini into rounds about ½-inch thick. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Add 1 tbsp oil to the skillet, or reserve a skillet used to cook a meat dish with leftover rendered fat. Add the zucchini to the hot skillet in a single layer.
- Cook over medium to medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown while still slightly firm in the center.
- If your zucchini releases a lot of water, increase the heat slightly and avoid overcrowding the pan. This will help it sear rather than steam.
Use the Leftover Fat from These Main Dishes for Extra Flavor!
Easy 5 Minute Pan-Fried Zucchini
By Tiffy Cooks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini sliced into thick rounds
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp oil or reserved fat from cooking meat
Instructions
- Slice the zucchini into rounds about ½-inch thick. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Add 1 tbsp oil to the skillet, or reserve a skillet used to cook a meat dish with leftover rendered fat. Add the zucchini to the hot skillet in a single layer.
- Cook over medium to medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown while still slightly firm in the center.
- If your zucchini releases a lot of water, increase the heat slightly and avoid overcrowding the pan. This will help it sear rather than steam.
