Sautéed Zucchini & Tomatoes
Golden-edged zucchini tossed with garlic and blistered cherry tomatoes until they slump into a light, juicy sauce — summer on a plate in 20 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
¾ cup- Net carbs
- 5.7g
- Calories
- 100kcal
- Protein
- 2.5g
- Fat
- 7.3g
- Total carbs
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 2.3 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Calabacitas (Mexican-style): The Southwestern skillet side: zucchini with green chiles, cumin, cilantro and melted queso fresco instead of basil and oregano — just without the corn.
- Add the cumin with the garlic and the green chiles with the tomatoes.
- Off the heat, scatter the cheese over the vegetables, cover the pan for 1–2 minutes to soften it, and finish with the cilantro.
With Italian sausage: Browned Italian sausage turns the side into a quick, one-skillet dinner.
- Brown the sausage in the skillet first, breaking it up, for 6–8 minutes, until no pink remains (160°F/71°C). Lift it out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
- Add the oil and brown the zucchini in the sausage fat as written, then return the sausage with the tomatoes. Check sausage labels for added sugar.
Zucchini & yellow squash: Half yellow summer squash gives a sunnier mix of colors and a slightly sweeter, softer bite.
- Brown the zucchini and squash together. Yellow squash softens a little faster, so pull the pan off the heat as soon as both are golden.
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $5.36 for 4 servings ($1.34 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Heat the oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the zucchini in a single layer, cut sides down as much as possible, and leave it alone for 3–4 minutes, until golden underneath.
-
Toss and cook 2 minutes more, until browned in spots but still firm. Season with half the salt.
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Push the zucchini to the edges, add the onion and garlic to the center and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and pale gold.
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Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook 2–3 minutes, tossing now and then, until the tomatoes blister and begin to burst into the pan juices.
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Take the pan off the heat. Season with the remaining salt and pepper, scatter with basil and top with parmesan if you like. Serve hot or warm.
Tips for success
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High heat and an uncrowded pan let the zucchini brown before it releases its water. If your skillet is smaller than 12 inches, brown the zucchini in two batches. - Salt the zucchini only once it has browned — salting raw zucchini pulls out water, and it stews instead of searing.
- Serve with crispy chicken thighs, garlic butter salmon or meatballs, or spoon it over cauliflower mash.
Nice to have, not needed
- A spoonful of basil pesto stirred in at the end is a lovely upgrade — it is bright and fresh without.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Reheat in a skillet over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes, or serve at room temperature.
Refrigerate up to 3 days and reheat in a skillet, or serve at room temperature. Not suitable for freezing — the zucchini turns watery.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosCalabacitas (Mexican-style)
FlavorThe Southwestern skillet side: zucchini with green chiles, cumin, cilantro and melted queso fresco instead of basil and oregano — just without the corn.
- dried oregano → ground cumin
- fresh basil leaves → cilantro
- + 1 can diced green chiles
- + 2 oz queso fresco or Monterey Jack
7.2 g net · 150 kcal · 5.3 g protein · 11 g fat · ≈$1.79 per serving (+1.5 g net carbs vs the original)
With Italian sausage
ProteinBrowned Italian sausage turns the side into a quick, one-skillet dinner.
- + 12 oz Italian sausage (mild or hot)
8.3 g net · 347 kcal · 14 g protein · 28 g fat · ≈$2.21 per serving (+2.6 g net carbs vs the original)
Zucchini & yellow squash
VeggiesHalf yellow summer squash gives a sunnier mix of colors and a slightly sweeter, softer bite.
- zucchini → zucchini
- + 1½ medium yellow squash
5.9 g net · 100 kcal · 2.5 g protein · 7.2 g fat · ≈$1.30 per serving (+0.2 g net carbs vs the original)
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