The perfect summer recipe, Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Herbed Parmesan is a fresh, light, savory, and easy side dish.
This recipe was originally published on September 2, 2019. It was updated on June 1, 2022.
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Original blog post from September 2, 2019, in honor of Bill, our first rescue pup:
Our sweet pup, Bill, passed away this past weekend so it's been a hard week. I've been hanging on Chris and family, our existing dog, Allie, the support of friends, and self-care to get through it. One thing that's been weirdly therapeutic was going to the farmer's market and writing up this sautéed summer squash and zucchini recipe for you.
Writing up a recipe isn't a way you self soothe, you say? Totally get it. Not the first time I've gotten that look.
But, the fresh and local part are carrying a lot of weight these days. Going to the market, seeing people out and about, and taking care of us by buying healthy food has this unique way of lifting me back up.
This veggie side dish is one I've been making for a while now, so it's grounding to return to a dish I've known and loved for some time now.
What seems like a pretty straightforward sautéed summer squash and zucchini recipe ends up being so much more than that with just a few simple ingredients and steps. Fresh garlic, shredded parmesan cheese, minced parsley, and salt bring out the squash flavors in a nutritious dish that soothes from the inside-out.
This sautéed yellow and zucchini squash recipe is...
- Tender
- Sweet
- Garlicky
- Cheesy
Make the most of your fresh squash with this easy and delicious veggie side dish!
Ingredients:
- Zucchini - fresh squash with deep green skins are what we are looking for with this recipe.
- Yellow squash - summer squash, crookneck squash, or yellow patty pan squash
- Shredded parmesan cheese - the fresh kind that you find in the refrigerated aisle is the best for this recipe.
- Minced parsley
- Garlic - fresh is best
- Olive oil - extra virgin olive oil will provide the best flavor to this dish, though virgin oil also works well.
- Unsalted butter
Substitutions:
- Parmesan cheese - grated parmesan cheese can substitute for the shredded cheese
- Garlic - pre-minced and bottled garlic can substitute for the fresh garlic in a pinch
- Parsley - dried parsley can work in place of the fresh parsley. Just use ⅓ of the amount.
How to sauté squash and zucchini:
- Sauté the squash in the olive oil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until squash is golden brown and tender.
- Add the minced garlic to the veggies and sauté until fragrant but not burned.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the butter to the vegetables and stir until melted. Season the squash with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve hot!
Sautéed yellow squash & zucchini recipe pro-tips:
- Use fresh produce - the fresher the produce, the sweeter and more tender the sautéed veggies will be. See my notes below for when zucchini and squash are ripe and how to pick the best ones.
- Cut the veggies uniformly - uniform veggies will cook the quickest and most evenly. Even if the veggies are different shapes, they should be the same over all volume or size for the best cooking experience.
How do you sauté squash and zucchini without it getting mushy?
Sautéed right, zucchini can be the star of the show. To keep it crisp, tender, and not mushy, you want to....
- Cook the zucchini on higher heat. I recommend medium-high.
- Stir the zucchini often throughout the cooking time. This helps the moisture to evaporate quickly as it cooks.
- Add the butter to the vegetables at the end of the cooking time. Since butter has extra water content, add it at the end of the cooking time instead of the beginning. Adding at the beginning just adds extra moisture that needs to be evaporated while cooking.
When are zucchini and squash in season?
Zucchini and yellow squash are at their peak in the mid-to-late summer months. Here in Colorado, I love to pick up zucchini and farmers markets and this year I'm even trying to grow some myself (cross your fingers, lol).
Zucchini and squash can also be fresh delicious at major grocery stores year round. Just check them for freshness before purchasing.
How do you pick good zucchini and squash?
To pick fresh, good zucchini and yellow squash look for a smooth skin with no pock marks, wrinkling, or bruising. The best squash have a firm (but not dense) body; they are not foamy or spongy feeling.
Finally, I have found that the sweetest zucchini and yellow squashes are those that aren't too large. Often, the larger the squash get, the more watery and less flavorful they are (those squash are usually better to use in zucchini bread).
What are the best herbs for yellow squash and zucchini?
My favorite herb for zucchini is curly parsley. It's savory, earthy, and the perfect complement to the sweet flavor of the zucchini.
If you don't have curly parsley, dried parsley or fresh flat leaf parsley are great substitutes. Otherwise, fresh or dried thyme are also delicious herbs for zucchini.
Recipe FAQs:
Nope! You don't need to peel yellow squash. The only squash you should need to peel (or, scoop the flesh out of) are the harder skinned fall squash, like butternut squash or spaghetti squash
Yes, summer squash is a type of yellow squash. Other types of yellow squash include crookneck squash and patty squash. You can use any variety of yellow squash in this recipe as long as they are cut into uniform pieces.
Just rinse the squash under running cool water and lightly brush the squash with your fingers or a washcloth until all the flecks of dirt are rinsed off. The skin of a yellow squash is often too delicate to stand up to the harsh scrubbing of a vegetable brush or brillo pad. Once rinsed, pat dry or air dry the squash before continuing with it in the recipe.
Dietary adaptations:
This sauteed zucchini and yellow squash recipe is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and processed sugar-free. To make it dairy-free and vegan, substitute vegan butter or additional olive oil for the butter and vegan parmesan cheese for the cheese (or omit it all together).
Serving suggestions:
You can serve these sautéed vegetables almost anywhere you want a fresh and easy side dish. I recommend with...
- Sloppy Joes
- Burgers
- Grilled chicken
- Chicken or turkey bolognese
- Air fryer salmon
- Lasagna
- Shrimp scampi
Storage tips:
Leftover zucchini keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It does not freeze well.
Tools needed to make this recipe:
More delicious zucchini recipes:
- Air Fryer Zucchini
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Air Fryer Vegetables
- Steak Soup
- Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
- Mountain Breakfast Skillet
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