How To Cook Zucchini
This post may contain affiliate links.
Learn how to cook zucchini 4 ways with this simple step-by-step guide. Whether you want to make grilled zucchini, roasted zucchini in the oven, sautéed zucchini on the stovetop, or zucchini roasted in an air fryer, this blog post will teach you how! Using these easy tested and perfected methods will give you delicious, healthy cooked zucchini every time.
Table of contents
While zucchini is in peak season during the summer months, I love to take advantage by making it every way I can! If I’m making a meal on the grill, I’ll slice the zucchini into spears, season them and throw them right on the grill.
When I’m cooking dinner inside, I’ll sauté, oven roast, or air fry the zucchini. Each method will result in a slightly different texture, and I’ll tell you all about it in this post. The great news is, it takes 20 minutes or less, using any of these methods, to cook zucchini.
If you have some summer squash on hand, you can also use any of the cooking methods in this post to cook it, or to cook a combination of zucchini and summer squash together. Use these delicious recipes to make the most of your summer zucchini garden!
Grilled zucchini
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat, between 350-400 degrees fahrenheit.
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise into spears and add it to a large bowl or baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the zucchini, then season it with vegetable seasoning. (Click the link for my easy homemade veggie seasoning recipe, or simply use a combination of salt and pepper.)
- Once the grill is hot, add the zucchini to the grill and cook for 4-6 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes, or until it starts to char slightly on the outside. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.
Instead of seasoning the zucchini before grilling it, you can also marinate it, using this zucchini recipe.
Oven roasted zucchini
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Dice the zucchini into 1 inch cubes and add them to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then season the zucchini with vegetable seasoning.
- Arrange the zucchini in an even layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the oven to roast for 18-20 minutes.
Sautéed zucchini
- Use a sharp knife to slice the zucchini into half moon shapes. Start by slicing the zucchini in half lengthwise, then into ¼ inch slices.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the zucchini to the pan, and season with vegetable seasoning. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Air fryer zucchini
- Dice the zucchini into 1 inch cubes. Add them to a bowl and toss with olive oil, vegetable seasoning or Italian seasoning, and parmesan cheese (optional).
- Place in a single layer in an air fryer basket. This will allow the zucchini to cook evenly and get crispy on the outside. For this recipe, I used a 5.8 quart air fryer and I was able to cook 1 pound of diced zucchini in one batch.
- Slide the basket into the air fryer and cook at 400°F for 13-15 minutes.
- Remove the air fryer basket and serve the zucchini immediately.
What’s the best way to cook zucchini?
- Fastest: on the stove, or on the grill. If you need a quick zucchini recipe, I recommend you either saute it or grill it. With either method, you’ll have cooked zucchini in just 10 minutes.
- Best texture: I’m a huge fan of the texture and flavor of grilled zucchini and air fried zucchini. Grilled zucchini is tender, with a little bit of char on the outside that adds a nice texture to it. Zucchini cooked in an air fryer is tender, without being mushy at all.
- Best overall: I have to go with the grill, but if you don’t have a grill handy, go ahead and cook the zucchini in an air fryer.
All in all, you can’t go wrong with any of these methods! If you follow my tips throughout this post, you’ll have perfectly cooked zucchini, that’s never soggy, no matter the method used to cook it.
Ways to season it
Zucchini is delicious with a simple seasoning of salt and pepper. But if you’d like to amp up the flavor of the zucchini, try these seasonings, sauces, and toppings to finish the zucchini with tons of flavor.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the zucchini after you cook it.
- Grate lemon zest over the zucchini after you cook it.
- Use lemon pepper seasoning to add delicious flavor to the zucchini.
- Top the zucchini with 2 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese after you grill it or roast it.
- Toss 1-2 teaspoons of fresh herbs in at the end of the cooking time on the stove.
- Mix in 1 teaspoon minced garlic during the last minute of cook time on the stove.
- Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the zucchini after you cook it.
- Drizzle with a sauce, like Spicy Cashew Dressing, Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce, or Harissa Tahini Sauce.
Ways to serve it
Zucchini, whether grilled, roasted, air fried, or sautéed, is a delicious addition to so many meals. Try adding it to these bowls, salads, pasta dishes, and more!
- Add sautéed zucchini to any stir fry, or use this Beef Stir Fry recipe.
- Use grilled zucchini in this Grilled Vegetable Lo Mein recipe.
- Add cooked zucchini to your favorite bowls, like these Thai Peanut Buddha Bowls, Balsamic Salmon Bowls, or these Bruschetta Grilled Chicken Bowls.
- Incorporate cooked zucchini in salads, like this BBQ Chicken Salad, Steak Salad, Greek Orzo Salad or Avocado Pesto Chicken Salad.
- Stir cooked zucchini into your favorite pasta dish, like Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta, this simple Garlic Mushroom Pasta, Caprese Pasta, Garlic Shrimp Scampi, or Pasta Boscaiola.
- Serve grilled zucchini on this Mediterranean Hummus Plate.
Any of these cooking methods will also give you a perfect zucchini side dish to serve with your favorite entrees, like steak or grilled chicken.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover cooked zucchini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. I recommend reheating the leftovers in an air fryer, or on the stove, for the best texture.
If the zucchini is in spears, dice it up first, then add it to an air fryer basket and reheat at 400°F for 2-3 minutes. To reheat it on the stove, heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add a drizzle of oil. Add the diced zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until heated throughout.
More kitchen tutorials
Become a pro in the kitchen! Don’t miss these other quick and easy cooking how-to posts!
How To Cook Zucchini
Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable seasoning, Italian seasoning, or 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Grilled
- Preheat a grill over medium-high heat, between 350-400°F.
- Cut the zucchini lengthwise into spears and add it to a large bowl or baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the zucchini, then season it with vegetable seasoning.
- Once the grill is hot, add the zucchini to the grill and cook for 4-6 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and serve immediately.
Sauteed
- Use a sharp knife to slice the zucchini into half moon shapes. Start by slicing the zucchini in half lengthwise, then into ¼ inch slices.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the zucchini, season with vegetable seasoning and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Oven Roasted
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Dice the zucchini into 1 inch cubes and add them to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with vegetable seasoning.
- Arrange the zucchini in an even layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the oven to roast for 18-20 minutes.
Air Fryer
- Dice the zucchini into 1 inch cubes.
- Add the cubed zucchini to a bowl and toss with the olive oil, 1 tablespoon vegetable seasoning or Italian seasoning, and 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese (optional addition).
- Place in a single layer in an air fryer basket. Slide the basket into the air fryer and cook at 400°F for 13-15 minutes.
- Remove the air fryer basket and serve the zucchini immediately.
Notes
- This recipe is naturally gluten free and vegan, if you omit the added parmesan cheese in the air fryer version.
- Store leftover cooked zucchini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. I recommend reheating the leftovers in an air fryer, or on the stove, for the best texture.
- Reheating in the air fryer: if the zucchini is in spears, dice it up first, then add it to an air fryer basket and reheat at 400°F for 2-3 minutes.
- To reheat it on the stove: heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add a drizzle of oil. Add the diced zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until heated throughout.
Nutrition Facts
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
