Zucchini and Eggs (Zucchine Cacio e Uova)

Zucchini and eggs, known in Italian as zucchine cacio e uova, is a one-pan summer recipe ready in 20 minutes that works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Simple, authentic, and straight from Nonna’s kitchen.

Zucchini and eggs are one of those simple Italian summer dishes that every Italian family makes a little differently, but everyone loves equally.

Known in Italian as zucchine cacio e uova (zucchini with cheese and eggs), this is the dish my Nonna made for us every Friday in summer, using zucchini and parsley we picked together from the garden that same morning.

Golden sauteed zucchini and onion, slightly crispy at the edges, folded together with a whisked egg, Romano cheese, and fresh flat-leaf parsley. One pan, 20 minutes, and a plateful of something that tastes like summer in Italy.

If your garden is overflowing with zucchini right now, or if you are staring at one from the farmers’ market wondering what to do with it, this is the recipe.

It works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or a light dinner, and it is one of the quickest ways I know to turn a single zucchini into something truly delicious. 

Jump to:

• Quick Overview
• What You’ll Need
• How to Prepare Your Ingredients
• How to Make Zucchini and Eggs
• Tips
• Substitutions
• FAQ
• More Zucchini Recipes
• Recipe Inspiration
• Recipe

Quick Overview

• Prep Time: 4 minutes
• Cook Time: 16 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 1 serving (easily doubled or tripled)
• Special Touch: Whisking the egg with a tablespoon of water before adding it to the pan creates a light, fluffy texture that holds the zucchini together beautifully. It is the small technique that makes this dish feel restaurant-quality.
• Dietary Note: Gluten-free as written. Vegetarian.
• Serving Suggestions: Serve alongside a tomato cucumber salad for a complete summer meal, or with rustic Italian bread to soak up the pan juices.

What You’ll Need

• Fresh zucchini (small to medium). The fresher the better, ideally from your garden or a farmers market the same day. Small to medium zucchini have a sweeter, more delicate flavor and fewer seeds than large overgrown ones. Do not peel it. The skin adds color, texture, and nutrition.
• Yellow onion. Sliced thinly lengthwise so it softens and sweetens in the pan without becoming mushy. You can substitute a French shallot for a milder, slightly sweeter result.
• Fresh garlic. Sliced in half rather than minced. This gives you a gentle, sweet garlic flavor that perfumes the oil without overpowering the delicate zucchini.
• Extra virgin olive oil. Just one tablespoon, added in two stages. Half for the onion and half for the zucchini. This keeps everything light and lets the vegetables shine.
• One egg (room temperature). Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly and cook more evenly than cold eggs straight from the fridge. Take it out while you prep the vegetables.
• Romano cheese (freshly grated). Sharp, salty, and intensely flavored. Romano is the right choice here. It seasons the egg mixture from within and creates little pockets of melted cheese throughout the finished dish. Freshly grated only; pre-packaged will not melt properly.
• Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley. This is not optional. Fresh flat-leaf parsley is what bridges the egg and zucchini flavors and gives the dish its characteristic brightness. My Nonna never skipped it, and neither should you.
• Water. This is the secret to fluffy, light scrambled eggs. The water turns to steam as the egg cooks, creating a delicate texture. Do not substitute milk. Water gives a cleaner result with this dish.
• Salt and black pepper. Season the zucchini while it cooks, then taste again after the egg is set. Romano is already quite salty, so add carefully.

How to Prepare Your Ingredients

Prep the garlic: Remove the papery skin of 2-3 garlic cloves and cut off the tips. Slice them in half.  Feel free to use more (or less) according to your preference and the size of your cloves. Set aside.

Prep the zucchini: Rinse 1 small to medium-sized zucchini under running water. Chop into ½-inch quarters by cutting off the ends and slicing in half, lengthwise. Cut each half again. Line up the quarters.

Cut the zucchini crosswise at ½-inch intervals, leaving the skin on. 

Prep the onion: Slice one small yellow onion lengthwise into ¼-inch thick slices, just like we did for these caramelized onions.

Mince the parsley: Finally, mince 1-1½ tablespoons of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley. 

How to Make Zucchini and Eggs

Heat half a tablespoon of olive oil in a large 9-inch or wider cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the thinly sliced onions and toss to coat in the oil. Cook, occasionally stirring, until translucent and almost softened, about 3-5 minutes.

Add the remaining half tablespoon of olive oil, the quartered zucchini (about 6 ounces), and 2 to 3 sliced garlic cloves. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Increase the heat to medium-high and sauté, stirring and shaking the pan frequently, until lightly golden and crispy at the edges, about 7 to 10 minutes. The zucchini should be cooked through but still have a little bite. Taste for doneness.

Meanwhile, whisk together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water, 1 to 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Romano cheese, and 1 heaping tablespoon of minced fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley until well combined.

When the zucchini is golden and ready, pour the egg mixture over the pan and let it sit undisturbed for 30 seconds. Then gently stir and shake the pan for about 1 minute, until the egg is just set and scrambled. Do not overcook. The egg should look soft and glossy, not dry.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with extra grated Romano and a pinch of fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Tips

• This recipe is standardized for one serving and scales beautifully. To serve two, simply double all ingredients and use a wider pan so the zucchini still has room to brown rather than steam.
• Use a large pan to sauté the zucchini. This creates a lightly crispy exterior with a golden color. Since the pieces are not crowded, this prevents them from stewing in their own juices and turning soggy.
• Use fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley. This herb balances and brightens the overall flavor of the entire dish and is what makes this recipe taste authentically Italian.
• Serve immediately while the eggs are still soft and the zucchini is crispy. This dish is also lovely at room temperature, making it perfect for a summer lunch or a picnic.

Substitutions

• Replace the yellow onion with a French shallot for a milder, slightly sweeter flavor. A leek (white part only) also works beautifully and gives a more delicate result.
• Replace the fresh parsley with other fresh herbs you may have on hand, like basil, chives, or thyme. Fresh basil is particularly delicious in August when it is at its peak.
• Replace Romano cheese with Pecorino or Parmesan. Romano gives the sharpest, most authentic flavor, but Parmesan produces a milder, nuttier result. Always use freshly grated.
• Replace the whole egg with two egg whites for a lighter, lower-cholesterol version that still holds together beautifully. As a retired dietitian, I often recommend this modification.
• Add a handful of halved cherry tomatoes in the last 2 minutes of cooking for a classic southern Italian variation. Bell peppers (as reader Deborah’s grandmother made it) are also a wonderful addition.

FAQ

More Zucchini Recipes

If you love this zucchini and eggs recipe, here are a few more favorite ways to enjoy zucchini any time of day:

Looking for even more inspiration? Browse my complete collection of easy zucchini recipes for everything from appetizers to dinner and dessert.

Recipe Inspiration

Growing up Italian meant my siblings and I had the privilege of living with my paternal grandparents until we all moved out of the house.  Both my grandparents lived well into their mid-90s. 

During the summer, my nonna would lovingly prepare this simple Italian zucchini recipe for her grandkids, usually for lunch on Fridays. 

I still remember how I would run to hold her hand when she would say, “andiamo in giardino,” let’s go in the garden.  I would help her pick zucchini and parsley for this dish and cucumbers and tomatoes for the salad.  If you have visited here before, you know that my dad was an avid gardener with the most amazing backyard garden. 

My Nonna would sometimes make this recipe with a gagootz, which if you are of Italian descent, you know refers to Cucuzza or summer squash. As I recall, we had a very generous Sicilian neighbor who would always share his crop. 

I do hope you get a chance to try this easy Italian recipe from my childhood. 

★★★★★ If you have made this zucchini egg recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

This post was originally published on August 12, 2020 and republished on June 27, 2022, and again on June 11, 2026, with updated content. Thanks for sharing.