Italian Sauteed Zucchini and Onions: Easy Recipe

If you’re searching for a simple and delicious side dish to complement any meal, you’ll love this Italian sautéed zucchini and onions recipe. Tender, fresh zucchini and onions are quickly panfried in fragrant olive oil until they reach a perfectly golden hue.

If you enjoy zucchini recipes, be sure to try my recipe for zucchini and eggs.
It’s a tasty and versatile dish that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Jump to:

• Introduction
• Mise en place
• Instructions
• Tips
• FAQ
• Serving suggestions
• Easy zucchini recipes
• Recipe origins
• Recipe

Introduction

If you are a fan of zucchini and have them growing in your backyard, you probably know you don’t need to have a green thumb to get an overabundance of Italian squash!

But what do you do with your surplus harvest?

Thankfully, zucchini is a versatile veggie that can be cooked in many ways.

Roast them in the oven with peppers, onions, and tomatoes to make a delicious vegetable casserole.

Another great way to enjoy zucchini during the summer months is by grilling it. You can then marinate the grilled zucchini ribbons or roll them with a ricotta filling to make low-carb gluten-free zucchini lasagna rolls, or simply use your air fryer or oven to make the best zucchini sticks. Did you know you can also make a pizza with zucchini?

If you’re looking for an effortless way to change the taste of zucchini, try this easy sauteed zucchini recipe. The zucchini becomes tender and sweet as it cooks in the cast-iron skillet, caramelizing slightly.

The best part about this easy recipe is that only a few ingredients are needed: zucchini, onions, olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs such as parsley and/or oregano if available. A grating of Parmesan cheese is optional.

Mise en place

There’s a little bit of prep work in this recipe. So grab your sharpest knife and let’s get started!

Prep the zucchini: In this dish, fresh zucchini forms the foundation. You need about 1½ pounds (680 grams) of zucchini or yellow squash. Depending on their size, this is about 3-4 small to medium zucchini. 

Trim off the ends and cut them into ¼-inch rounds. Do not remove the outer skin. 

Place in a colander and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt. Toss and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes. 

Then, place a clean kitchen towel on the countertop. Remove the zucchini slices from the colander and place them on the tea towel. Gently pat dry the top with another tea towel. Paper towels can also be used. 

Prep the garlic: While waiting for the salt to draw out the moisture from the zucchini, crush 2-3 garlic cloves with the side of your knife. Remove the papery skins and cut off the tips. Give them a coarse chop. 

Prep the onion: Remove the outer skin of one small onion (or shallot) using your hands or a knife before cutting it into slivers. 

Instructions

Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil onto a 12-inch (or wider) large skillet (cast-iron) with high sides over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the sliced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Increase to medium-high heat and add the sliced zucchini in a single layer. 

Cook undisturbed until browned around the edges, about 3-4 minutes, then flip them gently using tongs; you may need to work in batches depending on how large your pan is. Add garlic during the last 2 minutes of cooking to infuse zucchini with a savory flavor.

Remove pan from heat, add 1 tablespoon of minced fresh parsley or oregano and combine gently. Taste to adjust for seasonings.

Garnish with extra Italian parsley or oregano and a cheese grating if desired.

Tips

• The key to avoiding soggy zucchini is to drain out as much excess moisture as possible by salting first then draining in a colander for 30 minutes; finally, pat the zucchini dry using paper towels right before sauteeing. 
• Use a wide skillet to avoid overcrowding the zucchini slices. 
• When cooking, taste before adding more salt to avoid the dish becoming too salty. 

FAQ

Serving suggestions

When it comes to side dishes, sauteed zucchini is an Italian classic. This simple dish is quick to prepare and can be served with various main courses.

It pairs well with grilled chicken or baked fish. It can also be combined with orzo or pasta. or other vegetables like caramelized cabbage or glazed carrots.

You can serve sauteed zucchini with a big Italian salad if you want a lighter option. Whatever you choose to serve with your sauteed zucchini is sure to please.

Easy zucchini recipes

Have you ever tried cooking zucchini with eggs? If you haven’t, here are some of my favorite zucchini recipes for you to try.

Another simple recipe is this zucchini and eggs scramble. Adding the grated cheese is, of course, totally optional, but oh so very delicious! This vegetarian zucchini fritter recipe is tasty and so easy to make.

Take a look at these easy zucchini recipes for more inspiration.

If you still have plenty of zucchini left in your garden, may I suggest giving them away to your neighbor in honor of Sneak Some Zucchini onto your Neighbor’s Porch Day?

……..Yes. Really. There is such a day. And according to this resource, August 8^th, is that day. One can only assume that this movement was started because zucchini is truly easy to grow and provides such a bountiful harvest. 

So go ahead and share the goodness and enjoy some fun with your neighbors.

Recipe origins

So it’s back to my Italian-Canadian upbringing for this sauteed zucchini and onions recipe. I’ve already mentioned how I grew up in a household where certain meals were set for certain days of the week.

For example, Tuesday and Thursday suppers and Sunday lunches were reserved for pasta dishes. No exceptions. Ever.

This zucchini onion recipe was part of the line-up for Friday suppers, which back then were always meatless. 

I vividly remember my Mom making this Italian sautéed zucchini recipe. She would always have two pans going… there were many mouths to feed… When these fantastic vegetables (onions) and fruit (zucchini) attained their golden perfection, she sometimes added a few well-beaten eggs and became a zucchini and eggs recipe. The final addition would be a generous addition, a GENEROUS addition of Parmesan cheese.

Absolutely, over the top!

And there you have it, sauteed zucchini and onions –another simple and tasty recipe to use up all that wonderful summer squash!

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★★★★★ If you have made this easy zucchini 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 7, 2016, republished on August 19, 2021 and more recently on August 4, 2022 with updated content. Thanks for sharing!