Try our recipe for sauteed zucchini and onions; it is a simple and delicious way of cooking zucchini in the pan. Serve them as a side dish or light main meal.
This is an easy and wonderful recipe for sauteed zucchini with onions! I was so impressed by it the first time I cooked it that I couldn't stop telling about it to just about anyone around me for several days. And I cooked the dish 3 times during that same week.
Mind you, I had lots of zucchini from a friend's garden... so I kept throwing them in just about anything I've cooked lately, including this cinnamon zucchini bread... Or this super delicious vegan zucchini curry.
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Recipe ingredients
- Zucchini: Smaller, thinner ones would be perfect. You will cut them into pretty rounds, and the dish will look stunning at the end.
- Pine nuts or sliced almonds; I use whatever I have in the pantry.
This recipe was inspired by Diane Henry's book Food From Plenty (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to saute zucchini with onions?
Step #1: Roast the pine nuts or sliced almonds in a dry pan. Remove them immediately.
Step #2: Soak the raisins in hot water while you prepare the rest.
Step #3: Saute the zucchini slices on one side until golden. Flip and cook on the other side. Repeat with the second batch. Transfer to a bowl.
Step #4: Cook sliced onions until a bit softer, about 3 minutes.
Step #5: Add garlic and cook for another minute.
Step #6: Transfer everything to the bowl, add raisins, lemon juice, and parsley, and toss. Add nuts before serving.
Good to know!
If your vegetables are very large, halve them lengthwise, remove the seeds with a spoon and slice the zucchini into half-moons.
If you have a glut of zucchini this summer, check out 33 Easy Recipes for Zucchini.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, but add the roasted pine nuts or almonds just before serving.
You can serve the dish at room temperature or reheat it.
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Keep the nuts in a separate container at room temperature.
You can reheat the leftovers, but it's not mandatory; they taste amazing at room temperature.
This sauteed zucchini recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Sauteed Zucchini with Onions
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts or sliced almonds
- ยผ cup raisins 30 g
- 1 lb zucchini 450 g, Note 1
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- juice of ยฝ lemon
- small bunch of parsley Note 2
Instructions
- Roast the pine nuts or sliced almonds in the heated skillet until golden and fragrant. Stand by the pan and shake it often to avoid burning the nuts. Transfer them immediately to a plate to cool.2 tablespoons pine nuts
- Soak raisins: Place the raisins into a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let soak until needed.ยผ cup raisins/ 30 g
- Slice zucchini into thin rounds, about 0.10 inch/ 3 mm thick. If using large zucchini, halve them, remove the seeds with a spoon and slice into half-moons.1 lb zucchini/ 450 g
- Saute zucchini in batches: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same skillet and add zucchini in a single layer. Saute on medium-high heat until golden on the underside, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip with a spatula and continue frying them until golden on the other side. Transfer the sauteed zucchini to a serving bowl. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan, saute the second batch, and transfer the cooked zucchini to the bowl.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Slice onions: In the meantime, halve the red onion and slice the halves. Slice the garlic cloves as well, but keep the two vegetables separate.1 medium red onion
- Saute onions: Add another tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions until softer, about 3 minutes, often stirring. Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute, stirring, until the garlic is golden and fragrant. Transfer the onions and garlic to the bowl of zucchini.1 tablespoon olive oil + 2 garlic cloves
- Add the drained raisins to the bowl. Add the lemon juice and the chopped parsley. Toss carefully and adjust the taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if necessary.juice of ยฝ lemon + small bunch of parsley
- Sprinkle the nuts on top just before serving.
Notes
- Zucchini: If using large garden zucchini, halve them and remove the mealy interior containing the seeds. Do that with a small spoon, scraping out the soft insides and leaving only the crunchy zucchini flesh. After removing the seeds, slice the halves into half-moons.
- Herbs: You can use a few sprigs of fresh mint instead, if you like it.
mjskitchen says
You know Adina - your recipe are never boring. A summer squash dish with almonds and raisins? Very creative and one I need to try. We're growing yellow zucchini which I would think would still work with this dish. Sounds so good!
allie says
Hi Adina! You are so blessed to have friends that share their produce! I'm thinking about this zucchini, but also the blackberries from a recent recipe. So generous. I have never tried zucchini prepared this way, but this looks so flavorful. I love the red onions and can imagine the almonds give a lovely crunch to it all. I can understand why the children might not request this, but I would have to be thinking... then more for me!! Wahoo! ๐ Thanks for sharing this beautiful recipes, I always love seeing what is going on in your amazing kitchen. XO