Pan-Seared Zucchini

By Lidey Heuck

Updated July 23, 2021

Pan-Seared Zucchini
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(1,155)
Comments
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A zucchini and a steak may not have much in common, but, like steak, zucchini takes incredibly well to the method of quickly searing in a smoking hot pan. Zucchini has a high water content, so cooking it fast means it retains its structure and doesn’t release too much water, and doing so over high heat yields a beautiful char. A quick baste with brown butter, rosemary and garlic adds even more steakhouselike flavor. The recipe calls for 1½ tablespoons butter, but feel free to use a bit more if you like. Finally, choose smaller zucchini if you can; they tend to be less watery, more flavorful, and contain smaller seeds than their larger counterparts. If you can only find larger zucchini (or if you only have a 10-inch skillet), use two zucchini instead of three to avoid crowding the pan.

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Ingredients

Yield:3 to 4 servings
  • 3small zucchini (6 to 8 inches each) 
  • 1tablespoon grapeseed, safflower or other high-heat cooking oil
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1½tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more to taste
  • 1garlic clove, peeled and smashed
  • 1fresh rosemary sprig (or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary)
  • Coarse sea salt, for serving
  • Lemon zest, for serving
  • Red-pepper flakes, for serving 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

89 calories; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 233 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim the zucchini lengthwise on two opposite sides to create flat edges. Discard the scraps and cut the zucchini in half lengthwise into two planks that are about ½-inch thick. (If you’re using larger zucchini, you may get three planks from each one.) Pat them dry with a paper towel, pressing gently but firmly on both sides to absorb any moisture.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high. Add the oil and heat until it’s almost smoking. Add the zucchini, spacing them evenly in the pan and pressing lightly with a spatula so that the planks make contact with the pan. Sprinkle the tops with salt and pepper, and cook for about 3 minutes, until the zucchini is nicely charred on the bottom. Lower the heat to medium, flip the zucchini, and season with salt and pepper again. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the bottom is charred.

  3. Step 3

    Turn the heat to low and add the butter, garlic and rosemary. Carefully tilt the pan, letting the garlic and rosemary cook in the butter for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the butter has begun to brown. Spoon the butter over the zucchini, and cook for another minute, flipping them a few times to coat both sides with the butter.

  4. Step 4

    Transfer the zucchini to a serving platter, along with the garlic and rosemary, and spoon any butter that’s left in the pan on top. Top with coarse sea salt, lemon zest and red-pepper flakes, and serve hot.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,155 user ratings
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Comments

Kathryn

Don't discard the "scraps!" Dice and put in a salad. Add to an omelet. Or, better yet, don't trim the zucchini in the first place. We should not be throwing away perfectly good food.

Mike Kruger

Would this work with eggplant?

Ess

If you don't want so much fat, just place the zucchini 'steaks' on a lightly oiled (or else nonstick) sheet-pan in a hot oven (say, 425, low shelf). Optional: You can finish off briefly under the broiler—or not. Just be sure to watch broiling closely, as not to burn. We season the slabs before cooking, e.g., w granulated onion, Thyme, pepper + a little sea salt... but you could do it plain, too. Super easy in the oven—and low-fat, low-cholesterol, sears with hardly any clean-up. Comes out great.

Jenny Tyrrell

I note so many recipes call for red pepper flakes. In European countries red pepper flakes refers to flakes made from dried red bell peppers. It would be helpful if all NYTs recipes specify red pepper flakes as either red chili pepper flakes (in European recipes just ‘chili flakes’) or red bell pepper flakes.

Jan Maugans

Very, very good! I made it on the grill with high heat and did the sauce on the stove. One garlic clove, really! I used 5 (my family is half garlic). The butter browned nicely, and I added salt to the sauce because it was dull without it since I did the zucchini separately. It was very tasty, but I wouldn't have made it if I hadn't also been making grilled marinated chicken. They complimented each other nicely.

Kyle Strode

Try this on the grill: - heat grill very hot -season the zucchini planks according to the recipe - lightly spray with spray oil -roast for a minute or two on each side so they have nice grill marks - drizzle with balsamic reduction

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