Name: Brown Butter Sautéed Zucchini
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 3 medium zucchini (cut into 1/4 inch slices); 3 tbsp unsalted butter; pinch of red pepper flakes; 3 cloves of garlic (finely minced); 1/4 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste); freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Brown butter sautéed zucchini is hands down one of my favorite ways to eat zucchini. It is such an easy zucchini recipe to make and it is as uncomplicated as it gets. Sautéing the zucchini with brown butter in a pan until it gets a beautiful brown crust takes only minutes and it is so good. It is finished with minced garlic at the end for the best tasting zucchini.

brown butter zucchini — Delicious Brown Butter Sautéed Zucchini

Whether you are looking for a new zucchini recipe to use up the zucchini in your garden or you're trying to get a picky eater to try a new vegetable, this zucchini recipe really delivers. This sautéed zucchini makes a great quick snack (which I love making in the summer when I have lots of zucchini) or an amazing zucchini side dish.

closeup of brown butter zucchini — Closeup of that delicious brown butter zucchini.

Here are the ingredients you will need to make the best sautéed zucchini:

Fresh zucchini. You will need to work with fresh zucchini if you want to make sautéed zucchini because the frozen stuff will not hold together.
Butter. This is the brown butter portion of this brown butter zucchini recipe and it will give you that beautiful golden crust!
Fresh garlic. I like to add this at the very end of cooking the sautéed zucchini so the garlic does not burn. Everything tastes better with garlic!
Red pepper flakes. I almost always add red pepper flakes to my cooked veggies. It does not make the zucchini spicy but instead adds a little more depth of flavor.
Kosher salt and pepper.

Can I uses less butter for this zucchini recipe?

You can half the amount of butter in this zucchini recipe and replace it with extra virgin olive oil. You will need some butter since it is a brown butter zucchini recipe!

Can I make this Sautéed zucchini with squash?

You absolutely can swap out zucchini for squash. You can also mix the two and make brown butter sautéed zucchini and squash. Both will cook up the same and will taste delicious cooked this way.

More Zucchini Recipe Ideas:

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Brown Butter Sautéed Zucchini

The best sautéed zucchini recipe that is also really easy to make.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Servings: servings

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Equipment

large flat bottom pan

Ingredients

3 medium zucchini cut into ¼ inch slices
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
pinch of red pepper flakes
3 cloves of garlic finely minced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Pre-heat a large flat bottom pan over medium heat for a few minutes.
Add the butter and red pepper flakes and allow the butter to melt.
3 tablespoon unsalted butter, pinch of red pepper flakes
Once the butter begins to foam a little bit, add the zucchini slices making sure they do not overlap.
3 medium zucchini
Once in the pan, sprinkle the zucchini with half the salt and pepper.
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
Cook the first side of the zucchini for 5 minutes making sure not to turn them.
After 5 minutes, flip each zucchini slice over and sprinkle on the minced garlic and the remaining salt.
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 3 cloves of garlic
Cook the second side for one minute.
Remove from heat and serve immediately.