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Home » Recipes » Food

Published: Feb 22, 2022, By: Melissa, Updated: Oct 15, 2023

Brown Butter Sautéed Zucchini

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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.

Zucchini slices in a pan with brown butter and minced garlic on top.
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 buttered 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 the brown butter sauteed zucchini on a plate.
Closeup of that delicious brown butter zucchini.

Here are the ingredients you will need

  • Fresh zucchini. You will need to work with fresh zucchini if you want to make sautéed zucchini because frozen will not hold together.
  • Butter.
  • Fresh garlic. I like to add this at the very end of cooking the sautéed zucchini so the garlic does not burn.
  • 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.

How To Make

Steps to making the brown butter sauted zucchini from slicing the zucchini, browning the butter, cooking the zucchini in brown butter then adding the garlic and salt at the end of cooking.

This side dish is so simple. Here are the steps:

  • Slice the zucchini: slice the zucchini into rings about ½ inch thick.
  • Brown the butter: In a large pan, add butter and melt on low heat until it starts to brown.
  • Cook the zucchini: Now add the zucchini to the brown butter and cook on both sides.
  • Add seasonings: Once the zucchini is cooked, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and toss for a minute to let the garlic soften.

Variations

  • Use less butter: 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!
  • Use squash. You can use just yellow squash or 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.

Storing

Make extra because this one is so delicious the next day. Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge (for up to 3 days). Reheat the zucchini in the microwave covered with a paper towel for about 1-2 minutes on medium heat.

More Zucchini Recipe Recipes

  • Italian Baked Zucchini
  • Zucchini Pancakes
  • Chorizo and Zucchini Galette
  • Mexican Zucchini Pudding
  • Zucchini and Tomatoes
  • Grilled Zucchini and Squash
  • Pasta with Zucchini
Zucchini slices in a pan with brown butter and minced garlic on top.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Brown Butter Sautéed Zucchini

The best sautéed zucchini recipe that is also really easy to make.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Melissa Oleary

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

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 159mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 557IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Values are estimates only.

See full nutrition disclaimer here

Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!

Course :Side Dish, Snack

Reader Interactions

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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I am so excited you are here. My name is Melissa and I started this recipe website to share easy recipes that I have been cooking for years. I have written hundreds of easy recipes that are tested and perfected. Some of the recipes I learned during my years of working in restaurants, some from owning my own food company, and others from friends and traveling.

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