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Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash is one of my favorite quick side dishes to make when I have an abundance of summer squash on hand. It's fresh, crisp-tender, buttery, and ready in just minutes.
While my kids will happily gobble up Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, Zucchini Banana Bread, and Pineapple Zucchini Bread, getting them to enjoy zucchini and squash in savory dishes can be a bit more challenging. But with simple flavors and the perfect crisp-tender texture, this sautéed summer squash has been known to win over even the pickiest eaters.
Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash at a Glance
- Serves: 4 side dish servings
- Total Time: 15 minutes, including prep and cooking
- Works for Any Variety of Summer Squash: Yellow squash, zucchini, or a combination
- Flavor: Light, fresh, buttery, and simply seasoned so the sweet flavor of summer squash shines
- What Sets This Recipe Apart: Cutting the squash into ribbons using a vegetable peeler helps it cook quickly and evenly without turning mushy.
Recipe Highlights
Kristen's Keys for Sautéed Summer Squash
I have had sautéed yellow squash and zucchini sliced, diced, and cubed. It's fine, but it often turns mushy, or the seeds take over the dish.
The secret to really good sautéed summer squash comes down to how it is sliced and how quickly it is cooked.
- Use a vegetable peeler for quick, even ribbons. While a mandoline works beautifully, a vegetable peeler is a tool most everyone has. The goal is to cut the squash into thin strips so it cooks quickly and evenly.
- Don't overcook. The squash only needs a few minutes in the skillet. Stop once it is tender but still has a little bite.
- Do not salt until the end. Yellow squash and zucchini both contain a lot of water, and salting them too early draws out moisture, making the finished dish soggy instead of crisp-tender.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
- Summer Squash: Look for small, firm zucchini, yellow squash, or a combination of both. Smaller squash tend to be sweeter and less watery.
- Butter or Olive Oil: Butter adds richness, while olive oil keeps the recipe dairy-free. If you aren't dairy-free, I recommend using butter.
- Salt and Pepper: Use kosher salt to enhance the flavor without making the dish taste overly salty.
How to Make Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash
- Slice squash. Use a vegetable peeler, sharp knife, or mandoline to cut the summer squash into thin, vertical slices.
- Sauté zucchini and squash. Melt a bit of butter in a stainless steel skillet, add the ribbons of squash, and cook, stirring gently and often, until the squash begins to wilt but is still crisp-tender.
- Season. Remove from the heat and season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper.
Serving Suggestions
Because this summer squash sauté is light and simple, it pairs well with richer mains like burgers, grilled flank steak, or Instant Pot ribs. It also makes an easy vegetable side for busy weeknights with any of the following dishes:
Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash FAQs
Yes. Use any combination of zucchini and yellow squash.
Cut it thin, cook quickly, avoid overcrowding the pan, and wait to salt until after cooking.
Cutting the summer squash into lengthwise ribbons helps the dish look polished, cook quickly, and prevents the seeds from taking over the side dish. If needed, slice into thin horizontal slices and cook just until crisp-tender, stirring often.
I typically keep things simple with just salt and pepper, but feel free to dress it up with Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, adobo seasoning, parmesan, lemon zest, or fresh herbs. Just remember to add the seasonings after cooking.
For extra flavor, add 1 minced garlic clove during the last 30 seconds of cooking. Adding it too early can cause it to burn before the squash is tender.
More Summer Squash Recipes
Let's be honest, if you have a good-sized garden, you are likely looking for more than one, or ten, recipes for yellow squash or zucchini. While you must try this simple sautéed summer squash recipe, I have more recipes perfect for that garden harvest.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Sautéed Zucchini and Yellow Squash
Ingredients
- 2 small zucchini
- 2 small yellow squash
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, or extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and dry the summer squash. Using a vegetable peeler, slice or peel thin strips of zucchini and summer squash lengthwise, forming long strands of ribbons. Stop when the slices become nothing more than seeds. Alternatively, use a sharp knife or mandoline to slice the squash and zucchini into ¼-inch thin strips.
- In a medium to large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter slowly over medium-low heat.
- Once the butter has fully melted, add the ribbons of squash and zucchini, turn up the heat to medium-high, and sauté, gently stirring and flipping often until the squash is just crisp-tender, ~3-5 minutes.
- Once tender, remove the pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love these summer veggies! My kids loved it, too!
I loved that the vegetables are sliced so thinly that it barely took any time to cook them. Lovely flavours too!
This is such a fast recipe! So happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Ok, I can eat veggies like this everyday! Love that they are ribbons, gives it a pretty presentation. Light & tasty!
It does make for a fun presentation. Glad to hear you enjoyed Natalie.
I make this dish for myself, since my English husband doesn't like any kind of squash. I always add some Italian seasoning for a little depth and flavor, but that's just my preference.
So glad you enjoy this and I love the idea of adding Italian seasoning.
Yum! This is so delicious and full of flavor! I will definitely be making this again!
I am so glad you enjoyed Beth! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Delicious recipe, perfect for summer!
Glad you enjoyed
I found this recipe and will try it soon.
I have some carrots and zucchini to use up soon.
I am a full-time caretaker for my bed bound wife.
We live in Tucson, Arizona.
Reggie
I hope you & your wife enjoy! And what a blessing you are to your wife!