A classic Italian side dish featuring zucchini, yellow squash, and onion. Simply seasoned with a hint of garlic, herbs and pepper. Great served with pasta, lasagna, barbecue, potatoes, and beans.
One of the questions I am most often asked is, “don’t you need oil to sauté xxx?”. A similar question is, “how do you sauté without any oil?” I’m sure you’d agree that it can be daunting to consider a method contrary to everything you’ve learned about cooking.
For years, I sautéed with oil. It’s how everyone cooks, right?
As I learned more about cooking plant-based, I learned that I don’t need quite as much salt and oil that I once believed. Yes, a little of each certainly enhances food; but we typically overuse both. And while delicious, those hefty calories from the oil often end up around my waistline…. plus, excess sodium consumption isn’t very healthy either.
This simple vegetable side recipe illustrates how easy it is to make a delicious side dish without any additional butter, oil, or salt. You can certainly add any of them, but I think the squash and herbs make it wholly unnecessary.
This is a super simple classic Italian vegetable side dish that complements almost any pasta, soup, lasagna, potatoes, and bean dish. And sometimes, simple is best. Featuring chopped zucchini, yellow squash, and onion, this medley is made easily on the stove.
You can also roast this medley in the oven if you’re baking something in the oven and prefer something hands-off. Just be sure to cover your casserole dish with foil to prevent the zucchini and squash from drying out too much.
And I purposely keep it simple with just a hint of garlic, herbs, and pepper, though we occasionally finish this medley with a sprinkling of non-dairy parmesan cheese. If you haven’t tried Violife parmesan blocks or Follow Your Heart parmesan shreds, now’s the perfect time to sample them. Both taste great sprinkled over this Zucchini-Squash Medley.
Oh, and believe it or not, this medley is easy to prepare when camping. My husband and I love camping. Not only is this an easy side dish to prepare, all of the ingredients can be stored at room temperature – no refrigeration required!!
Simply create a foil tent packet by placing the veggies, garlic, and Italian seasoning blend in the center of a large square piece of foil, foil pan, or fire-safe cooking tin. Wrap tightly with foil or cover with a lid. Cook over hot coals for about 20-25 minutes, turning every 5-10 minutes to encourage even cooking and prevent hot/burn spots, until the veggies are tender.
You’ll just need to refrigerate any remaining Zucchini-Squash Medley in an air-tight container and consume within five days.
I hope you enjoy this Zucchini-Squash Medley as much as I do.
I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! Enjoy!!
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Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini, cubed
- 1 pound yellow squash, cubed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
- 2-3 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced (or 1 tsp dried)
- salt and pepper to taste (optional)
- non-dairy parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet or pot, combine and sauté the zucchini, squash, onions, and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes, adding a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth, if needed, to keep the vegetables from sticking.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning.
- Continue to sauté over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Once the vegetables are cooked to your desired preference, stir in the minced parsley, pepper, and salt (if using). Adjust seasonings, as desired.
- Remove from heat and serve with a sprinkling of vegan parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
If you prefer to cook this in the oven, roast at 375° F for 25-30 minutes. Be sure to cover with foil to prevent the zucchini and squash from drying out too much.
This medley is easy to prepare when camping. Create a foil tent packet by placing the veggies, garlic, and Italian seasoning blend in the center of a large square piece of foil, foil pan, or fire-safe cooking tin. Cover tightly with foil or lid. Cook over hot coals for about 25-30 minutes, turning every 5-10 minutes to encourage even cooking and prevent hot/burn spots, until veggies are tender.
Zucchini-Squash Medley (oil-free)
Equipment
- stovetop
Ingredients
- 1 pound zucchini cubed
- 1 pound yellow squash cubed
- 1 onion chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
- 2-3 Tbsp fresh parsley minced (or 1 tsp dried)
- salt and pepper to taste optional
- non-dairy parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet or pot, combine and sauté the zucchini, squash, onions, and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes, adding a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth, if needed, to keep the vegetables from sticking.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning and continue to sauté over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Once the vegetables are cooked to your desired preference, stir in the minced parsley, pepper, and salt (if using). Adjust seasonings, as desired.
- Remove from heat and serve with a sprinkling of vegan parmesan cheese, if desired.