Skillet Zucchini And Mushrooms: A Quick and Easy Side Dish

Skillet Zucchini and Mushrooms

Some nights I want a vegetable side that tastes like I fussed, without actually fussing. That is exactly what this skillet zucchini and mushrooms recipe gives me.

Thin slices of zucchini hit a hot skillet with butter and olive oil, then diced onion and fresh button mushrooms cook until everything is tender with golden edges. Minced garlic, earthy herbs, and a splash of broth pull the dish together.

From start to finish it takes about 25 minutes, and only about 15 of those minutes are spent at the stove. Serve it next to almost any main dish for a weeknight dinner, or make a double batch for a holiday table.

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It fits the way most of us actually cook on a Tuesday: one pan, a handful of ingredients, and a short window before everyone sits down.

If you end up with extra zucchini on hand, my site also has zucchini salad, cheesy zucchini casserole, and zucchini fritters to help you use up the rest of the bunch.

A Quick & Easy Veggie Side

A simple sauté is one of the kindest ways to cook fresh vegetables. The heat stays high, the vegetables keep a little bite, and you never wait on an oven or a big pot of water.

Zucchini is especially well suited to this treatment because it cooks through in just a few minutes and picks up whatever fat and seasoning you give it.

This dish keeps things deliberately simple. Diced onion and whole fresh mushrooms go into the pan with the zucchini, and a little vegetable broth plus herbs finishes everything as a vegetarian side. Nothing needs to be blanched, breaded, or baked. One skillet does all the work, which means one pan to wash when dinner is over.

The reason this works so well in a skillet rather than an oven is control. You can pull the zucchini the moment it turns tender, keep the mushrooms in until they brown, and taste for salt at the end instead of guessing. Every stage takes just minutes, so nothing sits long enough to overcook.

I make this most often on ordinary weeknights, when dinner needs to be on the table before anyone gets too hungry. It also holds its own on a holiday table.

Onion and oregano fit just as comfortably beside a roast in December as they do next to grilled food in July. When I bring it to a summer dinner with friends, I serve it warm rather than piping hot, and the bowl still empties fast.

What You’ll Need

The ingredient list is short, so a few good choices carry the whole dish. Look for firm zucchini and mushrooms that feel dry rather than damp.

• Olive oil: 1 tablespoon, or another oil that stands up to high heat.
• Butter: 3 tablespoons, divided. Part goes in with the zucchini, and the rest is used for the onions and mushrooms.
• Zucchini: 2 small zucchini, cut into thin half moon slices.
• Onion: 1 small yellow onion, finely diced. A white or sweet onion works just as well.
• Mushrooms: 1 pound small button mushrooms, cleaned and patted dry. If you buy sliced mushrooms, clean them well so no grit ends up in the pan.
• Garlic: 3 to 4 cloves, minced.
• Herbs: 2 teaspoons fresh chopped herbs, or 1 teaspoon dried. Thyme and oregano are a great match for this dish.
• Broth: 1/4 cup vegetable broth. Chicken or beef broth also works if you are not keeping the dish vegetarian.
• Salt and black pepper: to taste.
• Optional garnishes: chopped fresh parsley and grated parmesan.

Two small habits make a difference. Wipe mushrooms with a damp paper towel instead of soaking them, because very wet mushrooms steam in the pan instead of browning. Cut the zucchini into even slices so they all finish cooking at the same time.

How to Make Skillet Zucchini and Mushrooms

The method runs in four short stages. Zucchini cooks first so it keeps its shape, then the onions and mushrooms get the pan to themselves, then everything comes back together, and a quick finish brings the flavors into line.

1. Add the olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of the butter to a large skillet and set it over medium high heat.
2. Add the zucchini slices, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until fork tender. Remove the zucchini from the skillet and set it aside. If there is any liquid in the pan, wipe it out.
3. Return the skillet to the burner, add the remaining butter, and melt it over medium high heat.
4. Stir in the onions and cook for 2 minutes, until just softened.
5. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender and nicely browned, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in the garlic and herbs and cook for 20 seconds.
7. Return the zucchini to the skillet, mix it with the mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute, until heated through.
8. Pour in the vegetable broth and cook for 2 minutes.
9. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
10. Remove the skillet from the heat.
11. Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan, then serve.

Give the mushrooms room in the pan. If they are piled too deep, they release water and steam instead of turning golden, and the texture of the finished side changes. A wide skillet solves that in one move.

Tips for Making Sautéed Zucchini and Mushrooms

Once you have made this side a few times, it becomes a template. Here are three changes worth trying.

• Swap in yellow summer squash. Its texture and flavor are almost identical to zucchini, and only the color changes, so you can replace some or all of the zucchini and keep everything else the same.
• Change the onion. Shallots, leeks, or scallions all work in place of the diced onion, and each one shifts the flavor slightly. Leeks and shallots lean sweeter, while scallions stay brighter and greener.
• Turn it into a gratin. Transfer the finished sauté to a baking dish, top it with shredded cheddar and buttered breadcrumbs, and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. You can also fold the sauté into cooked rice for a quick mushroom rice.

You can also prep the vegetables earlier in the day. Slice the zucchini, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and clean the mushrooms, then store each one in a container in the fridge. When dinner time comes, the pan work takes about 15 minutes.

If you plan to reheat the dish later, keep the parmesan and parsley off until serving, since they stay fresher that way.

Serving Suggestions

This vegetable side works with nearly any main course, which is one reason it shows up so often in my rotation. A few pairings I come back to:

• Pan seared pork medallions with a pan sauce.
• Buttery baked lobster tails for a special occasion dinner.
• Mozzarella chicken in tomato sauce for a cozy weeknight meal.

On a busy evening I serve it with whatever protein is already in the fridge, and it never feels like a compromise. On a weekend, it looks right at home next to a roast or a platter of grilled seafood.

For planning purposes, one serving of the recipe as written comes to about 161 calories, with 9 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of protein, and 13 grams of fat, including 6 grams of saturated fat. It also provides 2 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, 94 milligrams of sodium, and 23 milligrams of cholesterol.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Leftover sautéed vegetables keep well when you store them properly. Move them to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.

To reheat, warm them in a skillet over medium low heat until heated through. The stovetop brings back some of the original texture better than a microwave does.

Leftovers also work beautifully folded into a zucchini frittata, which is my favorite way to use up the last cup or so. Warm only what you plan to eat, since zucchini softens a little with each reheating.

Can I Freeze Cooked Zucchini and Mushrooms?

Yes, and freezing works better than most people expect. Let the cooked vegetables cool completely, then spread them on a tray or baking sheet and freeze until solid.

Once frozen, move the pieces to a freezer bag and store them for up to four months. Keep them in a single layer while they freeze so they do not clump into one block. They can be reheated straight from frozen, which makes this a handy side to keep on hand for nights when the fresh vegetable drawer is empty.

More Veggie Sides

If this skillet has earned a spot in your rotation, a few other vegetable sides from the site are worth adding to the list.

• Mashed Potato Pancakes
• Creamy Mushroom Soup
• Grilled Zucchini Salad with Corn and Tomatoes
• Garlic Butter Roasted Parsnips
• Sauteed Garlic Broccolini

Each one follows the same idea: a short ingredient list, a straightforward method, and a result that fits almost any menu.

If you liked the garlic and herb flavor here, the broccolini and the parsnips lean in the same direction, while the mushroom soup suits a cool evening and the grilled zucchini salad belongs to the hottest weeks of summer. Start with whichever vegetable is sitting in your refrigerator right now.

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Skillet Zucchini and Mushrooms

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Skillet Zucchini and Mushrooms Some nights I want a vegetable side that tastes like I fussed, without actually fussing. That is exactly what this skillet zucchini and mushrooms recipe gives me.

• Total Time: 25 min
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
2 small zucchini, cut into thin, half moon slices
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 pound small button mushrooms, cleaned and patted dry
3 cloves garlic, minced (3 to 4 cloves)
2 teaspoons fresh chopped herbs (or 1 teaspoon dried herbs, such as thyme and oregano)
1/4 cup vegetable broth
chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
grated parmesan, for garnish

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Instructions

1-Add olive oil and 1/2-tablespoon butter to: Add olive oil and 1/2-tablespoon butter to a large skillet and set over medium-high heat.
2-Add zucchini slices to the hot oil: Add zucchini slices to the hot oil; season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until fork-tender. Remove zucchini from skillet and set aside. If there’s any liquid in the skillet, wipe it out.
3-Return skillet to the burner and add: Return skillet to the burner and add remaining butter; melt butter over medium-high heat.
4-Stir in the onions and cook for: Stir in the onions and cook for 2 minutes, or until just softened.
5-Add mushrooms and cook for 5 to: Add mushrooms and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender and nicely browned. Stir occasionally.
6-Stir in garlic and herbs: Stir in garlic and herbs; cook for 20 seconds.
7-Return zucchini to the skillet and mix: Return zucchini to the skillet and mix with the mushrooms; cook for 1 minute, or until heated through.
8-Pour in the vegetable broth and cook: Pour in the vegetable broth and cook for 2 minutes.
9-Taste for salt and pepper and adjust: Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
10-Remove skillet from heat: Remove skillet from heat.
11-Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan: Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan; serve.

• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Method: stovetop

Nutrition

• Calories: 161
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 94mg
• Fat: 13g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Carbohydrates: 9g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 5g
• Cholesterol: 23mg