Sweet and sour zucchini, a simple and tasty side dish, perfect for the summer when we have plenty of fresh zucchini available. The recipe is very easy, just sauté the zucchini in a pan, then let them absorb the flavors of onion, sugar, vinegar, and aromatic herbs. Sweet and sour zucchini are excellent to accompany all main dishes, but they are also delicious on crostini, or to fill sandwiches and focaccia. Try this recipe, it’s really quick and appetizing!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 45.74 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 6.71 (g) of which sugars 1.64 (g)
- Proteins 4.17 (g)
- Fat 1.31 (g) of which saturated 0.23 (g)of which unsaturated 0.30 (g)
- Fibers 1.80 (g)
- Sodium 101.92 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 85 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 6 zucchini (small)
- Half red onion
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsps red wine vinegar
- mint
- parsley
- 1 pinch chili pepper (to taste)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Tools
- 2 Pans
- Paper towels
- Small bowl
Preparation
Wash the zucchini, remove the ends, and slice them into fairly thin rounds (about 0.08-0.12 inches thick).
Fry them in a wide pan (1), with extra virgin olive oil (or seed oil), until they are slightly golden.
I recommend cooking them in 2-3 batches, so they brown better.
As they are ready, transfer them to a sheet of paper towel to remove the excess oil.
Clean the onion and slice it into rounds. Let it soften in a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Mix the sugar and vinegar in a small bowl, then pour the liquid into the pan (2).
Wait a few moments for the vinegar to evaporate and the sugar to dissolve, then add the zucchini (3).
Adjust the salt, add a pinch of chili pepper, 2-3 leaves of mint, and a tuft of chopped parsley.
Stir and let them absorb the flavors for a few minutes, then turn off the heat and transfer the zucchini to a platter.
The sweet and sour zucchini are ready, I recommend letting them cool to room temperature before serving, they will be even more flavorful.
Tips and Notes
You can also cook the zucchini the day before and store them in the refrigerator.
To cut thin and regular rounds, you can use a slicer or a mandoline.
You can vary the amount of sugar and vinegar to your taste.
You can add other aromatic herbs to taste (thyme, basil, oregano, etc.).
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I skip the onion?
I suggest adding it, but if you don’t like it, you can replace it with garlic.
How can I enrich the dish?
You can add Taggiasca olives, pine nuts, or peeled almonds.
