Pan-fried zucchini and cherry tomatoes au gratin, a simple and tasty side dish, ideal for accompanying meat and fish main courses. It is nothing more than a variant of the colorful pan-cooked vegetables, equally tasty and quick to prepare.
For this recipe, I prepared a coating made with breadcrumbs, Pecorino cheese, pine nuts, and basil. A really tasty result! I chopped everything in a blender, but you can also chop it coarsely with a knife for a more distinctive coating.
Of course, you can also substitute zucchini with eggplants and peppers and therefore vary the side dish using the vegetables you prefer. Curious to find out how to prepare it? Then let’s head to the kitchen because the pan-fried zucchini and cherry tomatoes au gratin will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other vegetable side dishes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 221.16 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.28 (g) of which sugars 6.00 (g)
- Proteins 6.31 (g)
- Fat 17.09 (g) of which saturated 2.97 (g)of which unsaturated 5.63 (g)
- Fibers 2.08 (g)
- Sodium 1,236.99 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 97 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
- 8 oz zucchini
- 8 oz cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
- 0.25 cup Pecorino cheese
- 0.25 cup pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic
- basil (fresh to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
Tools
- Frying Pan
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Blender
Steps
First clean the vegetables. Wash the zucchini under water, dry them with paper towels, and trim the ends. Then cut the zucchini into chunks. Also, clean the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half if they are small or into quarters if they are larger.
Then heat a pan with half the oil taken from the total and add the cut vegetables. Season with salt and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. In the meantime, prepare the coating. Put the breadcrumbs, Pecorino cheese, peeled garlic clove, salt, pepper, pine nuts, and remaining oil in a blender. Blend for a few seconds. You should get a fairly coarse coating. Add the coating to the zucchini and cherry tomatoes and continue cooking over high heat, stirring.
The pan-fried zucchini and cherry tomatoes au gratin are ready! Serve them with some coarsely chopped pine nuts. Excellent both hot and cold.
Storage and Tips for Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes au Gratin
This side dish can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days in a container with a lid.
FAQ Questions and Answers for Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes au Gratin
Is it possible to prepare the same recipe in the oven?
Yes, you can bake the au gratin vegetables by putting everything in a baking dish or casserole. Then cook in a static oven at 350°F (180°C) for 20 minutes and finish cooking with the fan function.
