Put your garden’s summer squash to good use in this light, fragrant and super healthy summer vegetable sauté. Use up your fresh zucchini and summer squash with lots of garlic, tomatoes, onion and fresh herbs. You can serve this tasty side dish on its own or toss with fresh pasta for a quick and easy vegetarian meal.
Before I went to France, I was going to title this post “ratatouille”. But then I went to Paris and ordered a ratatouille from Louise Cafe. It came with two perfectly poached eggs on top and I realized in that instant, that this was NOT RATATOUILLE. So this quick and easy summer vegetable sauté is just a simple side dish to go with chicken, pork, lamb and seafood, and it’s delicious. Just don’t call it ratatouille.
That’s not to say that this summer vegetable sauté isn’t tasty and satisfying. It is! It’s fresh and vibrant. The vegetables are cooked just enough to be tender, but still maintain their shape and form instead of slumping into a stewy mass. Scott doesn’t like anything “mushy” especially veg, so I’ve always erred on the slightly al dente side for his tastes. But after eating Louise’s ratatouille, I realized that he’s going to have to get over his aversion, because her ratatouille was off-the-charts FABULOUS!
Ingredients for sautéed summer vegetables
- Red Bell Pepper
- Zucchini
- Yellow Squash
- Onion
- Kosher Salt
- Garlic
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Fresh Thyme
- Fresh Rosemary
- Canned Cherry Tomatoes
- Lemon
I will be making Louise’s rendition soon, because it was absolutely swoon worthy! Until then, this is a quick and easy way to spice up the squash, zucchini and tomatoes that are coming into season now!
While this is great alongside grilled chicken or fish, it’s also good on top of pasta or tossed with orzo and parmesan for a vegetarian dinner option.
The combo of fresh herbs and garlic gives the vegetable combination a tingly quality on your tongue. Delicious and light.
Fresh lemon zest and basil added just before serving really amps up the freshness quotient on this dish. You’ll be fixing it every week this summer — especially if you have a garden!
By the way, this dish is delicious served warm, but it’s every bit as good at room temperature – a smart move for those upcoming summer swelter days!
More fresh vegetables sides you might enjoy:
- Summer Squash and Courgette Salad
- Chopped Veggie Salad with Creamy Shallot Vinaigrette
- Heirloom Tomato Salad
- Grilled Vegetable Tomato and Mozzarella Caprese
Summer Vegetable Medley
ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1" dice
- 1 medium zucchini cut into 1/4" thick rounds or half moons
- 1 medium yellow squash cut into 1/4" thick rounds or half moons
- 1/2 large sweet onion cut into 1" dice
- 1/2 small eggplant cut into 1" dice
- 1 stalk broccoli cut into bite-sized florets
- 6 ounces white mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup basil leaves chopped
FOR SPICE MIX:
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt or 1/4 to 1/3" teaspoon Morton's Kosher Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed lightly crushed with a mortar and pestle
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
instructions
- In a small bowl combine the black pepper, kosher salt, crushed fennel, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano and garlic. Stir to combine.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the eggplant and broccoli florets and about 1 teaspoon of the spice mix. Sauté, stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to brown and turn crisp tender, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the broccoli and eggplant to a large mixing bowl.
- Add a teaspoon of the olive oil to the skillet and add the bell pepper, zucchini and yellow squash with a teaspoon of the spice mix. Sauté the vegetables, stirring occasionally until they start to brown on the edges and are crisp tender inside. Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant and broccoli (the hot vegetables on top of the broccoli will steam the florets a bit.)
- Add a teaspoon of the olive oil to the skillet and quick sauté the onions until just starting to get translucent (about 3 minutes). Transfer to the bowl
- Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and sauté the mushrooms with the remainder of the spice blend. Cook, stirring and flipping occasionally until browned and give up some of their liquid.
- Transfer the mushrooms to the bowl of vegetables and toss to combine.
- Add the fresh basil just before serving and quickly toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
Only used zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Seasoned with dill, oregano, garlic salt, and pepper. Sauteed in olive oil.
Turned out deliciously!
Hi Elainee! Love your substitutions — sometimes you just have to go with what’s on hand!
One of my favorites. So versatile and goes with anything grilled!