Sautéed Zucchini with Gruyere

Simple sauteed zucchini recipe with onion, garlic, fresh tarragon, basil, and Gruyere Swiss cheese.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated July 07, 2022
Elise Bauer
Sauteed Zucchini with Gruyere
Elise Bauer

After several years of observing the results of my feeble gardening attempts, my next door neighbor Pat (76 and still going strong) graciously responded to my pleas for help and has been guiding me this spring with soil amendments, starter plants, seeds, and all around gardening advice.

As a result, here it is early June and I have a zucchini plant that is growing with wild abandon (amazing what a little water, sunshine, and organic fertilizer can do). The plant produces almost one zucchini a day and has been for about a month.

Blessed with this new bounty, we now have a very good reason to try out new zucchini recipes, so be warned, you may be seeing more zukes on this site the summer than usual.

(Have a favorite zucchini recipe? Please let us know in the comments.)

Sauteed Zucchini with Gruyere
Elise Bauer

This particular zucchini sauté recipe is a take-off of my mom's stand-by summer squash recipe. Gruyere Swiss cheese adds a wonderful nutty sophistication to this simple dish.

Gruyere is on the expensive side, but you don't end up needing as much because the flavor is more concentrated. You can substitute another Swiss cheese if you like.

We have fresh tarragon and basil growing in the garden, which is what I used, but you could also use dried, or even Herbes de Provence. The trick to keeping the zucchini from getting soggy and overcooked, is to sauté it quickly in a rather hot pan.

Sauteed Zucchini with Gruyere
Elise Bauer

Sautéed Zucchini with Gruyere

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 12 mins
Total Time 22 mins
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound zucchini (about 4 small zucchini or 1 large), sliced into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices (if working with a large zucchini, cut in half lengthwise first)

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 onion, sliced

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

  • 2 ounces Gruyere Swiss cheese (can substitute other Swiss cheese), thinly sliced

  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Sear zucchini rounds and onions in olive oil

    Heat oil in a large sauté pan on fairly high heat. (An anodized aluminum pan works well for this purpose because it is stick resistant yet can handle high heat.) Swirl the pan to coat the bottom of the pan with the oil, adding more oil if needed.

    When the pan is hot, add the zucchini and onions. Spread out along the bottom of the pan.

    sauteed-zucchini-gruyere-method-1
    Elise Bauer
    sauteed-zucchini-gruyere-method-2
    Elise Bauer

    Cook quickly on high heat, stirring frequently, until all zucchini pieces are a little browned at least on one side (about 2 minutes).

    Sprinkle with salt and pepper while cooking.

    Halfway through the cooking, add the garlic and the herbs. If there is any sticking to the pan, add a little more oil.

  2. Remove the pan from the heat. Place slices of cheese over the zucchini in a single layer

    Cover the pan. Let sit for a few minutes, until the cheese is just melted.

    sauteed-zucchini-gruyere-method-3
    Elise Bauer
    sauteed-zucchini-gruyere-method-4
    Elise Bauer

    Remove the zucchini to a serving dish. Serve immediately.

Links:

Sautéed zucchini with spinach and basil pesto from Kalyn's Kitchen

Quick sauté of zucchini with almonds, from Deb of Smitten Kitchen

Sauteed Zucchini with Gruyere
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
144 Calories
12g Fat
5g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 144
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 179mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 18mg 89%
Calcium 178mg 14%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 350mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.