Sautéed Yellow Squash and Zucchini is a quick, flavorful side dish made with red onion, garlic, oregano, Creole seasoning, and smoky bacon. Cooking the vegetables quickly over high heat gives them lightly browned edges while keeping them slightly firm instead of soft and soggy.
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Fresh from the Backyard Garden
Yellow squash and zucchini are abundant in South Louisiana gardens and farmers' markets from spring through summer. Their tender, edible skins require no peeling, while their mild flavor pairs well with herbs and Creole seasonings.
Lagniappe Tip: Learn how to grow summer squash with How Do I Grow Summer Squash and check LSU AgCenter's What's in Season? chart for local planting times.
How to Prevent Soggy Squash and Zucchini
The best sautéed squash and zucchini are lightly browned and flavorful but still slightly firm.
- Salt the vegetables and let them rest for about 20 minutes.
- Transfer them with a slotted spoon, leaving the liquid behind.
- Preheat the skillet over high heat.
- Avoid overcrowding the skillet.
- Stir only occasionally to encourage browning.
- Remove the vegetables while they are still slightly firm.
Here's What You Need
Ingredient Notes
- Yellow Squash and Zucchini: Use fresh squash and zucchini. These guys are in the summer squash family, so their tender skin is edible, eliminating the need to peel them.
- Bacon: Smoked bacon provides the fat in which to sauté the veggies plus a comforting smoky flavor. Check out the Hints and Tips (FAQ) below for possible substitutes.
- Red Onion: Red onions provide a mild, sweet flavor and are great when they are a little crispy, as in this recipe. Check out the Hints and Tips (FAQ) below for possible substitutes.
- Fresh Oregano: Fresh oregano is a perfect complement to fresh yellow squash and zucchini. You can substitute dry oregano (1 Tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dry), or your favorite herb.
- Salt: Kosher salt enhances flavor and helps draw excess moisture from the fresh squash. I developed this recipe using Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning, which is salt-free. If you use a Creole seasoning that contains salt, you may want to reduce the kosher salt a bit.
Substitutes: Use any combination of summer squash totaling about 6 cups. Substitute another sweet onion for the red onion, dried oregano for fresh, or butter or olive oil for the bacon fat.
Cookware
This recipe does not require any special equipment. The whole thing can be prepared in a 12-inch skillet. Make sure that the pan you use will be large enough to hold all the veggies.
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Hints and Tips (FAQ)
No. Summer squash varieties have tender, edible skins. Rinse the squash, remove the stems, and slice. As a bonus, you can even eat them raw, so nibble away while you cook!
Both are summer squash, but they differ slightly in shape, color, flavor, and texture. They can generally be used interchangeably.
Use any combination of summer squash totaling about 6 cups. Substitute another sweet onion for the red onion, dried oregano for fresh, or butter or olive oil for the bacon fat.
Yes. Heat an oiled grill pan over a hot grill and cook the drained vegetables for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Leave the accumulated liquid in the bowl.
Here's What You Do
First...you have a beer. Even though this recipe is simple and quick, preparing yourself and knowing the recipe will help things go smoothly. Pop the top of a beer, sit down, and enjoy it while you read the recipe all the way through. Learn what you need and what you will do with each ingredient, then do your mise en place and you are ready to go.
Mise en place
No-angst cooking continues with mise en place. Before you ever turn on the heat, prep and measure every ingredient exactly as it will be used (chopped, diced, sliced, or minced). When everything's ready to go, most of the work is behind you-and the cooking becomes simple, seamless, and enjoyable.
Lagniappe Tip─Mise En Place:
- Slice the squash, onions, and lemons approximately the same width to help everything cook at the same rate.
- Let the sliced yellow squash and zucchini sit with the salt for 20 minutes to draw out some of their natural moisture. This is essential for a good sauté. Leave the liquid in the bowl and transfer the vegetables with a slotted spoon.
Cook the Bacon and Add the Vegetables
What happens in this step? The bacon crisps and renders the fat that flavors the vegetables. The drained vegetables are then added to the hot skillet without their accumulated liquid.
Lagniappe Tip: Thinking of grilling? Instead of the skillet, now's the time to get the grill ready. Check out the Hints and Tips section above for more on grilling these guys.
Sauté the Squash and Zucchini
What happens in this step? High heat and limited stirring encourage browning while allowing excess moisture to evaporate, keeping the vegetables slightly firm.
Finish with the Bacon
What happens in this step? The crisp bacon is added to the cooked vegetables, and the seasoning is adjusted before serving.
Lagniappe Tip: Don't be afraid to remove the zucchini and squash before 10 minutes if you think they have sautéed enough.
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Serving Suggestions
Serve Sautéed Yellow Squash and Zucchini immediately while the vegetables are hot, lightly browned, and slightly firm. It is an easy side dish for meatloaf, grilled or roasted chicken, salmon, pork tenderloin, stuffed peppers, or stuffed mirlitons.
Sautéed Yellow Squash and Zucchini makes a great side dish:
Veggies, Veggies, Veggies!
Leftover Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat them briefly in a hot skillet to help preserve their texture; the microwave will work, but the vegetables will be softer.
Freezing is not recommended. Yellow squash and zucchini have a high water content and can become soft and watery after thawing.
Tell Us About It!
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Publisher's Note: I originally published this recipe in January 2018. This July 2026 revision includes a streamlined cooking method, clearer instructions, new step-by-step photographs, and expanded tips for keeping the vegetables browned and slightly firm.
Recipe
Sautéed Yellow Squash and Zucchini
Here's What You Need
- 2 slices smoked bacon chopped
- 4 cups yellow squash 3 or 4 squashes (See Notes)
- 2 cups zucchini 1 or 2 zucchini (See Notes)
- 1 cup red onion about ½ large onion
- 1 lemon sliced
- 1 tablespoon garlic roughly chopped-about 2 to 3 cloves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Herb and Spice Blend
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano See Notes
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Here's What You Do
- Wash the squash and zucchini, then slice into medallions. Slice the onion into half-moons and the lemon into rounds, discarding the ends. Roughly chop the garlic and cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces.
- Place the sliced squash, zucchini, onion, lemon, and garlic in a large bowl.
- Add the oregano, Creole seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix well and let rest for about 20 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
- Add the olive oil and mix well. Set aside while the bacon cooks.
- Place the bacon in a cold 12" skillet and set the heat to medium. Cook until crisp and the fat has rendered.
- Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
- Increase the heat to high. When the skillet is hot, use a slotted spoon to add the vegetables, leaving the accumulated liquid in the bowl. (See Notes)
- Let the vegetables begin browning around the edges before stirring.
- Sauté over high heat for about 10 minutes, shaking the skillet and stirring occasionally. Cook until lightly browned but still slightly firm.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and crumble the bacon over the vegetables. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Estimate
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Nikki Lehnhardt says
Great recipe. I did it with one small change. I put the sliced squash and zucchini in a plastic colander after salting them. Them put the colander in a glass bowl to catch the liquid. Microwave five minutes. All the excess liquid will come out of the veggies and rain into the bowl. No soggy casserole.
Sweet Daddy D says
Sounds great, Nikki. I appreciate you giving my recipe a try and so glad you liked it. Maybe worth 5-Stars??
Emily Fussell says
What happens with the sliced lemon? Do you remove before cooking? Or does it get cooked as well?
Sweet Daddy D says
Hi, Emily. The lemons will cook to be soft and are quite edible if you like lemons. Otherwise, just remove them. Thanks for the question.