Zucchini with Feta and Vinegar
Zucchini with feta and vinegar puts a tasty Greek spin on this popular vegetable and makes a lovely side dish.
Recipe Mood: Zippy Side Dish
Indulgence Level: Low
Effort Level: Easy
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Ingredient-Stretching Tip: If you have a surplus of zucchini, make these scrambled eggs and zucchini.
Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable. For one thing, it cooks quickly, and its mellow taste makes it an easy addition to many different recipes. It pairs well with other veggies and is an excellent ingredient in vegetable lasagna. I love zucchini any time of year, but especially during the summer months.
The inspiration for this zucchini with feta and vinegar comes from a recipe I once saw from Biba Caggiano. I never got around to making it, but I always remembered it: fried zucchini finished off with a splash of red wine vinegar. It sounded delicious, but I wanted to skip the frying when I finally made it and put a Greek spin on it by adding creamy feta and zesty dill.
I cook the zucchini in a cast-iron pan so it turns golden brown, like it would if I fried it. This dish pairs well with pretty much anything, from roast chicken or baked fish to a juicy steak. It also tastes great with some crusty Italian bread to sop up the vinegary goodness.
Why You’ll Love This Zucchini with Feta and Vinegar
Easy to prepare: Just slice the zucchini and cook it. The only other “hard work” is mincing the fresh herbs and crumbling some feta.
A flavor party: Zucchini is like a blank slate, agreeably absorbing whatever flavors you add to it—in this case, fruity olive oil, tangy feta and vinegar, and earthy garlic powder.
Key Ingredients
- Garlic Powder: This adds a sharper garlic flavor than fresh garlic and makes a difference in this recipe.
- Red Wine Vinegar: The specific flavor of red wine vinegar works beautifully here.
- Feta Cheese: Creamy and tangy, this cheese adds an essential element to this zucchini dish.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Recipe
- Cook the zucchini: Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the zucchini, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss, spread the zucchini in a single layer, and cook it until soft and golden, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Stir in the herbs and red wine vinegar. Add the crumbled feta, and give everything a quick toss.
Pro Tips
Cook the zucchini evenly: If some pieces brown too quickly, push them to the edge of the pan or on top of other zucchini that need more cooking time. Doing this will prevent any that are already done from turning too dark.
Variations & Substitutions
-You can peel the skin from the zucchini, but it may not hold its shape as well. The skin is tender, though, and easy to eat.
-Use fresh minced or grated garlic in place of garlic powder. Add it just before the zucchini is done, and cook it only until it turns fragrant.
-Use any fresh herbs you like in addition to, or instead of, dill and parsley.
-Substitute the red wine vinegar with another vinegar. Just be sure to adjust for taste, as vinegars vary in strength. I don’t recommend balsamic because it might turn the zucchini an unappetizing color.
Recipe FAQs
Your pan may be too crowded. You can cook the zucchini in two batches, or you can transfer any cooked zucchini to a plate while you finish browning the rest.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container and consume within 4 days.
Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing this zucchini, as it will turn mushy when defrosting/reheating.
Reheat: Reheat in the oven, covered, or in the microwave. You can also enjoy this cold or at room temperature.
More Vegetarian Recipes
- Potato-tomato casserole with Gruyère
- Italian peppers with olives and breadcrumbs
- Easy thyme roasted carrots with Parmesan
If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, please take a moment to leave a five-star review below. You could also tag me on Instagram (@forcarbssake) with a picture of your finished dish!
Zucchini with Feta and Vinegar
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 6 zucchini small to medium size, skin on (cut into ½" slices)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon fresh dill minced
- ½ tablespoon Italian flat-leaf parsley minced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large pan (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Add the zucchini, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss everything with the olive oil, then spread the zucchini into a single layer. It's OK if there is some overlap.
- Cook until the zucchini turns golden and softens, about 20-25 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes for even cooking and browning. Pour in up to another tablespoon of olive oil if the bottom of the pan looks dry.
- Stir in the fresh herbs and red wine vinegar. Taste for salt, and add more vinegar if you like it more potent. Add the crumbled feta, and give everything a quick toss. Remove the pan from the heat. Enjoy!