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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I’ve been making this Whole30 and gluten-free zucchini side dish for years, but never shared the recipe until now. I came up with it one day without measuring anything, and my husband and I loved it so much that it quickly became a staple and we still make it almost twice a week!
After getting several requests for the recipe when I’ve shared my dinner plates on Instagram stories, I finally decided to post it! This easy pan-fried zucchini recipe is one I keep coming back to because it’s so flavorful and takes less than 15 minutes to make.
The sautéed zucchini and onions are coated in a savory mix of coconut aminos, fish sauce, and toasted sesame oil. It may sound simple, but it’s incredibly addicting. I’ve even eaten the whole batch myself because I loved it more than the main dish!
Watch a Short Video of This Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Zucchini
- Avocado oil: You can also use your favorite cooking oil here.
- Garlic cloves
- Onion
- Coconut aminos: Use soy sauce or tamari sauce if you prefer.
- Fish sauce
- Toasted sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
- Sea salt: Omit if using soy sauce or tamari instead of coconut aminos.
How to Make Sautéed Asian Zucchini and Onions
Step 1: Cut each zucchini into 3 even pieces widthwise. Quarter each piece of zucchini lengthwise. Take each quarter and slice in half lengthwise, so you have 8 zucchini sticks from 1/3 of a zucchini.
Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add avocado oil. Add garlic, and cook stirring for 1 minute until lightly browned and fragrant.
Step 3: Add the zucchini sticks and turn up the heat to to medium high. Sauté for 2-3 minutes while stirring until they are lightly browned.
Step 4: Add the onion slices and sea salt and cook stirring for 2 minutes until the onion is slightly translucent, but still crispy. Add coconut aminos and fish sauce and stir together for 1 minute. Taste, then add more sea salt if needed.
Step 5: Remove from heat, then stir in toasted sesame oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.
How to Cook Asian Zucchini and Onions So They Aren’t Mushy
One of my biggest pet peeves about cooked zucchini is when they are mushy. Because they have a high water content, it’s quite easy to overcook zucchini. I found that the way you cut zucchini affects the texture a lot in this easy pan fried zucchini recipe.
I’ve tried cutting them in rounds before, which is done often by home cooks, but I didn’t like how they turned out at all and it was actually difficult to get them to cook evenly this way. For best results, I found that slicing them into thicker sticks is the way to go:
- Do not peel the zucchini.
- Cut the zucchini into 3 even pieces widthwise.
- Take each third and quarter each piece LENGTHwise.
- Then, you take each quarter and halve it lengthwise.
You should be left with 8 zucchini sticks from each third of a zucchini, and a total of 24 pieces from one zucchini. Makes sense? Once they are cut, you are ready to make these easy and flavorful sautéed zucchini and onions!
Sautéed Asian Zucchini and Onions
Another method to creating a crispy and crunchy gluten free zucchini side dish is to add the onions in later. In most stir-fry recipes, onions are added in with the garlic at the beginning. However, in this Whole30 zucchini and onion side dish, you’ll want to add the sliced onions at the end so they aren’t cooked all the way through when you are serving it.
All the textures and flavors meld together so beautifully in these sautéed Asian zucchini and onions, and the sesame seeds added at the end creates a yummy crunch that’s just irresistible. Once you make this dish, I bet it’ll be something you make over and over again in the future when you need a quick and healthy side dish!
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If you make this sautéed Asian zucchini and onions recipe, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media – Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!
Sautéed Asian Zucchini and Onions (Paleo, Whole30, Low Carb, AIP Option)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchini
- 1 tbsp avocado oil, or your favorite cooking oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 1/4 tsp sea salt, or more if needed (omit if using soy sauce or tamari sauce, instead of coconut aminos)
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos, or soy sauce or tamari sauce
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, omit for AIP
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, omit for AIP
Instructions
- Cut each zucchini into 3 even pieces widthwise. Quarter each piece of zucchini lengthwise. Take each quarter and slice in half lengthwise, so you have 8 zucchini sticks from 1/3 of a zucchini.2 large zucchini
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add avocado oil. Add garlic, and cook stirring for 1 minute until lightly browned and fragrant.1 tbsp avocado oil, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the zucchini sticks and turn up the heat to to medium high. Sauté for 2-3 minutes while stirring until they are lightly browned.
- Add the onion slices and sea salt and cook stirring for 2 minutes until the onion is slightly translucent, but still crispy. Add coconut aminos and fish sauce and stir together for 1 minute. Taste, then add more sea salt if needed.1/2 onion, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1 tbsp coconut aminos, 1 tsp fish sauce
- Remove from heat, then stir in toasted sesame oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely delicious! Simple, quick, easy, this recipe is already a favorite. Thank you!
Thank you so much!!
I love zucchini and roast little coins in the oven all the time. But this simple, delicious recipe is a game changer! Subtle changes like cutting them in sticks and adding the onions later in the cooking process make this recipe a keeper. Thank you for sharing!
So glad you liked it. Thank you so much!
So good, so fast, so easy- exactly what I’m looking for in a weeknight side dish. Thanks for making this the zucchini recipe we’ll make time and time again!
SOOOO happy that you enjoyed it!
So simple, so good! I followed her recipe exactly and it came out so well – zucchini was crisp-tender. I think the hero here is the way the coconut aminos and fish sauce make a yummy sauce. Highly recommend and right now – I really needed a new way to eat zucchini.
That’s amazing to hear! I’m obsessed with the sauce too.
So delicious!
Thank you!!
I saw your post on Instagram and had to try this zucchini recipe. All I can say is DELISH!!
Thank you so much!
5 star, so delicious! I kade this once a week and eat it w rice. Thank you!
Sounds amazing. Thanks for leaving a review!!
I love this recipe. Now that we have zucchini coming out of our garden I am cooking it like this weekly. Great with yellow squash too.
New favorite side dish! So simple yet the flavors are just amazing! I have never cut zucchini this way, but it definitely does help the texture and prevent it from getting mushy. Thanks so much for sharing this, will definitely be making this weekly (or more!).
We cant really get coconut aminos in Europe (at least not easily). Any substitute for it?
You can use tamari or soy sauce (contains gluten), but reduce the salt if that’s what you are using.