“One of my all-time favorite summer vegetables is zucchini,” writes chef and TV personality Frankie Celenza in his book EAT: Easy, Affordable, Tasty. “It’s super versatile and fast to work with, which, on a hot summer day, is a two-for-one win. When cooked quickly over high heat, zucchini holds its shape and takes on the flavors around it, making it ideal for grilling, roasting, and sautéing.”
Case in point: Celenza’s easy and fabulously flavorful summer sauté.
“In this dish,” he explains, “I’m using the stovetop to make the magic happen. Onions are sizzled, pine nuts toasted, red pepper flakes bloomed, basil steeped. I looked at my favorite vegetable stir-fries and asked myself, How can I get all that speed and freshness with Mediterranean-focused ingredients?” You can expect to put your farmers market haul to good use — without the greasiness of a more indulgent stir fry.
“This makes a great main or side, hot or cold,” Celenza points out. If you’re craving more protein here, we recommend stepping outside and turning on your grill. The char on a slab of sizzling fish or beef will contrast beautifully with the refreshing notes of summer squash and in-season tomatoes.
Summer Zucchini Sauté
Serves two as a main, or four as a side
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 zucchini, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves (about 20 medium)
- ½ cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and cook, stirring, until it’s beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the zucchini, pine nuts, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pine nuts just begin to turn golden and the zucchini blisters slightly, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and pour in the wine. Increase the heat to high and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the alcohol has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add half the basil leaves, reduce the heat to low, and cover. Cook until the basil has wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, give everything a good stir, then top with the remaining basil and the shaved Parmigiano. Divide among plates and serve hot or at room temperature.
Recipe reprinted with permission from EAT: Easy, Affordable, Tasty by Frankie Celenza © 2025 Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Photography by Lauren Volo.
