Behind the Recipes

Treat Zucchini Like a Steak

Forget dull and watery. Prepped with care, summer's most ubiquitous squash can caramelize, char, and turn downright lush.

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By Andrea Geary & Liz Bomze

Published on June 2, 2025

Rich mahogany, with a glossy finish. Dense, but also lush and velvety. Showstopper material.

Believe it or not, these are descriptions of zucchini—a summer staple that I’ve long appreciated for its accessibility and adaptable flavor but rarely considered a candidate for greatness.

But trust me, this easy, two-part method utterly transforms the vegetable.

Part one is all in service of a dazzling sear. I halve the squash lengthwise and crosshatch the cut surfaces (a technique popularized by renowned chef Thomas Keller), and then rub them with salt and microwave them. The salt and heat draw moisture from the flesh, and the slits provide escape routes for the water so that the surfaces are primed for browning.

Unlocking Zucchini’s Silky Side

Zucchini cut side down cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Want lush, velvety zucchini? Throw a lid on it. In a moist-heat environment, the pectin and hemicellulose in the vegetable’s cell walls dissolve and its flesh collapses, allowing air to escape and creating a dense structure. (In an uncovered pan, the zucchini would dry out without compressing, resulting in a more porous and desiccated texture.) The result is meaty, fork-tender zucchini.

Part two is a combo steam-and-sear. I do the cooking in a well-oiled cast-iron skillet because it holds heat really well and because the fat facilitates heat transfer between the pan and the food.

I add the zucchini to the unheated pan, pressing the pieces into the oil so that the cut sides are flush with the metal; I then throw on a lid and crank the heat. The trapped moisture released by the squash converts to steam that renders the dense flesh incredibly silky, and when it evaporates, the scorching skillet delivers a steak-quality sear.

After about 8 minutes, I uncover the pan and turn the tender pieces over to soften the other side a bit more and reveal their crosshatched, bronzed glory.

The result is pretty spectacular on its own or simply brightened with a squeeze of lemon. But you can also take it to the next level with potent seasonings like spicy honey and scallions; a swirl of Greek yogurt, ajvar (Balkan red pepper paste), and preserved lemon; or a verdant, tart puree of parsley, raisins, and capers.