BACK TO ALL RECIPES

Summer Squash, Simply Prepared

Burcu Avsar and Zach DeSart

BY The Editors

PUBLISHED July 4, 2024

Here are two basic methods for cooking any kind of summer squash, and both are hard to beat.

 

The following may contain affiliate links for which we earn a small commission. Thank you for supporting us in this way!
Print

Summer Squash, Simply Prepared

Prevent your screen from going dark

Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 20 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 pounds summer squash, sliced into rounds
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. 1. Put the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the garlic and cook until it sizzles, about a minute. Add the squash, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, turning occasionally, until the pieces are tender and browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Just before serving, sprinkle with the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Recipe variations

Steamed Baby Summer Squash

In season, mini squash, an inch or less wide and just a couple of inches long, are becoming increasingly available in supermarkets and certainly in farmers’ markets: Substitute baby squash for the full-size squash. Trim, cut them in half lengthwise, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then steam until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil or melted butter instead of lemon juice, toss to coat, and serve.

Log in, or become a member today.

Join in: enjoy 7 days free, plus 40% off your first year with access to 1,000+ highly vetted recipes from the How To Cook Everything series and beyond, essays from Mark, and original pieces from our contributors.

Join annually and save 40%
Log in to your account

GetBetterFasterHealthierSmarterTastier

in the Kitchen

Through our (more than a thousand, and growing) highly vetted recipes from the How to Cook Everything series, original food essays and reporting, thoughtful podcast conversations and introductions to new and responsible food products, we aim to showcase what’s possible, from farm to fork, and power a growing movement that encourages people to think about food not as a commodity, but as central to our health and happiness.

Start your free trial

We hope you join us on this journey. We’d love to have you as a part of the Bittman community. As a member, you'll have access to:

  • New recipes every week
  • 1000s of recipes from How to Cook Everything and beyond
  • First access to in-person events with Mark and Kate
  • Exclusive discounts from our favorite brands
  • Q&As with Mark and the team

 

Subscribe to our free newsletter

Join over 105,000 passionate individuals who receive our weekly emails. It’s 100% free and you can unsubscribe anytime. Plus, we’ll email you a sampling of what premium members receive on a weekly basis.