Roasted zucchini and squash is a quick and easy side dish that's ready in 20 minutes. Sliced zucchini and squash are coated in Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese then roasted in the oven.
This recipe is great, I've made this 3 times and everyone loves it. There is never any thing left it's a real big hit. Thanks. ★★★★★ - Darlene
Heather's recipe summary
Quick and easy. Roasting vegetables takes only about 5 minutes of prep. The rest of the work is done in the oven!
Simple ingredients. All you need is a handful of simple ingredients to season your squash and pop it in the oven.
Serves: 4 people
Similar to: Sautéed Zucchini and Onions and Parmesan Roasted Frozen Broccoli
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Zucchini and squash - This recipe can be made with all zucchini, all yellow summer squash, or a combination of both.
- Olive oil - Can be substituted with any neutral cooking oil you have on hand.
- Seasoning - Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper add flavor to your zucchini and squash. Italian seasoning can be substituted with any dried herbs you keep on hand, like basil or thyme.
- Parmesan cheese - Adds salty, cheesy flavor to your roasted squash. Parmesan cheese can be omitted if you'd like to make this recipe vegan friendly.
How to roast zucchini and squash
- Slice zucchini and squash into thick, ½ inch disks. Thin disks cook faster and can get soggy quickly in the oven.
- Add oil and seasoning to a bowl, then toss squash to coat.
- Arrange zucchini and squash on your prepared sheet pan and top with shredded parmesan cheese.
- Roast in the oven until cheese is melted and you can see browned bits across the top.
Tips and tricks
Take care not to overcook - Squash and zucchini are tender, quick cooking vegetables that don't need as much time in the oven as heartier veggies like brussels sprouts or broccoli. Thick disks only need about 15 to 17 minutes in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven.
Preventing soggy zucchini - Slice your squash into thick, ½ inch slices. Thinner squash cooks faster and is easier to overcook. Squash and zucchini will begin to 'sweat' and release water after being sliced. Just before tossing in oil, pat your zucchini and squash dry on both sides with a paper towel or kitchen towel.
Use a cooling rack - Optionally, roast your veggies on an oven-safe cooling rack, like this one (Amazon - Stainless steel cooling rack). Line a baking sheet with foil, then place the oven safe cooling rack on top. This helps air circulate around your veggies and excess moisture to drip down to the baking sheet below.
Variations
Vegan: Substitute the parmesan cheese with vegan parmesan cheese or omit it from the recipe entirely.
Spicy: Add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a hint of heat. I do this in my roasted broccoli recipe for a little extra flavor.
Fresh summer flavor: Add a handful of cherry tomatoes to the pan before roasting and top with fresh julienned basil from the garden just before serving.
Frequently asked questions
No, the skin of zucchini is perfectly edible and there's no need to peel it off before baking. The skin of your zucchini also contains extra nutrients that you'd be missing out on by peeling the skin off. Not to mention peeling takes extra prep time that's unnecessary.
Once sliced, your zucchini slices will continually 'sweat' moisture out. Pat them dry with a paper towel on both sides just before tossing in the oil and seasoning.
Zucchini is made of over 90% water, so it can be difficult to cook it without it getting soggy. The main reason zucchini turns out soggy is due to overcooking. Slice your zucchini into thick, ½ inch slices. Pat them dry with a paper towel before adding oil and seasoning. Take care not to bake them too long in the oven. Zucchini and squash can be eaten raw, so there's no reason to roast them to oblivion in the oven.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Roasted Zucchini and Squash
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 small zucchini
- 2 small yellow squash
- 1.5 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Slice zucchini and yellow squash into thick ½ inch disks and pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
- In a bowl, combine olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add zucchini and yellow squash disks and toss to coat.
- Pour zucchini and squash onto parchment lined baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Sprinkle tops of zucchini and squash with parmesan cheese.
- Bake for about 15-17 minutes, or until cooked through to your liking.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Freshly grated cheese: Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Pre-grated parmesan cheese (or cheese sold in a green cylinder) often contains anti-clumping powder which add a grainy texture when melted.
- How to prevent soggy zucchini: Soggy zucchini and squash happens due to overcooking. Both vegetables can be eaten raw, so there's no reason to overcook it in the oven. Make sure your slices are nice and thick (thin pieces cook faster), and that you're patting the slices dry before tossing them in oil and seasoning.
- Leftovers: Leftover squash will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I do not recommend freezing leftover squash because it will thaw with a mushy texture.
I tried the recipe with a few different ingredients, and it turned out great. Instead of using Italian dressing, I used olive oil and EVERYTHING BUT THE BAGEL seasoning. The results were great. I will use this recipe again.
I am not fond of excessive Italian seasoning. I am not allowed much salt.
Therefore, I cut both in half. I had only the dried canned parmesan. I did the rest of the instructions and I loved the result. The dry cheese turned a light brown and was very crispy. The squash was just right. This is definitely something I will make again, especially as we approach summertime.
I made this again today using fresh grated cheese, fresh cut basil, and the cherry tomatoes. It was the perfect summer side dish Thank you for that variation.
looks great and real healthy!!!
So tasty even without the parmesan cheese.
I'm on a Keto Type Diet. How many Carbs are in this dish, and what is the Serving Size?
Hi Kelly, you can find the nutrition facts at the bottom of the recipe card. The calculator estimates that this recipe has about 7 carbs per serving. This will depend entirely on the exact size and measurements used (I highly recommend plugging your actual ingredients into a nutrition calculated like myfitnesspal for more accurate nutrition). One serving, assuming you're using four small squash at about 4 to 5 ounces each, would equal about 5 ounces per serving.
I will try this again but my first try was way too salty.
Hi Mary, the parmesan cheese also adds a salty flavor, so the amount of salt can easily be cut in half (or more).
This was so incredible! I used the same seasoning on salmon, so incredibly good!
I made this tonight for the first time. It was so easy to prepare and delicious! The only difference is that I used aluminum foil on the baking sheet instead of parchment paper. It was still good, but I wonder if the reason for parchment paper is to make the veggies crisper.
Just finished dinner and this was a great success! Will be using this recipe from now on.
This recipe is great I've made this 3 times and everyone loves it there is never any thing left it's and real big hit Thanks.
Amazing!! We put under the broiler at the end to brown. Added this to my list of favs
This was amazing! I cooked the squash for 20 minutes and it was fantastic! No changes.
How can I bake it and it not be squishy. How do I get the water out please?
One tip I have is to preheat your baking sheet in the oven. Once your vegetables are ready to bake, remove the hot baking sheet (carefully), add parchment paper and your vegetables, then place back in the oven. The preheated baking sheet will help extra liquid to evaporate quickly instead of sitting on the baking sheet while your veggies roast.
Unfortunately since zucchini are made of over 90% water, they will pretty much always have a soft texture when cooked and won't get crispy, but this may help them to be a little less squishy.
Try putting a wire rack on your baking sheet then parchment paper on top of that. It allows hot air to get to all sides of the zucchini. I did this the 2nd time I made this recipe and worked great! Every other aspect of this recipe is perfect! We love it!
This was amazing! Easy to make and a new garden favorite!
Can you use frozen? It's all I have in my freezer right now haha!
Frozen vegetables should work just fine. When roasting frozen vegetables I recommend preheating your baking sheet in the oven beforehand, so it's nice and hot when adding your vegetables. They'll start cooking immediately and the extra moisture will evaporate instead of creating puddles on your baking sheet. Let us know how it goes!
Thank you for the advice! I'll try it out tonight! ♡
I have fixed this twice in one week after trying it one time. Simple recipe with ingredients on hand. I made without parmesan cheese both times and it was STILL delicious! Thanks for my new go to healthy recipe for zucchini and squash!
This was the best squash and zucchini I’ve ever tasted! I’ve never liked how it turns out sautéing it on the stovetop since it never cooks evenly. This way it cooked evenly, was so flavorful, and way easier!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Learned a lot. Easy to understand. Many thanks for posting 🙂