Roasted Zucchini that isn't Soggy! (2024)

By Melissa Erdelac · July 10, 2019 (updated April 27, 2022) · 29 Comments

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Learn how to roast zucchini the best way so it isn’t soggy! Roasted Zucchini is an easy, oven baked recipe perfect all year round. Golden, roasted summer squash is flavored with garlic and seasonings for a healthy side dish everyone will devour!

How to roast zucchini that isn’t soggy!

There is a flaw with every roasted zucchini recipe, which I’m sure we have all have fell victim to.

Roasting vegetables is simple, right? Toss cut veggies with oil and salt, and throw them in the oven until golden, caramelized, and brown.

Unfortunately this yields bad results with high water content vegetables like zucchini and summer squash. Salting them before roasting draws out even more moisture which leads to limp, bland looking veggies.

The best way to bake zucchini is to simply toss in olive oil and garlic first, without the seasoning, just like in the lemon garlic sautéed zucchini recipe. Oven roast until golden, then season to your heart’s delight!

size does matter!

Besides salting the zucchini before cooking, the other common mistake is to use large garden zucchini for oven roasting. While it’s tempting to put that overgrown squash to use, save large zucchini for baking in recipes like, zucchini brownies and gluten free zucchini cake.

Instead, pick small, young zucchini to avoid a soggy texture. These squash have less seeds, water content, and great flavor without needing a long cook time.

How To Make Roasted Zucchini

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. Preheat oven to 450 ºF. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Slice zucchini (courgettes) lengthwise in quarters and transfer to baking pan.
3. On a baking sheet toss zucchini with olive oil and garlic.
4. Spread out the zucchini slices in a single layer so they aren’t touching. Bake for 16 minutes until zucchini is tender with crispy edges, flipping halfway through.
5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with seasonings, salt, and pepper.

recommended seasoning

As exemplified in my gluten-free cookbook, expensive ingredients aren’t required to draw out the best flavor. Besides the garlic, olive oil, and squash, simple kitchen pantry staples are used to season – seasoned salt, dried basil, and Italian seasoning.

Use this gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan recipe as an outline for experimenting with other flavors! Here are some seasoning additions or substitutions to try:

1. Add a dash of cayenne pepper
2. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese after roasting
3. Try fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, thyme, tarragon, or chives
4. Squeeze lemon juice over baked zucchini

Should I peel zucchini?

If you are wondering if you can eat zucchini skin, summer squash or yellow squash does not have to be peeled because it has a very thin, edible skin.

The larger the zucchini is, the thicker the skin will be, so peeling those can be a matter of preference.

Some people peel zucchini when baking with it to eliminate the green color, but it’s not necessary. Peeling also helps “hide” the green from unsuspecting kids to use in pasta, meatballs, or casseroles. 😉

How long should I bake zucchini?

I prefer a very high heat (450ºF / 230 ºC) for roasting to help lock in that water content, which helps with browning. It only takes about 15 minutes, or until just fork tender, to have an easy, healthy side on the table!

more expert Tips

• Don’t salt the zucchini before roasting. Very important!!
• Use small-sized zucchini for best flavor and less seeds
• Spray the baking sheet with cooking spray first to prevent the zucchini from sticking
• Make sure the zucchini spears are spread out on the sheet and not touching. This helps the hot air circulate around the veggies so they brown instead of steam.

Click here to see thestep-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!

More vegetable Side Dishes

Veggies, such as zucchini and the ones shared below, make ideal accompaniments for hearty meals, such as cottage pie or easy lasagna sides.

• Baked Broccoli and Cheese – Oven roasted broccoli recipe withmelty cheese, garlic, and crispy breadcrumbs.
• Bacon Brussels Sprouts – Oven baked withchopped bacon, apples, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
• Smashed Potatoes – Drizzled with atoasted browned butter, and baked up togloriously crispy and brown.

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