Creamed Zucchini with Garlic & Basil
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Made simply with grated zucchini, butter and cream, this creamed zucchini makes an easy and elegant summer dish.
This rich yet delicate creamed zucchini is easy to make. You simply sauté grated zucchini and garlic in butter, then finish it off with a touch of heavy cream and fresh basil. The zucchini gets tender and creamy, almost melting into a purée. Try it with baked or grilled fish or roast chicken — and put the recipe in your entertaining file because you can make it ahead of time.
What you’ll need to make Creamed Zucchini
How to make creamed zucchini
Begin by grating the zucchini. You can do this by hand with a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding disk.
Transfer the zucchini to a clean kitchen towel.
Wring out all of the excess water.
Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the zucchini and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is tender.
Add the heavy cream.
Then stir in the basil, salt and pepper and simmer until all of the cream is absorbed.
Serve and enjoy.
This recipe was inspired by a Creamed Zucchini with Herbs recipe from Cook’s Illustrated.
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Creamed Zucchini with Garlic & Basil
Made simply with grated zucchini, butter and cream, this creamed zucchini makes an easy and elegant summer dish.
Ingredients
- 1¾ pounds zucchini (preferably smaller zucchini, as they are less watery)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Grate the zucchini by hand with a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding disk. Wrap the shredded zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much excess water as possible. Repeat a few times, replacing the towel if necessary.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded zucchini and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is tender, about 6 minutes. Turn the heat down to low; add the heavy cream, salt, pepper and basil and simmer until the cream is absorbed. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve warm.
- Make Ahead Instructions: The whole recipe ahead of time. Just cover and refrigerate. You can reheat it in the microwave right before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 179
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Sugar: 5g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 461mg
- Cholesterol: 49mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Wow! Just a couple of nights ago, we needed a veggie to go with the chicken, my husband had made. So, opened your website and clicked on veggies and sides. I was looking for something to do with zucchini and yellow squash. I saw this creamed zucchini recipe. I made it with the zucchini and squash. It was delicious! My husband and I loved it and would serve it at a dinner party. I only had dried
Basil and half and half, instead of real cream. It was still a hit! I’ve loved all your recipes that I’ve tried! Thanks, Jen, for some new ideas!
Loved this! So yummy!
We made this once for ourselves and loved it so much that we’ve made it twice for guests. Creamy and delicious.
Um…4 servings? Not at my house. ? My husband and I polished this off by ourselves — so scrumptious! Jenn, I trust your recipes so much that I would make them for the first time for company… thanks for doing what you do.
That is so nice to read, Susan. Thank you! And so glad you enjoyed the dish 🙂
I was very intrigued by this recipe, as I love zucchini. I don’t believe I squeezed as much water out the zucchini as I should have, because it was difficult to get the dish to thicken. The garlic was a little too much, but perhaps my cloves were larger than average. I may saute some chopped onion or shallots next time around, or add a little nutmeg. I usually add nutmeg when I saute zucchini. I wanted a creamier texture, and I think I can improve on my initial results.
Is this good served cold?
Hi Chris, I prefer it hot. Sorry!
Just made this dish and oh, was it delightful! Thanks Jenn.
Simple. Quick. Delicious. I’ll be making this one often during zucchini season.
A friend gave me one giant zucchini from his garden at work today so I made this for dinner. It is a very quick dish wish is great for weeknights. I did have to squeeze a lot of water out of the zucchini since it was a large one. I used part heavy cream and part half&half since I was down to my last bit of cream. I also sprinkled a heaping tablespoon of parmesan on top before serving. My husband and I both liked it. thanks.
I thought this was an elegant easy recipe to make. I used it for dinner with company and we all really liked the dish.