This 5-ingredient shredded zucchini recipe is a healthy way to use your zucchini in an easy side dish. Sautéed with garlic and dill, using low-fat (light) feta, it's a delicious, gluten-free, and low-calorie veggie dish that can be made in 20 minutes! Bonus: It's also Weight Watchers and keto friendly!
The beautiful thing about zucchini is that it’s both healthy and versatile, adopting the flavors of whatever it’s cooked with. You can slice it, dice it, make it into noodles, serve it raw for dipping, deep fry it, bake it, grill it, and shred, and sauté it.
Zucchini is popular in late summer during peak zucchini harvest season. This zucchini recipe pairs well with my low-maintenance Hoisin chicken recipe.
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But zucchini has many other nutritional benefits and it's great for weight loss. Did you know that this illustrious little veggie has just 25 calories (compared to a baked potato, for example, which has 130 calories)?!
💭Facts about zucchini
Top 10 Zucchini Facts:
- A zucchini has more potassium than a banana!
- The word zucchini comes from ‘zucca’ the Italian word for squash. The Italians brought zucchini to the United States in the 1920s. Zucchini is a summer squash.
- Zucchini isn't technically a vegetable. Botanically speaking, it's a fruit (the ovary of the zucchini flower).
- Bigger is NOT better. The most flavorful zucchinis are small to medium-sized.
- Zucchini (also known as a courgette) will grow almost anywhere. It is a popular home and garden crop in temperate climates from northern Alberta to New Zealand.
- Zucchini can grow up to three feet in length. The smaller zucchini (4 – 5 inches) taste sweeter and harvesting the smaller young zucchinis frequently encourages fruit production.
- Zucchini is low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol.
- Zucchinis are 95% water.
- Zucchini is a good source of Protein, Vitamin A, thiamine, Niacin, Phosphorus, and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, and Manganese.
- Zucchini can be made into a healthy noodle substitute (P.S. You don't need a spiralizer to make zucchini noodles: Watch this video for 3 ways to make zucchini noodles without a spiralizer)
*Facts gathered from Wikipedia, The Food Channel, and SELF Nutritional Data
🥘Ingredients
You only need a few basic ingredients for this easy recipe:
- zucchini, shredded (you can use previously frozen shredded zucchini)
- feta cheese ** I use light/low-fat
- garlic
- olive oil
- fresh dill
🔪Instructions
Prep: Shred zucchini through large holes of a box grater or with a food processor (using the medium shredding disc).
Heat oil in a deep large skillet (or wok) on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
Add half of the garlic and heat for one minute.
Add zucchini and the remaining garlic. Sauté for about 12 minutes.
Mix in dill. Add feta cheese, cover and cook for another additional 3 minutes until the cheese is partially melted.
Drain off excess liquid and serve with a sprig of fresh dill (optional)
Tip: If you are using frozen zucchini, defrost and drain off excess moisture, then pat dry with paper towels.
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Feta cheese: Using low-fat/light feta cheese will reduce calories and fat content in this recipe. Alternatively, you can use regular feta cheese.
- Dill: Fresh dill is ideal, but you can use half the amount of dried dill.
- Garlic: you can substitute fresh garlic with minced garlic in a jar
🍲Main Courses to serve with Shredded Zucchini
If you're looking for a main course to serve with this zucchini recipe, here are some recommendations:
🍽Equipment
You will need a box grater (using the large holes to shred) for this shredding zucchini for this grated zucchini recipe, although a food processor (affiliate link) is ideal! You can use any deep large skillet, but I recommend a wok pan (affiliate link)
🌡️Storing
Freezing Shredded Zucchini (for quick and easy meals)
I buy a ton of zucchini (about 10 at a time), wash and shred them in my food processor, then freeze in 2-cup freezer bags (as most recipes call for 2 cups). If you have extra zucchini, this is the best way to preserve it:
- You don’t even need to peel off the zucchini skin (as you would a carrot) because, like most veggies/fruit, much of the nutrients (especially fiber) are in the peel/skin!
- When I need it, I pop it into the microwave, defrost it, and voila – instant veggies!
- I will even drop it frozen, straight into soups like this Easy One-Pot Hamburger Soup. It makes a great healthy filler in all kinds of soups!
- You can make zucchini muffins or a quick bread with frozen zucchini. I use it for my zucchini cookies too.
Another great thing about zucchini is that it’s available all year round (and for a reasonable price).
Leftovers: store leftovers of this shredded zucchini recipe in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
👪 Servings
This low-carb fried zucchini recipe makes 8 servings. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This grated zucchini recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 1 ww point per serving (using light/low-fat feta cheese)
📋Shredded Zucchini Recipes
This healthy shredded zucchini recipe is my favorite way to use shredded zucchini because it is so fast, especially if you already have your zucchini shredded and frozen. And it's a great way to use up a lot of zucchini.
I also love to make these Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies with my shredded zucchini as a treat. Zucchini and chocolate chips are unbelievably delicious together!
Zucchini Crisp (with Shredded Zucchini) is another great recipe made with shredded zucchini!
So if you have an abundance of zucchini, make the most of your summer zucchini with this great recipe! It's one of my very favorite recipes! Zucchini is also low in carbohydrates, so it's an excellent option if you are following a keto diet. If you are looking for quick, easy, and delicious grated zucchini recipes, or a low-carb fried zucchini recipe, then this is a great side dish for you!
⭐ Reviews
Did you love this zucchini recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating and comment below!
Here's what others are saying: "This zucchini feta saute was SO EASY and very good. Even better, this time of year, I had all the ingredients handy -fresh zucchini and dill from our raised bed gardens. Thanks Terri!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📋 Shredded Zucchini and Feta Sauté Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini shredded
- 1 cup feta cheese ** I use light/low-fat
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dill *fresh is best
Garnish
- parmesan cheese (optional)
- additional dill
Instructions
- Heat oil in medium pan on stovetop on medium- low.
- Add half of the garlic and heat for one minute.
- Add zucchini and the remaining garlic. Sauté over medium heat for about 12 minutes.
- Mix in dill. Add feta, cover and cook for another additional 3 minutes until cheese is partially melted. Drain off excess liquid.
Garnish
- Serve with a sprig of fresh dill and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese (optional)
Sue
I had completely forgotten but decades ago I used to shred and freeze zucchini. I had a chocolate cake recipe the kids loved and I never told them about the hidden veggie,or as I now know,fruit. Good idea to keep the skin on. Makes it so much easier besides being more nutritious!
Terri Gilson
Oh how I love chocolate zucchini anything, Sue! I think you need to dig out that recipe!
Heather Brown
The zucchini feta saute was SO EASY and very good. Even better, this time of year, I had all the ingredients handy -
fresh zucchini and dill from our raised bed gardens. Thanks Terri!
Terri Gilson
So glad you enjoyed it, Heather!
Colleen Milne
This looks so simple but good. Thanks for giving me another idea for using up my garden zucchini. (They just keep on coming!)
Sharon
This looks super easy and delicious! I adore dill. I think this year is the year I finally get myself a spiralizer. Too many fun zuke recipes out there not too. 🙂
Charlotte
Zucchini and feta seem like such a perfect pairing! I'm exited to give this a try!
Gabrielle @ eyecandypopper
This sounds delicious, and what a great idea to shred and freeze zucchinis!
Sean@Diversivore
Zucchini is one of those things that I enjoy, and yet I don't buy it that often because I'm always unsure what I can do with it that will be new and exciting. The saute idea is a nice one, but the idea of adding feta is genius! That punchy, salty, distinctive flavour is a perfect foil to the mild squash. Oh, and I did not know that zucchini had so much potassium! You learn something new every day 😀