Roast zucchini with vinegar takes a different approach to the ubiquitous summer veggie by roasting it with lots of garlic and tangy vinegar. Eat it as a side or stuff it into a pita for a fresh take on lunch.
Adapted from Ghillie Basan | The Lebanese Cookbook | Lorenz Books, 2020
In the eastern Mediterranean you will find plain and marbled green zucchini, as well as pure white and yellow (sometimes referred to as squash). You can use any for this dish, koussa bilk hal, which is delicious served with grilled or roasted meat, poultry and fish.–Ghillie Basan
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Roast Zucchini with Vinegar
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 medium (21 oz) zucchini* trimmed and sliced lengthways into 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick strips
- 4 cloves of garlic halved and lightly crushed
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried mint
- Sea salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish, arrange the zucchini slices with the crushed garlic in a single layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the zucchini, and roast until softened and lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid with the vinegar and dried mint to make a dressing.
- Arrange the baked zucchini on a warmed serving plate. Drizzle the vinegar and mint dressing over the zucchini. Sprinkle generously with salt and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
*How long will roast zucchini with vinegar last?
If you end up with leftovers, you can store them for up to a day in the fridge. After that, you’ll find that they’re just too soggy to be very appetizing anymore. There are a few ways to use those leftovers, though. They can be sliced and added to a salad for an extra little bit of zip. And they can be rewarmed–a quick fry on the stovetop will do wonders for them.Show Nutrition
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
I baked my roast zucchini with vinegar for a total of nearly an hour; my zucchini became soft and ever so slightly browned. I used the full amounts of olive oil and cooking liquid, and agree completely that the salting should be generous: this takes the dish from bland to gently flavorful.
I ate some warm and some at room temperature, and both were agreeable options. Since the note mentions Mediterranean food, I could see this as a side to falafel, for example, with the falafel either plated or stuffed into a pita.
This recipe for roast zucchini with vinegar is very easy to follow and quick to make. I mixed the remaining juices from the baking pan with the white wine vinegar and mint and salt. The flavor was delicious and all the ingredients were a perfect combination.
I should explain that I’m not a particular fan of zucchini and the rest of my family don’t like to smell cooking vinegar in the kitchen. The family apparently didn’t detect the vinegar in the dish, and I found that with some added salt, this roast zucchini with vinegar was very tasty. My son declined to even try it, but three other diners reported the dish was excellent.
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Mel H.
What a simple and delicious way to elevate the flavor of fresh summer zucchini. I made this roast zucchini with vinegar ahead for dinner, but it never lasted that long. It sat on the counter and my husband and I snacked on it throughout the afternoon. The vinegary zing, combined with the soft chunks of zucchini and chewy pops of roasted garlic was just so satisfying.