This 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini Is the Easy Side Dish You Need

It’s time for your daily reminder to use up all that zucchini you harvested from your garden or bought at the farmers market! This five-minute side dish is just the ticket. It’ll go with whatever main dish you’re making, and just might steal the show come dinnertime.

The key to making this a truly five-minute recipe is using your microwave. Simply slice the zucchini and set it in a microwave-safe bowl with a bit of water. If you don’t own a microwave, you can cook it in a steamer basket on the stovetop — this route will just take longer.

Regardless of which method you choose to cook your zucchini, you want it to still be slightly firm, holding its shape rather than slumping into a soggy mess. You also want to drain any excess water before adding the butter, salt and pepper, and Parmesan so you don’t end up with a watery final dish.

The author notes that you can use any summer squash here (the yellow variety works just as well as your standard green zucchini), but she’s adamant about your choice of cheese. Instead of the long shreds of Parmesan, she notes that the ground Parm “creates a more homogenous bite.”

A quick and easy side that will satisfy everyone and use up your zucchini surplus? That’s what I call a win-win situation.

→ Get the Recipe: Easy 5-Minute Parmesan Zucchini from Foodie Crush