This easy gluten-free side dish is one of our favorites ways to enjoy Summer tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini! Serve alongside any protein of choice, warm over greens or even toss with your favorite gluten-free pasta for an easy dinner!
There are so many things I love about Summer and late Summer produce is definitely one of them!
My husband and I love tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini and they are never fresher or more flavorful than mid-Summer into early Fall!
They are so juicy and tasty that they don’t need much seasoning (or cooking in the case of tomatoes which are so yummy right off the vine!) and cook quickly!
One of our favorite dishes to make with these vegetables is to simply saute them with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and basil.
It is easy, delicious, naturally gluten-free (!) and delicious!
I made this a few weeks ago on my Instagram Stories while sharing a vacation house with family and you all loved it and asked for the recipe, so finally sharing here!
This bowl was actually a double portion of the recipe because I was feeding so many of us. And that’s one of the best parts of a recipe like this… you can double it easily!
And leftovers are great!
The next day, I heated some up for lunch and served it over crisp greens with some hummus and reheated potatoes, and it was so tasty!
So let’s make it!
There’s a cooking video on this page so you can see how simple it is!
And if you’re new to this website, at the bottom of every recipe page is a printable recipe with exact measurements and directions.
All you need is:
eggplant
zucchini
cherry tomatoes
basil (preferably fresh but dried works well too!)
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
crushed red pepper (optional) and
garlic.
It takes just 5 – 10 minutes to cut the vegetables as it’s not that many — 1-2 zucchini, 1 eggplant and a bunch of cherry tomatoes which you could cut as eggplant and zucchini cook.
I cut the zucchini in approximately 1/4 inch circles, then quarters.The thicker the circle, the longer they take to cook but also, they may hold their shape more if that’s what you like. We like to saute them so they are super tender which is why they sometimes loose their shape a bit as they cook.
And the eggplant in approximately 1/2 – 3/4 inch pieces, then depending on the size of the eggplant, additional slices until I have about 1 inch pieces. Note, they don’t all have to be the exact same size but try to get the thickness as close as possible so that they cook at the same rate.
Then all you do is saute it, starting with the eggplant as it takes longer to cook. And I like to season it with a touch of salt.
Then add in the zucchini, garlic, salt & pepper.
Lastly add in the tomatoes. If you’re using summer tomatoes, they cook up and start to blister in about 5 minutes.
Finally stir in some fresh basil and you’re ready to serve!
Super quick and easy! And so fresh tasting and delicious!
A few pro tips:
Covering while cooking: If you’re trying to speed things up or are doubling the recipe so you have a large quantity, you could always cover the vegetables for 5 minutes so they steam as well as saute. They will make them softer so you will want to make sure you cook with the cover off afterwards if you want them browned on the edges.
Ability to Customize: There is a lot of flexibility in the recipe. If you want to use more or less eggplant or zucchini based on availability or preference, that works too!
Option to speed up cooking: It’s already a quick dish but if you want to speed it up even more, you could cut the eggplant smaller and zucchini larger and cook them at the same time!
Crushed red pepper: I give a range of crushed red pepper. I love it with just a pinch or two. It adds some flavor without make it spicy. But if you want spicy, add some more!
Lastly, let’s discuss how to serve these Sauteed Summer Vegetables!
It is a super fresh gluten-free side dish alongside any protein of choice. We served it on vacation along with grilled chicken and grilled salmon.
It’s tasty atop crispy greens as part of a salad.
It’s delicious tossed with some cooked gluten-free pasta for a simple dinner.
No matter you serve it, it’s super fresh tasting, bursting with the flavors of summer and so delicious! And naturally gluten-free!
I hope you love it as much as we do!
PIN it!
Scroll down for recipe and leave comment if you make it.
This easy gluten-free side dish is one of our favorites ways to enjoy Summer tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini! Serve alongside any protein of choice, warm over greens or even toss with your favorite gluten-free pasta for an easy dinner! Recipe doubles well.
1large eggplantcut into 1/2 - 3/4 inch circles, then cut into approximately 1 inch pieces, about 4-5 cups
2zucchinicut into 1/4 inch slices, then halves or quarters, approximately 4 cups
4-6garlic clovesminced
2cupscherry tomatoeshalved
1/2 - 3/4teaspoonkosher salt
1/4 - 1/2teaspoonpepper
a pinch - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red peppera pinch just adds a touch of flavor, the more you add the spicier it gets
1/4cupfresh basil OR 1 heaping teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan) in a large saute pan over medium heat.
Add eggplant and saute, 5-7 minutes, until starting to get tender and edges might be getting crisp. While eggplant sautes, stir frequently and add 1/2 teaspoon salt as they start to cook up.
Add zucchini, garlic, Stir to combine. Add additional tablespoon of olive oil if sticking to pan. Then add in remainder of salt, plus peppers. stir to combine and saute 7-10 minutes or until zucchini tender, stirring frequently.
Add tomatoes, stir to combine and saute additional 5 minutes or until blistered.
Stir in basil and serve!
Store extra in the refrigerator and reheat in a saute pan.
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...
