Easy Mediterranean Baked Zucchini & Cherry Tomatoes Salad
Fresh summer zucchini and sweet cherry tomatoes meet nutty Pecorino, garlic, and a splash of balsamic in this quick one-pan side. It delivers golden, lightly crisp vegetables with a bright, juicy topping in about the time it takes to set the table.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchini about 6 to 7 inches each
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 medium red onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves mashed to a paste
- ¼ cup Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, freshly grated
- ¼ cup almond flour optional, helps with browning
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Handful fresh parsley plus basil if you have it for garnish
Instructions
Prep the zucchini
- Trim stems and slice each squash lengthwise.
- Score the cut surface in a shallow cross-hatch, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and let sit 10 minutes on paper towel. Pat dry.
Sear for flavor
- Heat a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When it shimmers, drop in the butter.
- Place zucchini cut side down, leave them alone for about 3 minutes until deep golden, then flip for 30 seconds on the skin side.
Roast to finish
- Transfer the skillet to a 400 °F (200 °C) oven.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes until a knife meets slight resistance (they should stay a little crisp). Broil for 1 minute if you want extra char.
- Mix the tomato topping while the squash roasts
- In a bowl combine tomatoes, onion, oregano, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mashed garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
- Let it marinate at least 10 minutes so the juices form a quick dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Plate and serve
- Drain any liquid pooled on the zucchini.
- Arrange cut side up, shower with Pecorino, then spoon the tomato mixture over the top.
- Finish with chopped parsley (and basil ribbons if you like) and a final grind of pepper.
Notes
More helpful tips:
- Keep it crisp: The quick salt rest draws out excess moisture. If you skip that step, dust the cut face with almond flour instead, which absorbs water and browns like breadcrumbs.
- Pan temperature matters: A drop of water should skitter across the skillet before you add the zucchini. A hot sear builds flavor fast.
- Dietary swaps: For a vegan version, replace butter with more olive oil and use plant-based parmesan. Strict keto eaters can trade balsamic for red-wine vinegar to shave off sugar.
- Make-ahead shortcut: Sear and roast the zucchini up to a day in advance, cool, cover, and refrigerate. Warm for 5 minutes in a hot oven just before topping and serving.
- Creative leftovers: Dice any extras and fold into omelets, pasta, or grain bowls.