Squash with robust edges and a tender middle is the most delicious squash. The best way to achieve this is to cook the squash over medium heat just until each side is golden. Add salt and little drizzles of olive oil as you go.
As far as varieties go, patty pans are the most flavorful and lead my summer squash rankings. Their firm outer edge holds up, even in high heat, and maintains a bit of bite, tender middles or no. Zucchini are the second best summer squash. I don’t love yellow summer squash, though.With their thin skins and general lack of flavor, I avoid them if I can.
Whatever squash you choose, pick small specimens that are firm enough to resist a gentle squeeze. Every summer, my social feeds fill with pictures of giant zucchini that escaped their gardener’s attention. These squash are no prize – don’t serve them to anyone you like.
Last year, I tried several recipes with giant zucchini in the hopes that maybe they could be salvaged with the right cooking technique. Reader, they cannot. They are watery and have no flavor and no amount of roasting, salt, or puddled olive oil can change that. I find the best course of action for giant zucchini is chucking them in the compost and resolving to be more diligent in the future.
Once your squash is selected and well cooked, you should add some kind of drippy, herby sauce alongside. Here, I went with a chimichurri, but pesto, pistou, or Italian salsa verde would all be lovely.
Pan-Seared Patty Pan Squash with Chimichurri
These pan-seared patty pans with chimichurri make for a good summer side, especially when served alongside grilled meats. With toast or an egg, they could be a simple but sating dinner.
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