Nonna’s Roasted Zucchini With Mint & Vinegar


This vegetable side dish is as rustic and straightforward as you can get. It is the kind of dish that your Nonna would put out on the table when serving some roasted meat or poultry. It is also the exact dish that I enjoyed at a little roadside bar/gas station when driving through Abruzzo recently.

We were making our way from Puglia to Umbria and stopped for gas. When I spied all the worker’s trucks at the bar and read the Tavola Calda sign in the window, I knew that it would be a great place to stop for lunch. When we walked in, the place was indeed packed with working men who stopped by to get a filling meal for a very reasonable price.

I chose the roasted sausage, some sautéed greens, and a scoop of this roasted zucchini for my lunch. Roasting vegetables seems to enhance their natural flavor, and these zucchinis were full of flavor. The recipe couldn’t be easier either, as you simply toss the sliced zucchini with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh mint.

Season with salt and pepper, then dump into an oven-proof casserole and let the oven do its job. Once the zucchini is fully cooked, take the pan from the oven and stir in a teaspoon or so of red wine vinegar. It may sound strange, but I promise you these zucchinis are delicious! With the zucchini season just beginning here in Umbria, I will be making this dish often throughout the summer months.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele

Nonna's Roasted Zucchini With Mint & Vinegar

Nonna's Roasted Zucchini With Mint & Vinegar

Yield: Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

A peasant style of preparing zucchini, just like Nonna would.

Ingredients

  • 6 Medium Zucchini, Ends Trimmed And Cut Into 1/2-inch Slices
  • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper To Taste
  • 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Mint
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Place the zucchini, oil, salt, pepper, and mint in an oven-proof casserole dish, then toss to mix well.
  3. Roast the zucchini until very soft and beginning to brown, stirring every so often, for 1 hour.
  4. Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the red wine vinegar.
  5. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 113Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 56mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 3g

Did you make this recipe?

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6 Comments

  1. This looks delicious.
    Do you have any favorite brands of red wine vinegar to buy here in the U.S?
    Joy Montalbano

  2. I sautéed the zucchini with garlic in a little EVOO  in a pan, then added the chopped mint and finally balsamic vinegar to finish. My Italian Grandmother made it this way and she was right off the boat from Italy. She called it Kokootz (sp.)  Also, I shredded the zucchini on the thick end of a grater. B. Littlejohn

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