Chinese-style zucchini stir fry

Zucchini is a delicious vegetable that is easy to cook with. The mild-tasting, spongy squash takes on the flavor of everything in the pan. This is why I like to cook zucchini with plenty of aromatics and just enough seasonings to bring out its flavor. I made this zucchini stir fry with Chinese ingredients, but it goes well with a lot of main dishes from other cuisines as well. Try it once and you will make it all the time! 

Ingredients

When you are ready to make Chinese zucchini stir fry, here are the ingredients you will need:

  • Sliced zucchini
  • Ground Sichuan peppercorns
  • Dried chili peppers
  • Minced garlic and ginger
  • Soy sauce
Ingredients for making Chinese Zucchini Stir Fry
Chinese-style zucchini stir fry close up

How Do You Keep Zucchini From Getting Soggy When Frying?

Soggy zucchini stir fry is not something that anyone would find appetizing. Since zucchini contains a lot of moisture, it usually releases a lot of water during cooking and can make the dish watery. 

Back in China, my mom likes to remove the seeds from the zucchini. I found the method a bit tedious and you lose half of the zucchini, so I found an alternative way. 

I like to sprinkle my zucchini slices with a little salt before cooking, and let them sit for about 10 minutes. This helps extract the excess water from the zucchini. Rinse the salt off of the zucchini, pat the washed zucchini dry with a paper towel and it is ready to cook! This process really helps keep the veggie crunchy and crisp as it sautees.

How to Make Chinese Zucchini Stir Fry

Here is a quick look at how to make Chinese zucchini stir fry. 

  1. Salt the zucchini and let it sit
  2. Saute the aromatics 
  3. Cook the zucchini
  4. Finish up with a touch of soy sauce 

When I make this recipe, it takes about 15 minutes to prepare and only 5 minutes to cook. It is quick, easy and so incredibly flavorful. All those spicy pepper flavors are truly fantastic. 

How to make zucchini stir fry step-by-step

How to serve zucchini stir fry

My Chinese zucchini stir fry is typically enjoyed as a side dish or one of the main dishes in a multi-course meal.  

You can either serve it with a main dish and a soup to make a complete meal. Or you can serve it with a simple dish such as sesame noodles, or my 10-minute egg fried rice to make a quick yet nutritious meal. 

I love making this Chinese stir fry zucchini in the summer when fresh squash is abundant. It is a light but intense dish that really brings zucchini to life. It is completely vegan and can be enjoyed by anyone who loves veggies and a little bit of spice. 

Sauteed summer squash with aromatics and dried chili pepper

Other easy side dishes

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My Chinese zucchini stir fry is a fantastic homestyle dish that is quite simple to make. The summer squash is sauteed in Sichuan peppercorn oil to add a bold, vibrant flavor that makes the zucchini really come alive. {Gluten-Free Adaptable, Vegan}

Chinese Zucchini Stir Fry

By Maggie Zhu
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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My Chinese zucchini stir fry is a fantastic homestyle dish that is quite simple to make. The summer squash is sauteed in Sichuan peppercorn oil to add a bold, vibrant flavor that makes the zucchini really come alive. {Gluten-Free Adaptable, Vegan} To make the dish gluten-free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.

Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Remove the tough ends from the zucchini. Halve it lengthwise, then cut into 1/4” (4 mm) thick half-moon slices.
  • (Optional but highly recommended) Transfer the zucchini to a large bowl and add 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes. Once done, drain and discard the water from the bowl. Rinse the zucchini with cold tap water to remove the salt. Drain again and gently squeeze excess water from the zucchini. (*Footnote 2)
  • Add oil to a medium-sized skillet and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the dried chili pepper, ginger and garlic. Stir a few times to release fragrance.
  • Add the ground Sichuan peppercorns and the zucchini. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Swirl in the soy sauce. Cook until the zucchini has softened, but is still a bit crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn down the heat and try a piece of zucchini. Sprinkle a bit more salt if needed. Transfer everything to a big plate and serve hot as a side dish.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Notes

  1. If you do not salt the zucchini (step 2), then you might need a bit more soy sauce.
  2.  This step helps remove some moisture from the zucchini so it won’t release a lot of water during the stir fry. Do not let the zucchini sit with salt for too long, which will cause it to be very salty.
  3. If you have a powerful gas stove and use very high heat to cook the zucchini, you can also skip this step to shorten the prep time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 53kcal, Carbohydrates: 4.9g, Protein: 315g, Fat: 3.6g, Saturated Fat: 0.6g, Sodium: 87mg, Potassium: 315mg, Fiber: 1.4g, Sugar: 2g, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg

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