Prep time
10 min
Cook time
15 min
Serves
2
Calories
~220 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
Method
01
Roast the tomatoes first
Heat your oven to 220°C. Halve the cherry tomatoes and spread them cut-side up on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and a pinch of chili flakes. Roast for 12–15 minutes until their skins blister and they slump into a jammy, concentrated version of themselves. This step transforms them from fresh to flavour-packed.
02
Ribbon or spiralize the zucchini
Run a vegetable peeler down the length of each zucchini to create long, flat ribbons — alternate between green and yellow for colour. Or use a spiralizer for curly strands. Once done, lay them on a clean cloth and pat gently dry — zucchini holds a lot of water and you don't want to steam your own dish.
03
Sauté the garlic
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until it smells fragrant and turns just barely golden. Don't let it brown — bitter garlic will ruin the whole dish.
04
Toss the zucchini briefly
Add all the zucchini strands to the pan and toss for 1–2 minutes. This is the most important timing in the recipe. Zucchini goes from perfect to mushy very quickly. You want it warm, slightly cooked, with a gentle bite — not limp. Season generously.
05
Bring it together
Add the roasted tomatoes and oregano leaves directly into the pan. Toss gently — you want the jammy tomatoes to coat the zucchini without breaking them up entirely. Taste one final time and adjust salt.
06
Plate and finish
Divide between two plates immediately. Tear fresh basil leaves generously over the top. If using parmesan, shave it directly over the warm strands. Serve at once — this is not a dish that improves from sitting.
Tips for the best result
- ✦Pat the zucchini dry before cooking — the water they release will make everything soggy if you don't.
- ✦1–2 minutes in the pan is all the zucchini needs. Overcooked zucchini goes watery and loses all texture.
- ✦Roasting the tomatoes is what makes this dish. Don't substitute with fresh tomatoes — they won't have the same sweetness.
- ✦Using both yellow and green zucchini isn't just aesthetic — they have slightly different textures and flavours.
- ✦This is best eaten immediately. It doesn't reheat well.
Get all 5 ingredients delivered
Every ingredient in this recipe is available on Urban Farmers.
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