This easy sautéed mixed vegetables recipe became a family favorite when clients asked for it three times in one week. It’s a delicious side dish and a healthy recipe. It makes the most of abundant summer zucchini, corn and sweet peppers, plus I've added ideas to vary the vegetable mix by season. Fresh herbs give it even more flavor. Add this to your easy recipes file.
The combination of zucchini, sweet corn and sweet bell peppers really hit the spot for my clients. They could not get enough of it. No matter how much I cooked, they ate it all. If you have a hard time getting your family to eat vegetables, try mixed vegetables. It's a great way to make vegetables more interesting, plus it offers lots of colors, textures, and flavors.
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Ingredients
You need the following. See measurements on the recipe card.
- Fresh corn
- Zucchini (baby zucchini or small regular)
- Red bell pepper
- Orange bell pepper
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Shallot minced, chopped fine (or use onion)
- Garlic cloves, chopped fine
- Fresh herbs
- Salt
- Black pepper (or red pepper)
Ingredient Tips and Swaps
I use fresh veggies, but if you can't get all fresh, use frozen to fill in the gaps.
- Corn: if fresh is not available, buy organic frozen kernels
- Zucchini: use the baby ones or small to medium zucchini
- Shallot: use sweet onions or red onion
- Optional fresh herbs: try parsley, oregano, tarragon or cilantro (coriander leaves)
- Instead of shallot, swap in sweet onions
- For bell peppers, use a yellow bell pepper or even green
- No fresh garlic? Use a little garlic powder
Varying Seasonal Vegetables
I created this recipe in summer, but you can vary the recipe using different vegetables to work year round. The goal is to get healthy dinners on the table. Next time, try adding:
- Cooked green peas
- Small chopped broccoli florets
- Cooked carrots chopped into small cubes
- Cooked lima beans
- Cooked french beans or green beans, chopped small (across)
- Small bits of cooked squash or sweet potatoes
How to Cut up Zucchini
For the zucchini, I like to use the baby version when available but regular small zucchini works fine. If using baby zucchini, trim off the stem and cut whole ones on the diagonal.
Slice regular size zucchini lengthwise into quarters, then trim out the seedy centers and cut on the diagonal into about ½″ wide (1 ½ cm) pieces.
How To Cut Up a Bell Pepper
Cutting up vegetables like bell peppers is a challenge. Here's to handle them. Cut off the top and bottom. Stand the pepper up and cut a slice through the side to open it up. Remove the large seed core.
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Lay the pepper flat and holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, trim out the ribs and seeds that are left. From here, cut the pepper into long thin slices. Lay them together, then cut across creating a perfect dice.
How to Cut Corn From the Cob
For the corn, remove the husk and silk, then drop into boiling salted water for three minutes. Remove the corn and drain on a kitchen towel. With a sharp knife, cut the cob in half to make it more manageable. Stand the cob on end, then cut the kernels from the cob into strips and set aside.
Instructions
Once the prep work is done (which you can do ahead of time), this cooks up quickly for a healthy side dish. All of the vegetables get a quick sauté over medium heat with a little olive oil, some chopped shallot and garlic. Lastly, mix vegetables.
Fresh herbs make a nice finish but are optional. A nonstick skillet or large cast iron fry pan works fine. I like the vegetables cooked quickly so they are crisp tender, but cook them to your preference.
How to Serve
This makes a great side dish for whole roast chicken, roast bone-in chicken breasts, grilled chicken or burgers. Just about anything.
And if your family will eat anything as long as it has Parmesan cheese on it, toss the mixed vegetables at the end with finely grated Parmesan or shower it over the top of the veggies.
Those cute little mini pots are called cocottes, from Le Creuset, available on Amazon in many colors. So fun to serve side dishes and individual portions in.
Leftovers
Leftovers are good the next day. Refrigerate in an airtight container. Scramble with eggs or fold into an omelet, or just warm them up again.
More Vegetable Recipes
If your family likes green beans, here are 12 ways to dress them up to keep things interesting. Ever tried roasting broccoli? Serve it here with lemon and Parmesan. If you have lots of zucchini, try grilling it.
📖 Recipe
Colorful Summer Vegetable Medley
Equipment
- Large saute or fry pan
Ingredients
- 2 large ears of fresh corn, husked and silk removed or 1 cup thawed frozen kernels
- 1 pound zucchini baby zucchini or regular
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large shallot or small onion chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs parsley, oregano or tarragon, optional
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
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Instructions
Vegetable prep work
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water boils, drop corn cobs in and boil for 3 minutes. Remove corn and drain on a kitchen towel. When corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs in long strips and set aside. Alternatively thaw frozen corn kernels and cooked according to package directions.
- While you are cooking the corn, prep your zucchini and peppers. For the zucchini, trim off the ends, then cut into approximately ½″ ( 1 ½ cm) slices on the diagonal. If using baby zucchini, cut them crosswise into pieces. If using regular sized zucchini, cut into long quarters, slice out the seedy centers, then cut into pieces. For the bell peppers, cut off the tops and bottoms, cut out the seeds and membranes, slice into long thins strips, then chop into small cubes. Follow the photos in the post for help.
Cooking
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the shallot and cook until soft, about 1 minute. Add the zucchini and cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic and bell peppers, stirring to combine. Continue to cook the vegetables until they are softened and browning. How long will depend on how crisp you like your vegetables. They cook pretty quickly. Towards the end, add the corn and heat through for a minute. Add any chopped fresh herbs if desired, salt and pepper, and serve hot.
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Shut Up & Cook says
Everything really is better in a darling little pot!
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says
I read your comment about Pinterest on Will Write for Food and clicked over to see your site. No wonder you are successful on Pinterest, your photos are fabulous. I'm following all of your boards now and liked you on FB. You are very inspiring.
This zucchini corn & pepper saute sounds wonderful and a great way to eat your vegetables.
Sam
Madonna says
This is a beautiful dish. I am getting rather snobby if a dish is just chunked up. I want a nice dice on my veg. Great dishes for presentation. I think this would be delicious with your fish you made awhile back. Cooking for athletes, what a great job.
Margaret Rizzuto says
Looks great - I'll be giving this a go. I like the step by step images too!