Easy Zucchini Melt on tangy and crusty Sourdough: perfect for a busy day. Saut̩ some Zucchini, arrange it on a slice of sourdough, top with cheese Рand grill it! Pair it with a simple soup or salad, maybe add a bit of crunch with some potato chips, a delicious and satisfying meal in under 30 min.
How to select Zucchini ?
When buying Zucchini, I always try to get the smallest and skinniest of the pickings – I think they taste the best. The flesh is tender and they cook really fast, which prevents the loss of nutrients such as Vitamin C, which Zucchini is rich in. It is also a very low carbohydrate, low-fat food, with a low glycemic index, which makes it suitable for those who need to monitor their blood sugar.
If Zucchini is not available, you can substitute with a different squash – the closest match in flavor would be yellow summer squash, or Mexican grey squash, also called Lebanese squash. I usually plan for about one small-medium Zucchini per person – each 5-6 inches long. Cut across in half , then slice each half into 3-4 long slices. That’s it – the chopping’s all done!
Pan-fry the zucchini
I use a non-stick pan to fry the slices, so I only need a little bit of oil. I place the slices in a single layer, sprinkle a little salt, cover and cook for a few min. As the salt gets through the slices, it releases some juice, which prevents the slices from burning.
When I flip one of the slices to check for done-ness, I’m looking for brown spots. I flip it back, drizzle a couple of drops of oil on each slice, then flip each slice. I cover it again and cook to brown the other side.
When it’s done, I sprinkle paprika generously on the cooked slices, cover and rest for a few min to allow the paprika flavor to absorb.
Assemble and grill
Meanwhile, I prepare the bread slices: butter the bread lightly, sprinkle with Parmesan and dot with prepared red chili paste (NOT Thai red curry paste). I personally like Sambal Oelek – fresh red chillies, crushed and marinated in salted vinegar. I don’t really like hot sauces like Tabasco for this sandwich (Sriracha is OK).
If you don’t have a pre-made chili sauce on hand, no worries! It is quite easy to make a little bit from fresh chillies – directions are in the Recipe Notes.
After arranging the browned Zucchini on the prepared slices, I top them with shredded mozzarella and grill/bake, until the cheese melts and browns nicely. Oh, the aroma is tantalizing!
If you need to do this on a stove-top, use a non-stick frying pan. Smear a bit of oil on the pan, place the prepared slices, then cover and cook on low-medium heat. Check after a few min to ensure that it is not burning on the bottom. When the cheese melts, turn the heat off and keep it covered for a couple of min, before serving hot. The cheese won’t brown, of course, but the sandwich still tastes awesome!
Serve it up!
What to have along with the sandwich? Some crunchy potato chips would be nice, of course (watch the salt, though!). Also a soup, salad or lightly seasoned sautéed vegetables would go well with this sandwich. I have shown it here, paired with lightly sautéed broccoli to add fiber, since this sandwich is rather low in fiber.
Perhaps you could also check out my easy tomato basil soup recipe to pair this sandwich with. It is easy enough that you can set it to simmer on the side while you’re preparing the sandwiches. This easy Zucchini Melt open-faced sandwich on tangy and crusty sourdough is certainly a great option when you want tasty food with minimal effort!
This recipe is suitable for lacto-vegetarians. One serving provides a good amount of complete protein along with a good amount of calcium, mainly from the cheese. When planning the rest of the meal, try to minimize salt though, since the cheese is rather salt-heavy.
Special diets
These sandwiches are vegetarian, nut-free and soy-free. If you wish to make it vegan, replace the butter, Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses with your preferred plant-based substitutes. However, please ensure that you do provide sufficient protein via these substitutes, though.
If you are vegan, but can have soy, consider having some steamed edamame as an excellent source of complete protein and fiber. Alternatively, if you cannot have soy, but can have nuts, one serving of nuts can provide a significant amount of protein and fiber, although it often comes with a hefty fat tag. So, even though it is mostly “good” fat, it is best to not go overboard with the nuts!
So…. If you have some fresh zucchini in the fridge, and are pressed for time, how about making yourself this simple grilled sandwich on some tangy and crusty sourdough? And No…, it doesn’t have to be sourdough…. in a pinch, any kind of bread will do just fine!
Make it, share with friends… perhaps for an impromptu party, where you’re not going to slog over a hot stove for hours…
Do leave a review and star rating, my friends… many thanks!
Enjoy!
Easy Zucchini Melt on Tangy and Crusty Sourdough
Equipment
- toaster oven preferred for grilling; if not available, can be done on the stove-top in a pan, in which case the cheese will melt, but will not brown.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces dark green Zuchini ( Courgette) small-medium, 5-6 inches long; if not available, the bigger, fatter Zuchini is OK; if green Zuchini is not available, yellow summer squash, Mexican Grey Zuchini ( also called Lebanese Zuchini) is OK too.
- 1 tsp oil peanut oil preferred; if allergic to peanuts, use other preferred ol. Do NOT use olive oil for frying
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika should look bright red- if it is brownish, it is probably old – do not use ( it can have an off-flavor)
- 8 slices Sourdough bread
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese finely shredded preferred; grated OK too
- 2 tsp red chilli paste Sambal Oelek preferred; NOT Thai red curry paste; Sriracha OK; don't recommend otherr hot sauces like Tabasco
- 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella
- 10-12 leaves Fresh Basil (optional)
Instructions
- Wash the Zuchini. Trim the ends; taste-test both ends for bitterness. If bitter, discard- the substance that makes it bitter is toxic. Cut across in half, then slice each half into 3-4 slices
- Heat a 10 inch non-stick skillet, add a few drops of oil.
- Place the zucchini slices on the pan in a single layer. Do not stack or crowd. Will need to saute the slices in multiple batches.
- Sprinkle with salt, cover and cook on medium high heat for 3-4 min
- flip one slice to check if it is browned, then flip back. Add 2-3 drops of oil on each slice, then gently flip each slice. cover and cook to brown the other side.
- When the bottom is browned, transfer the slices to a plate, sprinkle generously with papriks and set aside, covered, while browning the next batch of zucchini slices.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sourdough slices. Butter each slice, sprinkle with Parmesan, and dot with red chilli paste.
- Arrange the zucchini slices, paprika-side up, on the prepared bread slices.
- Top with hand-torn fresh basil leaves, if using, then spread mozzararella.
- Transfer carefully to parchment-lined baking tray. the parchment helps to release the sandwiches after grilling. Sometimes, the melted cheese drips down the sides, and sticks to the pan, making it difficult to remove the sandwixh after grilling. The parchment paper also helps make clean-up easy.
- Bake/grill or broil until cheese melts and begins to brown. Do not over-brown. Transfer to serving plate and serve hot, accompanied by chips, sauteed/steamed vegetables, soup or salad of your choice.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- wash and trim the stem from 4-5 fresh chillies.
- Slit lengthwise and remove the seeds – set aside the seeds, to be added to the paste later.
- Finely mince the de-seeded chillies. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, and pound to mash/crush the pieces. Be careful, it has a tendency to “fly” out of the mortar and pestle.
- Add salt – about 1/8 tsp. Pound a little again, to allow salt to mix with the chillies.
- Transfer to a glass/ceramic bowl and add about 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or other vinegar of your choice. Distilled white vinegar is OK too.
- Store chilli paste in a glass jar with a well-fitting lid – do not use plastic containers.
- Refrigerate leftover chilli paste- sprinkle a little salt on top. It will keep well for 2-3 weeks, maybe longer. If you see mold, discard.
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