Do you want to make a side dish in just 10 minutes with just a few ingredients? Try this Korean Zucchini Side Dish and you will be impressed how quick and easy to whip up a dish in a few minutes. It is a delicious, slightly sweet and tender, and very satisfying side dish that often serves with cooked rice and other banchan dishes on the side. Let's make this tasty dish together!
You know already that I am a fan of all kinds of zucchini recipes. I have a few recipes including my Fermented Zucchini Recipe and Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters Recipe. And today, here's another easy Korean Zucchini Side Dish for all of you who are zucchini lovers! Pan-fried zucchini are delicious!
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Ingredients
I made a list of ingredients and notes for us to understand the ingredients.
- Zucchini - This is a type of summer squash that is often green or yellow and comes in so many different shapes and sizes.
- Saewoojeot - These Korean salted and fermented shrimp are often available in Asian Stores in the refrigerated section near kimchis. This is what often use in making Korean Kimchi. They are teeny tiny shrimps in color white. If you find this overpowering, you can use a regular fish sauce or soy sauce. Start with a tablespoon, taste, and add more if needed.
- Onion and garlic - Add sliced green onion and minced garlic for flavor and aroma.
- Sesame oil and sesame seeds - Add a distinct nutty flavor and aroma. Omit this if you are allergic to nuts but still want to make an easy zucchini side dish.
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients. Wash the zucchini and slice them in half lengthwise & slice into a half-moon shape- about ¼″ thick.
In a skillet over high heat, add a tablespoon of cooking oil, Korean salted and fermented shrimp, minced garlic, sliced onion, and zucchini.
Stir-fry the zucchini for 3-5 minutes or until cooked to your liking. I want my zucchini texture to be slightly firm and also tender. You can cook it for another minute if you want the zucchini to be softer. Turn off the heat.
Drizzle the sesame oil, stir, add sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve with white rice and other Korean dishes.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Storage Tip: Allow the dish and leftovers to cool. Transfer them into an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It will produce more water after it's cooked but it is completely normal since zucchinis have tons of water content.
Reheating Tip: Reheat the dish in a small pan over medium heat. Stir and reheat until warm though.
Helpful Tips
- Pick the freshest ingredients you can find. Fresh ingredients have better taste and flavors. Shop and support your local farmer's market if possible.
- If you don't like the overpowering taste of salted and fermented shrimp sauce, a regular fish sauce will be a better substitute. Or try to season it with soy sauce to eliminate the fish taste completely.
- Make it spicy. Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) or gochujang (red chili paste) is optional if you want to make this a spicy dish. Jalapeno or serrano can also add heat and spice to this tasty dish.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy and simple to make - With just a few easy-to-follow steps, you can wrap this dish in 10 minutes.
- Minimal ingredients - The ingredients are minimal and easy to find. You may have them already in your kitchen.
- Healthy and nutritious - Zucchini is not only a versatile vegetable but also has a lot of health benefits. It has vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and folate. These nutrients play important roles in supporting immune function, vision, heart health, and cell division.
- Low calorie and high in fiber - This dish contains high dietary fiber which is good for digestion and gut health. It is low-calorie making it a perfect dish if you want to lose extra weight leaving you satisfied.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Korean zucchini side dish, also known as "Hobak Bokkeum" (호박 볶음), is a popular and flavorful stir-fried zucchini dish often serve as banchan (side dish) in Korean cuisine. It includes sliced zucchini that's sauteed with garlic, onion, Korean salted, and fermented fish sauce with sesame oil and sesame seeds. It is savory and slightly sweet with a nutty flavor.
Aehobak is a Korean term for zucchini or courgette. Zucchini is a type of summer squash that grows well in the Summer season and it is commonly used in Korean cuisine to make different dishes such as "Hobak Bokkeum" (stir-fried zucchini) and Hobak Jeon" (zucchini pancakes). It has a milk flavor and tender texture, making it so versatile ingredient that can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. It's often a popular choice for Banchan because it is always available in grocery stores and how well it absorbs flavors from seasonings and sauces.
Korean zucchini side dish goes well with a variety of Korean dishes such as rice, kimchi, grilled meats, bulgogi, bibimbap, and more. It also complements non-Korean dishes as a unique and flavorful side.
Absolutely! The benefit of cooking your own side dish is you can experiment it with your own favorite seasonings and flavor enhancers.
No, the authentic version of this dish is not spicy. However, you add a bit of heat by adding Korean red chili flakes (gochugaru) or red chili paste (gochujang).
You can use other types of squashes to make this dish such as yellow squash or pattypan squash.
More Korean Side Dishes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Korean Zucchini Side Dish - HOBAK BOKKEUM (호박 볶음)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound zucchini
- 1 tabelspoon cooking oil
- 2 tablespoons Korean salted and fermented shrimp
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ medium yellow onion sliced
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ½ cup green onion chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients. Wash the zucchini and slice them in half lengthwise & slice into a half-moon shape- about ¼″ thick.
- In a skillet over high heat, add a tablespoon of cooking oil, Korean salted and fermented shrimp, minced garlic, sliced onion, and zucchini.
- Stir-fry the zucchini for 3-5 minutes or until cooked to your liking. I want my zucchini texture to be slightly firm and also tender. You can cook it for another minute if you want the zucchini to be softer. Turn off the heat.
- Drizzle the sesame oil, stir, add sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve with white rice and other Korean dishes.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- Pick the freshest ingredients you can find. Fresh ingredients have better taste and flavors. Shop and support your local farmer's market if possible.
- If you don't like the overpowering taste of salted and fermented shrimp sauce, a regular fish sauce will be a better substitute. Or try to season it with soy sauce to eliminate the fish taste completely.
- Make it spicy. Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) or gochujang (red chili paste) is optional if you want to make this a spicy dish. Jalapeno or serrano can also add heat and spice to this tasty dish.
- Allow the dish and leftovers to cool. Transfer them into an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It will produce more water after it's cooked but it is completely normal since zucchinis have tons of water content.
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