This very simple and easy one-pot recipe goes from scratch to done in just over 30 minutes and it’s so tasty you’ll be asked to make it over and over. Spring is a wonderful time to cook with zucchini. This tasty vegetable is a nutritional star, with tons of fiber and hardly any calories. It is rich in antioxidants and loaded with potassium and vitamin A. Flavor-wise it lends itself perfectly to both savory and sweet dishes, from Vegan Zucchini Breakfast Strata, Easy Pan-Roasted Zucchini and Garlicky Zucchini Quinoa Cakes to Vegan Zucchini Orange Cake and Vegan Zucchini Bread. In this savory and garlicky Zucchini Rice its deliciousness is accentuated by a dash of fresh oregano and oodles of garlic. Oregano is a great flavor to pair with zucchini and it adds a bit of an Italian flair to this recipe. But you can replace it with any herb you have on hand. Mint would be amazing here, as would basil. Or use sage or thyme. I’ll have more ideas on tweaking this recipe to suit other cuisines and dishes in the notes below.

Optional ingredients and substitutions

Snip a few garlic chives or regular onion chives into the finished dish for a garnish and more fresh flavor. Stir in the zest of a lemon into the zucchini and rice before adding the water for a pop of citrusy freshness. Sprinkle on and stir in a quarter cup of vegan cashew parmesan cheese for a rich, cheesy flavor to the zucchini rice. Add it after cooking is done and you’ve let the rice stand for at least 10 minutes. This would be a wonderful side dish with an Italian dish like my vegan eggplant parmesan. Use another herb like mint, basil, sage or thyme instead of the oregano for a different flavor. To give this rice an Indian touch use vegetable oil instead of olive oil and saute three green cardamoms, three cloves and a teaspoon of cumin until they are a shade darker. Then add the zucchini and proceed with cooking the rice. Use mint or cilantro instead of oregano and add them in after cooking and resting the rice. For a middle eastern flavor stir in za’atar instead of oregano.

How to make Garlicky Zucchini Rice

Grate the zucchini using a grater or a food processor. Use the smallest to medium sized holes on the grater. Set aside. Heat oil in a saucepan or saute pan or large skillet with lid. Add the olive oil with the garlic and saute for a minute or two as the oil heats up and the garlic begins to turn lightly blonde. Add the oregano and mix a few more seconds so the flavor infuses through the oil.

Stir in the grated zucchini and saute for a couple of minutes until it expresses its juices. Now add in the rice. You don’t need to soak it, dry rice is fine. Saute the rice for a couple of minutes until the grains begin to turn opaque.

Add 3 cups of water and add salt and ground black pepper to taste. As always taste the water after stirring it in and make sure it’s slightly saltier than you want your final dish to be. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid, then turn down the heat to the lowest point on your largest burner, and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes. Open the pot, stir the rice one last time very gently so as to not break the grains, then cover again and cook, undisturbed, for 10 minutes more. Don’t peek during this time and don’t stir the rice again. Turn off the heat but don’t open the pot–let it stand 10 minutes more so the rice can continue to steam. Fluff the grains of rice with a fork before serving. Serve hot.

Serve

I especially love the zucchini rice with vegan eggplant parmesan. Made with spices and mint it goes beautifully with a spicy Indian curry like this Railway Mushroom Curry or My Dad’s “Not Mutton” Mushroom Curry. It would also pair nicely with this Lebanese Chickpea Stew, which is one of my favorite chickpea recipes, or this Moroccan Chickpea Stew.

Storage and freezing instructions

Refigerator: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. Freezer: To freeze the zucchini rice for longer storage, first spread it out on a baking sheet and let as much moisture as possible evaporate. Then place the rice in airtight containers or freezer bags and store for up to three months. Reheating: To reheat the zucchini rice place the frozen rice in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a microwave-safe lid or cling wrap and zap for 2-3 minutes on high or until the rice is soft and becomes fluffy again when teased with a fork.

More squash recipes

Zucchini Kofta Curry Vegan Zucchini Halwa Easy Vegan Zucchini Lasagna (Low-Carb Recipe) Vegan Squash Cake with Pineapple Frosting

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