The easiest herby red wine reduction brushed over perfectly roasted zucchini boats and topped with the freshest salty, crunchy mint salad: this Red Wine Glazed Zucchini with Feta Pomegranate Herbs recipe is the classiest fresh side.
Jump to RecipeBuilding a good veggie side dish is no easy task. Sure, your classic roasted vegetable is delicious, and I do love a good sautéed green. Really though — that’s not gonna blow anyone away. You won’t find anyone raving about a simple steamed broccoli. Still, I find these simple preparations to truly be the best base for creativity. In this case, I jujjed up your classic roasted zucchini (aka a very boring piece of summer produce, if you ask me) with a homemade red wine glaze. Oh, and it wouldn’t be an OAM veggie if it wasn’t loaded with texture. I just had to go in with a creamy crunchy salad filled with cheese, herbs, nuts, etc. The end result? This Red Wine Glazed Zucchini with Feta Pomegranate Herbs recipe. Oh, and let me tell you, this will definitely be your new favorite vegetable of the season!
the breakdown…
This Red Wine Glazed Zucchini with Feta Pomegranate Herbs is truly one of the most impressive sides for Spring/Summer. Still, it is probably one of the easiest things to throw together for a crowd. With a simple base of red wine glazed roasted zucchini and a simple salad to top things off, this one can be whipped up in no time. To start things off, though, I like to get that red wine vinegar reduction going. In short, a “reduction” is just a vinegar that has been cooked down over time in some type of sugar. The result is sweet, tangy, and much more viscous than your typical vinegar. Perfect for brushing on a veggie.
This red wine vinegar reduction takes some shortcuts from your traditional variety. As opposed to hours of cooking vinegar down over the stove with cane sugar, I go in with honey — which is already inherently vicious. So, after just 10-15 minutes, you should get the perfect little consistency for a cheater’s glaze. Oh, and with the addition of a bit of dried oregano and some salt? The flavors are out of this world on the zucchini. Let everything get nice and thickened up then brush a generous amount of that good flavor on the zucchini boats. After some time in the oven, the honey from the glaze gets super caramelized and delicious. You want a golden crisp topping and a tender zucchini. Honestly, they’re even delicious just like this!!
the herb topping…
While those are cooking, however, you want to get the topping ready to go. This topping is really more of a herby salad situation, just with a whole lotta texture and no greens base. Rather, for the bulk of this one, you want to go in with so many herbs. I’m talking basically a whole bunch of parsley and tons of fresh mint. Fresh mint is just crazy good. Then, with the addition of some creamy feta — from a block, might I add — the herbs become salty and slightly creamy. The fresh and creamy flavors are the perfect juxtaposition.
To that, go ahead and mix in some toasty pistachios for some crunch and a nice nutty flavor. You could also use pine nuts, almonds, or pepitas… really, you just gotta get that crunch in there!! Oh, and for some more crunch, you CANNOT leave out those pomegranate seeds. They’re arguably the best part. A little tart, a whole lotta crunchy, and a bit juicy, too… they truly pull everything together.
the vinaigrette..
Mix all that deliciousness up with a simple dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, sumac, and red pepper flakes. Salt and pepper would also be delicious in there. Really, though, this vinaigrette is nothing crazy. You already have a glaze on the zucchini, so this is more of an olive oil situation. With the exception of some sumac for a bit of acidic deliciousness, you want to let the natural flavors shine… especially if you have a high quality olive oil, some super fresh herbs, and a nice brine-packed creamy feta. It’s the best.
how to serve it up…
Top off your zucchini with that herbaceous salad and dig in! Bonus points if you drizzle everything with leftover glaze. Either way, this Red Wine Glazed Zucchini with Feta Pomegranate Herbs is the absolute best. I love to eat it as a side dish with some simple Turkey Kofta, any salmon recipe, or a Chicken Souvlaki Skewer. it would even be the perfect addition to a whole dinner party spread! Serve it up with a Mezze Platter, some Greek Style Bruschetta, your fav protein option, some warm pita, and maybe an orzo salad. That’s truly my dream meal.
I hope you love this Red White Glazed Zucchini with Feta Pomegranate Herbs as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:))
Red Wine Glazed Zucchini with Feta Pomegranate Herbs
Course: SidesCuisine: Mediterranean, FusionDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutes30
minutes22
minutesThe easiest herby red wine reduction brushed over perfectly roasted zucchini boats and topped with the freshest salty, crunchy mint salad: this Red Wine Glazed Zucchini with Feta Pomegranate Herbs recipe is the classiest fresh side.
Ingredients
- zucchini:
¾ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup honey
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt, to taste
4 zucchini squashes, sliced in half lengthwise
- feta pomegranate chutney:
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp sumac
Red pepper flakes, to taste
An 8 oz block feta cheese, crumbled
4 oz pomegranate seeds
¾ cup fresh mint, torn or roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh parsley, roughly chopped
½ cup pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a small saucepan, bring the red wine vinegar, honey, and to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until a glaze forms. Stir in the salt and oregano.
- Slice your zucchini in half and scoop out the seeds. Using a cooking brush, brush some of the glaze onto each boat, then line each up on a baking sheet. Transfer the sheet to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the zucchini is golden and caramelized.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sumac, and red pepper flakes. Mix in the feta, pomegranate, mint, parsley, and pistachios (If you have any leftover red wine reduction, mix that in as well!).
- Once your zucchini is cooked through, top with some of the feta pomegranate chutney. Serve and enjoy!