Easy Vietnamese Zucchini and Tomatoes Recipe with Lemongrass

Our Vietnamese zucchini and tomatoes recipe is a simple vegetable dish with a hint of sweetness that everyone will enjoy. It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and makes a great side dish or even a healthy snack. Made with fresh zucchini, tomatoes, and lemongrass, it offers a vibrant and aromatic combination of tastes.

We love travel, cooking, and Asian flavors. Therefore, we love taking Asian-style cooking classes, especially those that remind us of places we have been, like Vietnam.

Our latest class gave us the idea for this dish, but we made quite a few adjustments to their recipe to make it something that meets our dietary requirements and is easy to prepare at home, both requirements being equally vital if we are to recreate the dish ourselves.

And like most recipes, it takes a few tries to get it just perfect, which is how we feel about this Vietnamese zucchini. It’s a delicate mix of flavors gained from fresh tomatoes, lemon grass, garlic-infused oil, and just a hint of brown sugar. The result is a mix of savory and sweet that gets everyone at the table asking for more.

The dish we made in class used Asian eggplant and a ton of garlic as two of the main ingredients. While we enjoyed it enough to want to do it ourselves, we couldn’t find the Asian eggplant anywhere, so we began to experiment with other veggies. According to our instructor, normal eggplant is less tender, so we didn’t start there.

In this case, texture was the key, and zucchini (also called courgettes) were the perfect alternative. As I am not a fan of too much garlic and prefer a lower FODMAP option, we dropped the garlic and switched to the infused oil. The result takes us back to the central Vietnam coastline.

The result is fabulous, and we imagine this delicious sauteed zucchini and tomatoes dish will become one of our go-to side dish recipes.

What you need to make Vietnamese zucchini and tomatoes

• Zucchini
• Tomatoes
• Lemongrass
• Garlic-infused olive oil
• Fish sauce
• Brown sugar
• Ground turmeric
• Pepper

Tips for making our Vietnamese zucchini and tomato recipe

1. Keep the skin on, but remove the ends of the zucchini and slice the rest at an angle. The resulting slices are longer than if you cut them straight.
2. Wash the tomatoes and cut each into eight pieces.
3. Use only the white end of the lemongrass as it is the most aromatic. Bruise (crush) it by pressing it with the flat side of a knife before cooking. This helps to release the flavor.
4. If using eggplant as a substitute, keep the skin on for better flavor and consistency.
5. Quality fish sauce makes a big difference in the overall flavor of the dish.
6. Be sure to stir continuously in the first few minutes to sear the veggies.
7. If you like your veggies more mushy, add more water and/or adjust the simmering time.

Health benefits of the main ingredients

Disclaimer: Statements regarding health benefits are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.

Zucchini
Cleveland Clinic reports that Zucchini is rich in fiber and vitamin C, both of which support immune function and healthy digestion. Plus, fiber helps maintain a balanced gut microbiome, while vitamin C aids in iron absorption and tissue repair, which can help prevent anemia.

Tomatoes
Although technically a fruit, BBC Good Food says tomatoes are high in potassium and vitamin K. There’s also some research that shows that some of the compounds in tomatoes may help protect against cardiovascular disease, eye diseases, and skin damage from UV.

Lemongrass:
Lemongrass is an interesting one, and according to Health, it contains vitamins, minerals, and iron, and it has anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties.

Garlic-infused olive oil
We started using garlic-infused olive oil as it is a low FODMAP way to get the flavor of garlic into my cooking. According to We Olive, we are getting benefits like strengthening the immune system, promoting heart health, controlling bad cholesterol, and fighting infections.

Serving suggestions

• Serve in a small bowl or ramekin on the plate to keep the juices from running into other foods.
• If we make it with eggplant or any other less colorful vegetable than the zucchini, we add a garnish like spring onion or chilis.
• We like to pair it with Vietnamese chicken and a light salad for a complete meal.
• Serve with jasmine rice if you like to soak up the extra juice. Personally, we always use brown jasmine rice.
• It’s also great as a side dish for grilled or roasted meats.
• For dessert, try flourless chocolate cake for a rich, indulgent ending or complement with a refreshing fruit salad or mango sorbet to balance the savory flavors. Last time, we made a lychee sorbet with our Ninja Creami from a single can of lychee.

Our Vietnamese zucchini and tomatoes recipe

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Will you try this sauteed zucchini with tomatoes?