Corn, Zucchini & Tomatoes with Goat Cheese
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Need to the perfect side to jazz up simply grilled chicken, salmon, or steak? This corn, zucchini, and tomato sauté with creamy goat cheese will please all around.
The inspiration for this recipe comes from one of my favorite new Southern cookbooks, Secrets of the Southern Table: A Food Lover’s Tour of the Global South by Virginia Willis. Virginia is a wonderful storyteller and her book is filled with stories that celebrate the heritage of Southern cooking. I made Virginia’s Roasted Tomatoes Stuffed with Summer Vegetables and thought the corn, vegetable, and goat cheese stuffing was so delicious, that it would make a wonderful side dish on its own. The genius is the addition of goat cheese, which adds loads of flavor and creaminess. This is the perfect side dish to jazz up simple grilled chicken, cedar plank salmon, or grilled flank steak.
What You’ll Need to Make Corn, Zucchini & Tomatoes with Goat Cheese
How To Make Corn, Zucchini & Tomatoes with Goat Cheese
To begin, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Do not brown.
Add the corn and zucchini and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar and continue to cook for about 2 minutes more, until the tomatoes start to break down.
Break the goat cheese into chunks and stir it into the vegetables until creamy and well-combined.
Off the heat, stir in the fresh basil along with 3 tablespoons of warm water.
Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper, if necessary.
Serve warm and enjoy!
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Corn, Zucchini & Tomatoes with Goat Cheese
Need to the perfect side to jazz up simply grilled chicken, salmon, or steak? This corn, zucchini, and tomato sauté with creamy goat cheese will please all around.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped shallots, from 1 to 2 shallots
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 2¼ cups fresh corn kernels, cut from 3 large ears corn
- 1½ cups seeded and diced zucchini, from 2 small zucchini
- 1½ cups seeded and diced tomatoes, from 2 to 3 tomatoes
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 (4-oz) log creamy goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Do not brown.
- Add the corn and zucchini and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar and continue to cook for about 2 minutes more, until the tomatoes start to break down. Break the goat cheese into chunks and stir it into the vegetables until creamy and well-combined. Off the heat, stir in the fresh basil along with 3 tablespoons of warm water. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve warm.
- Make-ahead: This dish can be made a day ahead of time and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator but wait to add the water until reheating.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 167
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Cholesterol: 9 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This is a fabulous recipe and perfect for summer get-togethers! I’m constantly sharing your website with friends so they can find tried and true recipes that really work!
Hi Jen,
If our family does not prefer goat cheese, what are some other cheese options that are creamy?
Sure — Boursin would work well here too — enjoy!
Delicious! Made this to go with some baked salmon for a low-carb dinner. Thanks for another lovely recipe.
Wonderful recipe! However I did twist it a bit. I love charred vegetables so rather than saute this dish I roasted everything in the oven and broiler and then upon reheating in a skillet added the goat cheese and fresh basil and some cilantro. Enjoyed by all!
Thanks for another wonderful dish!
Have been searching for what else I can make with my hubby’s bounty from his garden. (Tons of zucchini!) Stumbled upon this, just made it and it’s an immediate favorite! (Sampling from the pan.). The freshness of the just-picked veggies shines through! My son just asked if I can pull together a recipe book for him for when he graduates and wants this in there. Gotta run….not sure he’s leaving any for dinner tonight! Thank you! This is a winner & new family favorite!
🙂 Glad it was a hit!
I made this recipe and it is delicious. However: next time I think I will leave out the cheese. The combination of the the fresh vegetables doesn’t need to be complicated with the cheese.
This was delicious. It worked out really well because we had zucchini, tomatoes and goat cheese that needed to be used. We had to use yellow onion instead of shallots and frozen corn instead of fresh plus basil paste instead of fresh basil. It was still delicious and will really be amazing when you have all the right ingredients. Thanks jen
This could not have worked out better. I had zucchini and goat cheese about to spoil and grape tomatoes (left over from Jen’s broiled feta) to use up. I had to use frozen corn, sub yellow onion for the shallot and basil paste for the fresh basil. I can’t imagine how good his would have been with all the right ingredients. Two of us almost ate it all. deliciousness! Thanks Jen
Very good! So light and refreshing. I didn’t have goat cheese, but I sprinkled a little Parmesan on to serve. Will make again.
This is so delicious! Like another reviewer, I added beans to make it a meatless meal, but I can see myself making this again with salmon or chicken. The goat cheese and basil make this dish! Thank you, Jenn!
Another great recipe! I used a zucchini from my garden and it was really delicious! Whole family enjoyed. Thank you Jenn!
Jenn-Can I use frozen corn kernels for this recipe?
Sure!
I love this recipe. Now I want to make it again but I am making your moroccan chicken with apricot couscous salad and a plain green salad. Instinctively I know there is too much going on with this meal but can I get away with it. I just can’t decide what to leave out. Or is there an adjustment I could make to the couscous to make it all work together?
Hi Anna, I like the sound of your meal, but don’t think this dish really “goes” with the rest of it (but because it’s tasty, I bet you won’t get any complaints). 😉
This is delicious! A combination of sweet, savoury, crunchy and creamy and so flavourful. The goat cheese makes the dish come together. I used cherry tomatoes which I halved and I’ll do that again. Another winner!
Made tonight with steaks on the grill- everyone loved it! Will make again – perfect summer side.
if you don’t like goat cheese what is good substitute?
Hi Eileen, You can just leave it out. Enjoy!
This is absolutely delicious! The minute I saw the recipe I knew it would be a most welcome addition to my summer table. It’s a keeper:)
Hi Jenn,
This looks delicious! Can the leftovers be frozen?
Thanks!
Hi Rachel, I’m not sure how well this would freeze because of the cheese in it — sorry!
Easter 2019
Delicious! A huge hit!
This recipe is delicious! I’ve made it a couple times, and the goat cheese really is genius here. I’m not even that fond of goat cheese on its own, but when it’s melted and mixed in here it is perfect.
I made this recipe for a family get together during the summer, and I’m STILL getting compliments months later. (“Remember that corn and zucchini side dish you made? That was SO GOOD!”) What’s even better, it was so easy to make. I have many favorite recipes from Once Upon a Chef, but this ranks in the top 5. Thanks Jenn!
Off season, can you use frozen corn?
Sure 🙂
One of my absolute favorite zucchini Recipes!
So good and so easy! Perfect for quick summer night meals when you have lots of veggies around. I switched it up a bit depending on what I had in the house, but the goat cheese ALWAYS made it in. Depending on what veggies you substituted you may not need to add the water. Leftovers worked well for lunch the next day!
OMG! I’ve wanted to make this recipe for some time now and finally decided to do so while fresh, local corn, tomatoes and zucchini are available. So glad I did! It’s amazing! I wanted to make it a meal in itself so I added a can of cannellini beans. It added substance without detracting from the taste of the original recipe. Thank you!
How much of this recipe could be made ahead and reheated? Thanks!
Hi Carol, The whole dish can be made a day ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. (Just wait to add the water until reheating.) Enjoy!
Made this tonight exactly as the recipe but no need to add the water at the end. It is AWESOME!! My husband ate 1/2 of it and raved about each helping! I thought we would have enough for another dinner, but more like one lunch serving!😜 A PERFECT summer dish with fresh tomatoes and corn! Thank you for a delicious recipe!
Made this last night following the recipe precisely (a bit unusual at our house) and it was delicious. Looking forward to the leftovers.
This was delicious, we used boursin instead of goat’s cheese.
probably a silly question, but I’ve not used fresh corn off a cob before, is there a technique to get them off easily? Thanks
Hi Kat, You can see how I do it here. Hope that helps!
This is fantastic! The flavors bely the simple nature of this dish; I LOVE goat cheese, but my husband does not and he even said it was good! I’ve made it at least 6 times and always with excellent results. Thank you for always having such simple and perfect recipes!
Summer garden in a bowl! I was able to prep this recipe quickly while my husband got the grill going. We served this dish along side some spicy grilled shrimp. Everyone loved the combination of fresh summer vegetables and herbs with the subtle tang and creaminess of the goat cheese. We will definitely make this again!
This was absolutely delicious, and with all of the fresh produce used to make it, it was fantastic! I made it early yesterday morning and tasted it while warm – it was so good! I was going to warm it up for dinner, and add the 3 tablespoons of water at that time, but my husband had already started eating it right out of the fridge and said it does not need to be heated, so I never did add the water. So whether you eat this warm or cold it is really good, and this is a make again for my family and will definitely be a comfort food for me.
This is SO scrumptious!!!! LOVE it so much! Any goat cheese lover will LOVE this =) Great recipe!!!
Delicious!
I doubled the recipe for this because we were going to be five (one being a very big eater), and we ate the entire thing. I thought I’d have leftovers! So tonight, I will make it again, for ME. I forgot to buy fresh tomatoes, so I am going to use the slow-roasted Roma tomatoes I made last week and chop them up. I found the water in the recipe to be unnecessary…I guess it depends on how juicy the tomatoes are…really delicious. Everyone loved.
I feel so badly not giving this 5 stars, but honestly this is the FIRST recipe I’ve tried and didn’t care for as it’s written. I love every ingredient in this dish ~ separately ~ so I figured I’d love this combined. Unfortunately, neither my husband or I really cared for it as is. I’m thinking that I’ll tweak the recipe next time by adding FETA cheese crumbles (not melted) to the dish on individual servings. If that doesn’t work, I’ll just skip the cheese altogether and enjoy the fabulous taste of the other ingredients.
As I said, I hate not giving any recipe of yours less than 5 stars, and this is a first, most likely a last time, but I had to be honest. I recently had a group of friends visit for a long weekend, and I raved/talked so much about your recipes/cookbook/web site that one of my friends ordered me a copy of your cookbook as a hostess gift! I can’t wait to have it in hard copy. (ps: she purchased a digital copy for herself!)
I’ve never tried anything like this before, and after having it last night, it’s going to become one of our go-to’s for me and hubby, as well as served for friends and family! I had doubts about the mixture with goat cheese, but after all was said and done, it was a great combination. Thank you for sharing :-)))
Hi Jenn,
A few days ago I asked about using jarred pesto instead of chopped basil. Well it worked. I halved the recipe for my husband and I and gradually add the pesto. I think I started with just shy of a tablespoon. Great recipe – thank you!
Wanted to use this recipe as an opportunity to say how much I enjoy your recipes. They are easy to follow and produce timely, consistent, and delicious results.
As for this recipe, even my picky 4 and 2 year olds loved it. I can’t get them to eat anything consistently, even chicken nuggets, and they both went to town on this. I’m betting it was the tangy, creamy, and slightly sweet sauce. Any other suggestions for fresh veggies to throw in? I’m already thinking peas or yellow squash. I want to try and use the base as a vessel for more veggies for the kids.
Thanks again for your great work.
Hi Joe, So happy your kids liked this! I agree on the peas and yellow squash – I think asparagus and carrots would be wonderful, too. And glad you’re having success with the recipes. ☺️
This was delicious. I didn’t have Goat cheese, added Pecorino cheese and a tad of Penseys Smoked Paprika. Yum-O! It’s been raining here and I didn’t want to go out. Can’t wait for lunch tomorrow!
All I can say is WOW! Made this last night and it is summer in a bowl. Did make a couple of substitutions to closer suit hubby’s preferences. Used green onion instead of shallot and Borsin (garlic and fine herbs variety) instead of goat cheese. Left out the garlic due to the garlic already in the Bousin. Even with the switches this dish came out an A plus! Thanks for the wonderful recipe and congrats on your new cookbook. Love it!
There are so many kinds of “goat cheese” and yet you give it a generic name. There is chevre’, ricotta, feta, gouda, cheddar just to name a few. So what “kind” do you mean?
Hi Barbi, the cheese you’re looking for should be labeled specifically with the words “goat cheese” or chevre. Hope that clarifies!
Hi Barb, I was just reading all reviews of this recipe and I came upon yours. I’m just curious, what do you mean by many kinds of goat cheese? Unless I’m mistaken, but I’ve never heard of ricotta, feta, Gouda or cheddar being classified as ‘goat cheese’! And I love cheese and cook regularly with it, with recipes from my Italian and Greek friends! I do know that feta can be made with cow, sheep or goat milk, or a combo of those. But the others? Maybe there is something for me to learn here! 🙂 Thank you. I’m going to make this as I’ve just boiled 4 cobs of corn and I have both goat cheese and Boursin that I can combine.
Janet
Our first corn dish of the season and it did not disappoint…a bit of chopping and prep involved but worth it!
Hi, Jen – would Roma tomatoes work well in this dish, do you think?
Sure, Rachel. Enjoy!
This looks amazing! I bought a rather large of pesto and was wondering could I throw a bit into the mixture instead of basil leaves. Maybe too strong of a flavor?
Thanks!!!
I think a bit of pesto would be delicious here, Cheryl. Please lmk how it turns out!
I used pesto in this recipe as I had no fresh basil. It was delicious and perfect.
I must tell you- I retired 5 years ago, and having an “empty nest”, stopped cooking regularly. Your recipes have inspired me to get back in the kitchen. Every recipe I have tried is delicious & always gets compliments when serving to guests.
You are nothing short of amazing!
Thank you!
That makes me so happy, Del! ❤️
I would love to use this as a stuffing for a roasted tomato—can you describe how one might do that? I made this without the added water and thought it was great! SANDY
Hi Sandy, So glad you enjoyed it! Virginia scoops out the seeds and pulp from the tomatoes and cooks that with the corn and zucchini mixture. Then she stuffs them into the scooped-out tomatoes, tops them with crushed tortilla chips, and bakes them for 20-25 min at 350. (Be sure to season inside the tomatoes before stuffing them.)
Thank you dear Jenn—so excited for you with your cookbook—I have 10 copies that I am hoping to get signed/personalized for gifts for friends and family—I wasn’t able to get to your events at JCC, Press Club, or tomorrow at Dupont Circle, but hoping you will have another DC/Maryland/Virginia event soon—warmest wishes to you on the success of the book! You so deserve that and more! SANDY
My family is not a fan of goat cheese… what would be a good substitute? I was thinking maybe something like boursin or cream cheese?
Hi Tracy, I think boursin would be a good substitute. I’d love to know how it turns out!
Hi Jenn, I love your site and cookbook. I use them regularly. I’m planning to make this Friday for a Saturday dinner party. What is the best way to warm this up? Stove top or oven? I see to add the water then too. Should I wait to add the basil then as well? Thank you for your guidance. And your cooking inspiration!! 😄
Hi Nicole, so glad you enjoyed the site and the cookbook! You can reheat this either on the stove or in the microwave. And yes, I think adding the basil vent is a great idea; I’m going to update the recipe to indicate that. Hope everyone enjoys!
Any other cheese recommendation for this dish. I hate goat cheese.
Hi Nina, You could try boursin or even heavy cream. Hope that helps!