Cream Cheesy Cubed Zucchini with Lemon and Oregano

Wow was this good!!! I loved it.....and I also took notice to Christina's review that it wasnt as lemon-y as she would have hoped. So I used the zest of one full lemon to make sure it was lemon-y! It was perfect. I also used 4 small to med zuchhini. Had to use dried oregano since thats what I had. Really tasty side dish for my chicken burgers last night. Thanks!

This was good! I have to admit, I was hoping for a more lemony flavor, but other than that, this was simple to make and a great/different way to use up zucchini. I used whipped cream cheese and that worked out well. Oh, also, I used less oregano than called for b/c I only had dried and we don't like a strong oregano flavor. I would make this again, but add more zest or lemon juice or something, just for a little tang. Thanks for sharing. :)

This was yummy! Next time, I would halve the amount of olive oil - this was just dripping in extra oil. Great topped with some Parmesan cheese.

I knew this was a hit when my zucchini-hating husband asked for seconds! I did add some minced garlic and a tsp of lemon juice for extra zing because I used dried lemon peel on hand. Great way to utilize zucchini! Thank you for sharing it.

I am not a huge fan of rep pepper or cayenne pepper so i used garlic instead. I also used 1 tablespoon philedelphia cooking cream tomato basil with 1 tablespoon of fat free cream cheese.... i love the idea of this recipe just changed it to suit my taste :)

Tasty, easy, recipe. I used a veggie cream cheese because I had some in the fridge. Turned out great! Even my kids liked it.

I am making this tonight again. It is so good but extra lemon and less olive oil.

If this recipe was a guy and we went on a date it would have been a very awkward one. One where I had high expectations and loved all of his basic components but, at the end of the night, I dodged the kiss and changed my contact number.

4.5, yummy!!! Didn't have fresh oregano and used dried, skipped the red pepper flakes. After making this many times now with dry oregano, I was fortunate to grow some oregano plants in my back yard and used that along with the red pepper flakes. Also had a yellow summer squash that I added in with the zucchini. Had pet action in the background this time around so the squash cooked a little longer than desired but still excellent.

Very good.

Da Bomb! Didn't have some chili flakes or oregano so added powdered garlic and dried parsley to taste. couldn't find zester so I just squeezed some fresh lemon juice on top after plating it. A few of us put parmesan on top and one even used Tapatio hot sauce! The next day when I heated up the little bit of leftovers I added cubed avocado. Double BOMB!

Excellent!

great recipe, only change I made was to saute zucchini in low sodium chicken broth since I do not use oil. I used lime juice instead of lemon zest as that was all I had but think I will continue with the lime flavor and will make this again!

Surprisingly tasty! I omitted the lemon zest and added a splash of lemon juice at the end with the oregano.

Super easy and delicious! I did half zucchini and half summer squash.

Had to leave out oregano--didn't have any--was still delicious. Perfect touch of lemon. Outstanding recipe.

Olive oil cooked on high heat is not good to my taste. It's healthy and delicious drizzled on salad and veggies. Next time I'll make it with no oil, just sauteed, or I'll use a little coconut oil. Except for the olive oil, I would have given it five stars.

I made the recipe as stated. I think there was a bit too much lemon, too much oil, and that overpowered the rest of the dish. Next time less of that, and more herbs. Perhaps some basil and rosemary as well as oregano.

Good recipe. I did make some substitutions. I added sliced yellow squash and slightly more olive oil. I also used goat cheese instead of cream cheese. And I added some turkey sausage. Great recipe!

This was ver good. Thank you.

Very, very good!

I thought this was okay. It did taste better as it cooled. I didn't have lemon zest, so I used a tsp of lemon pepper. I have a good quality brand that is mostly lemon zest with some added pepper and salt. I had no problem with the amount of lemon flavor. What I didn't care for is the kick from the cayenne or red pepper flakes. I noticed Chef John likes these two ingredients in his recipes. The cream cheese when melted with the cooking oil, to me, took on a mayonnaise like taste and texture which I didn't care for. So, not a repeat recipe but I am pretty certain it will all be eaten. I like the calorie count, the lemon flavor, and it was a quick way to use up some zucchini.

WONDERFUL! Zucchini was a tricky veg for me to make interesting. All I knew how to use it, honestly, was in ratatouille or grated in chocolate cake. This was delicious! My 4 year old ate some (and he avoids anything green), my 1 1/2 year old yummed it up and my hubby and I had 2 helpings each. We preferred it over the roasted chicken I made with it. Fantastic! Well done, Chef John!

Chef John, this is wonderful, I will be making this many times this especially this summer since it looks like I will have a bumper crop of Zukes in my garden.

The recipe as stated is delicious. But since I love the flavors of lemon with cream I doubled the lemon zest from 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp. You could even add more if you like lemon. With 1/2 tsp the lemon is very subtle. Such a simple but delicious side dish. Thank you, Chef John.

Great recipe! I didn't have fresh basil but I always have cilantro and that worked out. Instead of cayenne I used Cholula sauce, as I find it easier to blend into a cram or cheese sauce.

This is super delicious! I used a mixture of squash and zucchini, which I had never cooked before. I had no idea what I was doing! But the instructions were really easy to follow, and everything turned out really yummy. I put a lot of red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper, so it was pretty spicy. However my husband and kids loved it, and it reminded us of Thai Food, with the creamy spiciness. Also, I used pre cut and rinsed vegetables, so the ENTIRE process including cleanup afterwards was about 10 minutes. Great recipe, thanks for sharing!

I have tried this yummy dish twice. It was very good the first time, too much red flakes, so cut back, used dried oregano. This time I used much more lemon zest and some lemon juice. I liked it a lot better. More tangy instead of too much heat. Will make this over and over.

Not bad, but not great. Might make it again since I am always in search of new zucchini recipes, especially in the Summer months when zucchini is plentiful.

I really liked this, and my husband, who's not a big fan of zucchini, had two helpings. I made it mostly according to the recipe, adding perhaps another 1/2 tsp of lemon zest and squirting some lemon on my serving at the table, because I love anything lemony. Thanks!

Love, love, love it!!! Can't say evought good things about it. Only change I made was less Cayenne Pepper.

Well, by the reviews, I thought this would be a really great yummy recipe...I thought it was a little bit bland...Used all the ingredients including the garlic that some had said they used. Maybe the next time I would try one of those Philedelphia flavored cooking cream cheeses...

This recipe is a hit! I made it for my family, and brought it to a baby shower and it received rave reviews at both tables! I made minor adjustments based on my own likes and what ingredients I had in the kitchen: first I sautéed onions, garlic and parsley in olive oil before adding zucchini. I also used both green zucchini and yellow (both worked fine). I added the juice of a whole lemon (along with the zest) to the skillet while the zucchini was cooking. Also I substituted a whole, dried chili pepper (as that's what I had) instead of the cayenne. Finally, right before serving I also topped it off with Parmesan cheese. It was super delicious, and have already recommended the recipe to several friends. Thank you!

We have so many zucchinis from our garden during the summer so I am always looking for different recipes to use it up. I made this last summer and it was a great alternative to other ways of cooking zucchini. Thanks!

I thought it was very good. You just never know what to do with all your zucchini so I must say this is a keeper. It is very simple to make.

We weren't at all thrilled with the flavor of this. I won't be making this dish again.

Would have been five if I'd followed my instincts and left out the hots and used paprika instead. A little to spicy for me and mine. Otherwise a wonderful and unusual way to make a bland vegetable tasty.

This makes a great way to enjoy zucchini that is out of the normal routine. I made it according to recipe and we all enjoyed it. Would be great as a main dish with the addition of chicken, shrimp or pork. Could see adding cherry or grape tomatoes in moderation also. As it is it makes a great, light side dish that has all the flavor of a rich and creamy offering.

A good light vegetable side dish. Will keep in the rotation for hot summer nights when there is an abundance of summer squash

I didn't have any lemon, but I used lemon pepper seasoning. Instead of the cream cheese I used a wedge of Laughing Cow French Onion cheese-it doesn't melt well in the pan-you kind of have to stir it a bit, but it tastes great! I scaled it down to 1 serving.

I am usually a big fan of Chef John's recipes but this is not one of them. Followed the directions with the exception of the red pepper flakes and redued the cyanne because my family prefers less heat, but everything else was done as written. Felt it was too oily and didn't really like the creame cheese in this dish. Will stick to our steamed or grilled zucchine. Thanks anyway Chef John!

Enjoyed the lemony flavor with the fresh herbs. Red pepper flakes a litte hot for our taste. Creamy flavor was different. Might add a kick of garlic next time.

I used one of the new cream cheese cooking combos instead of the plain cream cheese. It added just a little extra flavor. My family loved it.

Nice change for zucchini. When I grew this in my garden I was trying ALL kinds of recipes cause this really did WELL in my garden!! I did add a tad more lemon and yummy!!

I made this exactly as written. The heat from the red pepper masked the taste of the zucchini. Really no flavor other than the pepper. The cream cheese only made it "slimy". Sauteed zucchini in EVOO, garlic, onion, and red bell pepper would've been better but I thought of trying something new. My wife said "it's not a keeper", and I agree. It was a waste of homegrown zucchini and my time. I won't make it again.

I made it pretty much the way the recipe suggested, but I used lemon pepper and it was amazing.

Just finished making this for lunch--now have a new favorite zucchini recipe!!! Added some extra lemon juice at the end and went heavy on the cayenne pepper. Fabulous!

This hit the spot for the evening!! Yummy, I used Coconut Oil instead of olive & also added fresh garlic. Also, replaced goat cheese, cheddar cheese and Parmesan for the cream cheese.

Did not like the flavor

This recipe needs a lot of modification. I did it exactly as described, but it was very bland and quite watery. I think the zucchini has to be cooked longer to get the water out of it. Much more lemon and cream cheese were needed, as well as salt and pepper, which I know was "to taste" but my original 1 t salt and 1/4 t pepper was definitely not enough. I think I would go with 1 1/2 t lemon zest, about 4 ounces of cream cheese, twice as much salt and pepper. I will definitely try it again because the right thought is there.

WOW! This was awesome! I love zucchini already....so this was a topper! I didn't have any lemons, so I used a bit of lemon juice....and had Philly Vegetable Cream Cheese instead of plain.....thank you, will be a keeper in this house! :)

I have made his dish several times for my family with the same result every time. Delicious! Easy recipe to follow and my family loves it! For those who do not like the mushy texture of summer squash, try this. The cubed zucchini stays firm and Chef John's tip about not adding the salt to early really makes a difference in the texture!

This is a great new way to love zucchini, I used feta cheese crumbs, and instead of lemon and oregano, I used Big and zesty blackened creole seasoning by Zatarains, with garlic powder, season to taste........and OMG, this was go good. To top it off I added mini Bow pasta, the family went crazy. New way to love and eat zucchini. And yes, cut back on the olive oil. This was a very easy and good dish.

This was the best I have eaten in a long time. My husband is requesting this dish again tonight.

Very good. Made as written except for halving the oil. Glad I did. A keeper!

I threw in some leftover corn cut off the cob and it was a great summer veggie dish!

Perfect! Served it as a side tonight with the Cheesy Chicken Meatballs from this site and whole grain pasta with Marinara Sauce I found on AR! Husband and I loved every bite.

A very yummy dish, so easy to make, and my family always eats the entire thing in one sitting. What a great way to get my kids to eat their veggies!

I enjoyed this dish. I did increase the amount of red pepper flakes and the cayenne pepper slightly,as I like a little more kick to my veggies.

It will go to the top of my Zucchini Recipe collection list...This is really simple, speedy and great and the lemon zest and cream cheese allow for a very special flavor! Wonderful...!!

I currently cook for one, so I'm always looking for easy, quick, and healthy recipes where I can make it a meal. For this, I added half a can of tuna in water, substituted 1 tbsp of lemon juice for lemon zest (what I had), used 2 oz of reduced fat cream cheese, and used dried dillweed and black pepper instead of the oregano and red pepper. It turned into a simple meal that I don't mind for having for leftovers.

used dried oregano (1/2 the equivalent), way to strong.

I never knew zucchini could taste this wonderful! VERY impressed with this recipe. You can use FF cream cheese if you like, but the combination of flavors is wonderful, nonetheless. We will def be making this again and again!

I just CANNOT get enough of this recipe... I use a whole lemon for the zest... Its like addicting I run to the fridge and eat a couple morsels... I don't generally like vegetables. I swear I have reviewed this recipe before but apparently i didn't. I"m so pumped to make it again tonight.... I think i added a garlic clove last time. This time maybe a little garlic powder . we'll see

I made this for a cooking class at school and everyone loved it. It was tasty and easy to make!!! I also added 1/2 cup of mozzarella to it to give it more of a cheese taste.

Not my favorite way to prepare zucchini, but good for something different.

I used the advice of others - added more lemon and substituted garlic for the red pepper flakes. Also, I added cooked tilapia and put it all over pasta. It made for a wonderful meal.

Made it for the 2 of us, one who is not a fan of zucchini. We loved it. The amount of cayenne pepper needs to be adjusted. I put a bit too much. I also used home grown pepper flakes, which contributed to the heat. Great recipe for those who are not zucchini fans. The seasonings make the zucchini taste even better.

Based on other reviews, I added a bit more lemon and some parmesan cheese. I can't really imagine it withoug the parmesan!

Amazing

The best zucchini recipe I have tried! I omitted the cayenne because I am feeding this to toddlers. I also used a drop of doterra lemon essential oil instead of lemon zest and only had dried oregano on hand.

Delicious! Just made this for lunch with light cream cheese - healthy lunch =)

Nothing special. I doubled the lemon and still not much punch. I may try it without the oregano.

I loved this! I did it a little differently since the night I made it I was also grilling steaks. I grilled the zucchini with a little oil and cayenne pepper then finished it in a pan with the lemon zest, a little more oil, cayenne and light cream cheese. Will definitely make again and again!

We really liked adding cream cheese to sauteed zucchini but I over-seasoned with cayenne. Next time I will use a pre-mixed "butt-rub" seasoning.

No changes & will make it again...it was good & even my husband liked it & he doesn't like zucchini!

This has become a staple in our house! Love the creaminess and the kick the cayenne adds. Great new twist on zucchini.

I think this is an excellent recipe as I am always looking for ways to eat more vegetables and for easy ways to cook them. This is a very quick side dish and I think it would be good to accompany many kinds of dishes including an omelette, or chicken breast, or as an addition to a canned or dry soup. Very versatile. As others suggested, I also love the idea of trying it with a little parmesan cheese. Thank you for this quick and healthy recipe.

I will admit, I wasn't crazy about making this recipe based on the picture. It looks a little bland to me. So with a few modifications I decided to make it. I had no lemon zest so I just put in a dash of lemon juice. We like spice so I put in more than a "pinch" of crushed pepper and put in lots of black pepper and cayenne. I only used about 1 medium zucchini (not 4 cups). My recipe turned out much more sautéed-like and red (cause of the spices), not white like the picture. I should have taken a photo to add with my review. I would make this again, but with my modifications.

I have tried this recipe a couple times and love it as is....I use just a bit less olive oil but love it....seems like it would be heavy tasting but it's not at all. I used about 3 medium zucchini. Yum!!!!

I really enjoyed this recipe for zucchini. It’s super simple, takes about 15 minutes to make, and is delicious. I ran out of lemon zest but had some fresh lemon juice left over so I used a teaspoon of it instead. I really liked the result.

I was disappointed in this dish. Followed the directions exactly. But it turned out very one-dimensional, the flavors were not well-balanced at all. I had to add some extra ingredients to save it. I will not be making this one again.

I had hight hopes for this since I love all the ingredients, but it was too bland. I cooked zucchini completely first to make sure I could drain it well so the cream cheese would not get runny. Added plenty of salt but still not very tasty.

Delicious!!! Substituted orange for lemon zest and used seasoned salt and pepper. Very nice. Will definitely make it again:)

fast easy I love zucchini wonderful ! anything to get more vegetables in me

I made this side dish and wasn't all to thrilled at first taste. But the next day ate as leftover and was completly sastisfied. You know how some dishes taste better a day later..Oh added fresh grated parm..YUM!

What a good recipe. Will make again. Left out hot spices.

It was decent but it lacked some flavor. I was worried the oregano was going to be too much so I didn't do what the full recipe called for. I will try this again and maybe add a little more lemon, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

My husband is not a fan of zucchini but I get very tired of the same old same old vegetables. I made this with a small amount of fresh sweet corn that I had on hand and it was a smash hit! Who knew all that was missing was a creamy, unctuous sauce thanks to the cream cheese! Thanks, Chef John.

The only change I made as well was the zest of 1 whole lemon. Very very good. My whole family loved it and I will make it again.

I did not care for this dish. It had a strange taste. Will not make again.

Oh WOW! Did not really think this would be as good as it was but it's surprisingly a 5+ star home run for an overflow of zucchini and went perfectly with my greek chicken stuffed pitas and mediterranean chick pea salad. Made 99% as written with only substitution was lemon juice concentrate for fresh because thats all I had but know this would be even better next time when I make sure to have fresh on hand. Thanks so much for sharing!

delicious, great alternative use for zucchini

Made it per Chef John's instructions. It is one of my favorite zucchini recipes. Tastes like something you'd get in a good restaurant.

Made this with a cheesy fish/spinach dish along with Rice Pilaf . . . would not have had a better dinner at a "fine dining" restaurant. Wonderful recipe!! Thank you so much for the video . . . I learn best visually.

Good stuff! Forgot my lemon for zesting, but added some sweet pepers for color, some garlic and fresh from the garden tomatoes. Thanks!

Was not too bad. I liked how quick and easy it was to make. My husband loved it. But for me, something was missing, I could have used more heat or another kick of flavor maybe. personal preference! And I like my zucchini on the softer side so i had to cook it almost twice as long in the pan.

I was looking for an alternative to pasta and this really hit the spot! Makes 4 cups and I devoured that for my meal (w/the help of my hungry 1 year old). Will definitely double recipe next time to have some left overs or share! (Substituted trader joe's 21Salute seasoning in place of oregano.)

I loved this! I added sliced black olives once the cheese was melted. I might also try adding sun dried tomatoes next time. Great side dish.