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Thomas Keller Viral Zucchini Coins with Beurre Noisette

Thomas Keller viral zucchini coins get a deep golden sear on one side only, then finish with nutty beurre noisette and fleur de sel. This French-American zucchini side dish uses a high-heat, cut-side-down technique for a crisp caramelized bottom and pale top.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini coins
  • 4 zucchini Sliced into 1/3-inch rounds.
Brown butter finish
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter Use for beurre noisette after the first sear.
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil Grapeseed or vegetable oil.
Seasoning & garnish
  • 1 fleur de sel or flaky sea salt To taste, finished at the end.
  • 1 freshly ground black pepper To taste, finished at the end.
  • 1 fresh thyme or chervil Optional garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 stainless steel skillet

Method
 

Sear the zucchini
  1. Pat the zucchini rounds completely dry with paper towels, making sure no visible moisture remains on the surfaces.
  2. Heat a large stainless or cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot, then add the neutral oil.
  3. Place the zucchini rounds in the pan in a single layer, cut-side down, and do not touch or move them for 3–4 minutes until deeply golden on the bottom.
  4. Add the butter to the pan and let it foam and brown to a noisette, keeping the heat high so it stays nutty and fragrant.
  5. Remove the zucchini immediately, keep them golden-side up, and season with fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper.
  6. Serve at once with a small garnish of fresh thyme (or chervil, if using).

Notes

Pro tip: the one-side-only sear depends on dryness—pat until squeaky-dry, and use a very hot pan so the bottoms caramelize before the zucchini releases water. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 2 days; rewarm briefly in a hot skillet to re-crisp the golden side. Freezing is not recommended because the texture softens. For a lighter option, use 1 tbsp butter plus 2 tbsp neutral oil, then finish with salt and pepper (the beurre noisette depth will be slightly reduced).