Seared Beef & Zucchini Skillet with Garlic Yogurt
This Seared Beef & Zucchini Skillet with Garlic Yogurt is a quick, protein-packed dinner that supports ketosis and keeps your metabolism steady. With nourishing beef, light zucchini, and a probiotic-rich garlic yogurt sauce, it’s grounding, low-carb, and perfect for early fall. Inspired by Ayurvedic principles and modern metabolic science, this recipe is designed to fuel your body with clarity and ease.
Why this recipe is good for us:
Beef
Metabolically: Rich in protein and healthy fats, keeps blood sugar stable and supports muscle preservation.
Ayurvedically: Nourishing, grounding, and building (a rasayana), especially balancing for Vata in cooler months.
Zucchini
Metabolically: Low-carb, high in water and fiber, helps volume out meals without spiking blood sugar.
Ayurvedically: Light and cooling; when sautéed with ghee and spices, it becomes easier to digest and grounding.
Garlic Yogurt
Metabolically: Provides probiotics and fat to support digestion and microbiome health.
Ayurvedically: Yogurt can be heavy, but when whipped with garlic, herbs, and taken at lunch, it aids digestion and balances the richness of beef.
Seared Beef & Zucchini Skillet with Garlic Yogurt
Servings: 4
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef (80/20 for best flavor and satiety)
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
2 tbsp ghee or butter
3 garlic cloves, minced (divided)
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Brown the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add ghee, then ground beef. Cook 6–8 minutes, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and smoked paprika. Remove beef to a plate, leaving fat in the pan.
Cook the zucchini: In the same skillet, add zucchini and 2 garlic cloves. Sauté 5–7 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized. Season with a pinch of salt.
Combine: Return beef to skillet and toss with zucchini. Adjust seasonings as needed.
Make the garlic yogurt: In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, remaining garlic clove, olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Stir well.
Serve: Spoon the beef and zucchini mixture into bowls, dollop with garlic yogurt, and sprinkle with fresh herbs.
Notes & Substitutions
For dairy-free: use dairy free yogurt instead of Greek yogurt. Just watch out for added sugars
For extra fat-adaptation: add 1 tbsp tahini or avocado to the garlic yogurt.
Works great as leftovers the next day, reheat gently in a skillet to keep texture.
