All hail zucchini, summer’s most prolific produce! This Grilled Zucchini is the latest, greatest way to use its bounty—and land yourself a stellar fast, healthy, and versatile side dish in the process.
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A savory way to use up summer zucchini.
Since one cannot live on Healthy Zucchini Muffins and Zucchini Cookies alone (SIGH), I’m always on the hunt for ways to use zucchini in side dishes.
Roasted Zucchini and Sauteed Zucchini are fabulous, but this grilled zucchini is definitely the most summery. Because: grilling!
- On hot summer days, turning on your oven for Zucchini Fries isn’t appealing. The grill beats the heat!
- Simple seasonings, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese turn zucchini into a marvelous side dish for everything from Grilled Chicken Kabobs to a Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger.
How to Grill Zucchini (Without It Being Soggy!)
All grilled zucchini is not created equal.
If you’ve been a victim of soggy, mushy zucchini, you know what I’m talking about.
To grill zucchini without it getting soggy, you need to do two things:
- Cut the Zucchini in Spears. Quartering the zucchini lengthwise into batons keeps it from falling through the grates and makes it easy to achieve the ideal crisp-tender texture. Trim the ends, cut it in half lengthwise, then place the cut sides down flat on the cutting board and cut lengthwise in half again to create four zucchini “sticks” or batons.
- Grill over medium high heat (about 400 to 450 degrees F). This is hot enough to crisp the outside, but not SO hot that the zucchini burns before the inside can become tender.
Recipe Variations
- Make It Lemony. Simply sprinkle lemon zest and/or squeeze fresh lemon juice on the zucchini after grilling for a robust citrus flavor.
- Drizzle With Balsamic Glaze. Instead of lemon, drizzle your zucchini with reduced balsamic vinegar or a balsamic glaze.
- Spice It Up. Add some red pepper flakes to your seasoning for spicy grilled zucchini.
- Add Garlic Powder. Add garlic powder to your seasonings for an upgrade of flavor. You can also toss the zucchini with minced garlic prior to grilling.
- Mixed Grilled Vegetables. As long as the grill is on, make the most of it and add other summer vegetables. Grilled Eggplant, Grilled Cauliflower Steaks, and/or peppers are a few favorites. It’s just a matter of keeping an eye on them all during grilling. They use the same grill temperature and cook in almost the same amount of time, so they’re perfect to grill together.
What to Serve with Grilled Zucchini
- Seafood. This zucchini would pair well with Grilled Cod and Grilled Salmon.
- Chicken. Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Chicken Piccata, and Grilled Chicken Thighs would all be delicious.
- Burger. Try this Shrimp Burger, Vegan Burger, or Turkey Burger.
- Pork. Enjoy zucchini as a side for Grilled Pork Chops or Grilled Pork Tenderloin.
- Pasta. Try zucchini with Mushroom Pasta or Instant Pot Spaghetti.
Grilled Zucchini with Parmesan and Herbs
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people
This grilled zucchini is a summer favorite! Smoky, charred and jazzed up with herbs and Parm, it's a fast side dish that goes with anything.
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Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini about 8 ounces each
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Juice of 1/2 small lemon
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat (400 to 450°F). Trim off the ends of each zucchini and cut it lengthwise into quarters so that you have four batons per zucchini. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or on a large baking pan.
- Drizzle the zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning (if using), salt, and pepper.
- Place the zucchini on the grill so that one of the cut sides is touching the grates. Grill for 4 minutes, until clear grill marks appear.
- Flip the zucchini over onto the back (peel) side. Grill for 5 additional minutes. At this point, you can flip it to the remaining ungrilled cut side for 1 to 2 minutes if you’d like grill marks on all surfaces (we usually just serve it as is!). Transfer back to the baking sheet or to a serving platter.
- Squeeze the lemon over the top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate grilled zucchini in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: I do not recommend freezing grilled zucchini, as they will be quite mushy once thawed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 77kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 2mgPotassium: 524mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 423IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg
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As a health coach, I’m always on the look out for simple, delicious ways for my clients to incorporate veggies! This recipe is AMAZING!
Hi Ann! So glad you enjoyed the zucchini! Thank you for this kind reivew!
I have already tried at my home, its really tastes nice.
Thanks for your contribution. Please visit anchored text how many calories in grilled chicken salad
Glad you enjoyed it! The nutritional information is located at the bottom of the recipe card on each post. Hope this helps!
Hi Erin,
How can I adapt this recipe for the an air fryer
Hi Sally, here is my air fryer recipe: https://www.wellplated.com/air-fryer-zucchini/ Enjoy!
Love love love this awesome recipe
It tastes so good and was not soggy
Had a barbecue with some friends and I was in charge of the zucchini recipe and it did not disappoint
Great to hear, thank you!
Really liked this one. The zucchini didn’t get mushy at all, which I was worried about. It had a good bite and the grill marks made it look nice too. The lemon and cheese combo at the end is a game-changer. Thank you, Erin!
Yay! So happy to hear, Maddie! Thank you!
This was my first time grilling zucchini and I’ll definitely do it again. The recipe is really straightforward, and the seasoning is just enough to bring out the natural flavor. Next time I might add a pinch of chili flakes for some heat.
So glad you enjoyed it, Stacey! Thank you!
Had some extra zucchini lying around and this recipe ended up being the perfect way to use them. Super straightforward, no complicated steps, and the result was surprisingly flavorful. I didn’t even measure anything properly and it still worked. Love when that happens.
So glad to hear, Ashtine! THANK YOU!