Can you tell that I’m in grilling mode? Flank steak, rotisserie chicken, corn on the cob and now zucchini. This recipe for summery quick and simple grilled zucchini takes just minutes to get on the table. Plus it tastes good and is good for you. We’ve eaten this so often these past few weeks, I thought I would share it to give you an idea for a fast vegetable side. It's a great summer basic.
Quick and Simple Grilled Zucchini
Markets are overflowing with one of my favorite summer vegetables – zucchini. While I slice it for a gratin or make zucchini noodles out of it, lately I’ve been chopping it up and tossing with olive oil plus a little seasoning, then onto a hot grill for a few minutes. Grilled zucchini makes for a fast and healthy summer side dish. Sometimes I’ll eat it over steamed brown rice or quinoa as a meatless main dish.
Grill Tools Make It Easy
The last few years have seen an explosion in tools that make grilling easier. With this inexpensive non-stick grill pan with holes, small items don’t fall through the grates. And when you pre-heat the pan on a hot grill, food cooks quickly. They make summer outdoor cooking a lot more fun.
How To Prep Zucchini
While many people grill rounds of zucchini or even long, thin strips, I prefer to cut them as shown in the photo. Quarter the zucchini lengthwise, slice out the seedy center, then cut them into pieces on a diagonal. That’s it. Good knife practice too.
Figure one good sized zucchini per person. When you cut it up you might think wow, that looks like a lot of zucchini, but it will shrink on the grill as the moisture cooks off, so don’t worry. And when you take your first bite, you will be glad you did so much.
After cutting up the zucchini, place it in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Toss well to coat. Go easy on the salt if you are using the Parmesan, as the cheese is salty on its own. For a vegan, non-dairy option use my dairy-free cheesy sprinkle. It's delicious!
Need more ideas on what to do with summer zucchini? Here are 14 ideas on what to do with zucchini.
Quick and Simple Grilled Zucchini
Equipment
- Non-stick grill pan with holes
Ingredients
- 4 medium zucchini about a half poun
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
Optional Garnishes
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon your favorite fresh chopped herb
Instructions
- Trim ends off zucchini and cut lengthwise into quarters. With the white site up, slice out the seedy centers. See photo in post for help. Lay zucchini flat and cut crosswise on a diagonal into pieces about a ½″ to ¾″ wide. Place zucchini in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic until well coated.
- Place your empty grill pan on the grill and heat it up until hot. Pour the zucchini into the hot grill pan and stir with a heat-safe spatula. Close the lid and allow zucchini to grill for a couple of minutes. Open the lid and shake the pan around (use an oven mitt!) to distribute the zucchini or stir with your spatula. Grill until zucchini is nicely browned and has some black edges. Sprinkle with cheese if using and serve.
Gabi says
I also did this w/Italian eggplant. 🙂
Sally says
Yes! Great idea Gabi. Grilling works for so many veggies. In fact I have some beautiful little purple Indian eggplants in my fridge that I need to use and am going to grill, then toss with brown rice pasta. Yum!
Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon says
We love this. I have to say your prep of your food makes all the difference. I dislike vegetables that are just chunked up, but your presentation makes it so appetizing. Another great dish Sally.
Sally says
Thanks Madonna! Simple things, right?