Grilled zucchini is an easy side dish to make, and it pairs well with any entree. Ours cooks on the grill over indirect heat, resulting in seared (never soggy) zucchini every single time. If your garden is anything like mine in the early summer, you’ve got zucchini coming at you from all directions. I’ve already made zoodles, Amish zucchini bread, and zucchini lasagna.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
What I love about preparing zucchini using this method is that you can pair it with a protein and grill them at the same time – no need to pull one thing off the grill before another.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Zucchini: Cut the zucchini into ½- inch strips. The thicker slices let you sear the outside while the inside cooks perfectly – no soggy zucchini here!
- Olive Oil: Impart flavor and prevent the zucchini from sticking to the grill using olive oil.
- Salt + Pepper: Generously flavor the zucchini strips with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper.
How to Make Grilled Zucchini
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Slice the zucchini into ½- inch strips and add them to a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to the bowl, then stir to combine.
Step 3: Preheat the grill by setting all the burners to high heat for about 10 minutes.
Turn off the rightmost burner, but maintain an overall grill temperature of 350℉ (176℃). Then, use a wooden grill paddle to clean the grates.
Step 4: Using tongs, line the zucchini strips onto the warming and cook them for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Flip the zucchini strips, then cook for another 15 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Slice the zucchini strips the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
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Serving Suggestions
- Beef Ribs
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Roasted Jerk Chicken, BBQ Baked Chicken Legs, Jamaican Chicken Fricassee, Grilled Tandoori Chicken, Grilled Chicken Drumsticks, Joojeh Kabob
- Hamburgers, Air Fryer Turkey Burger, Turkey Smash Burgers
- Hot Dogs, Bratwurst
- Homemade Coleslaw with Mint and Cilantro
- Chicken Alfredo Pasta
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store the leftover zucchini in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze – For best results, spread them onto a baking sheet and freeze them separately for an hour. After they solidified, add them to a single freezer-safe bag or container. Grilled zucchini will store for 3 months.
- Reheat – Reheat leftover strips on a baking sheet for 5 minutes at 350°F (176°C). If you plan to cook frozen zucchini, defrost them in the fridge overnight.
- Repurpose – Make a breakfast scramble and mix the leftover zucchini with eggs. You can also add them to a salad, put them in soup, top homemade pizza, or add them to a sandwich.
Frequently Asked Questions
What seasoning should I put on grilled zucchini?
I’m a fan of the basics and season zucchini with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Other pairings we enjoy are feta, lemon, and olive oil. Sometimes we make them with olive oil and parmesan for a nice crisp.
How long to grill zucchini?
I prefer grilling zucchini slowly over low heat for 20- 30 minutes, depending on size; if you’re cooking them directly on the main grill, do so over higher heat (450°F) for 3-5 minutes.
More Grilled Vegetables:
Grilled Zuchinni
- 3 medium zuchinni, ends removed, and cut lengthwise into ½-inch strips
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- Slice the zucchini into ½- inch strips and add them to a mixing bowl.
- Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to the bowl, then stir to combine.
- Preheat the grill by setting all the burners to high heat for about 10 minutes. Turn off the rightmost burner, but maintain an overall grill temperature of 350℉ (176℃). Then, use a wooden grill paddle to clean the grates.
- Using tongs, line the zucchini strips onto the warming and cook them for 15 minutes.
- Flip the zucchini strips, then cook for another 15 minutes.
- Slice the zucchini strips the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.
TW
Tuesday 7th of June 2022
These came out perfect cooked!
Tressa Jamil
Sunday 12th of June 2022
I am happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe.