Grilled Zucchini

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I live in one of those picky eater households, but recently, zucchini has become my family’s veggie du jour that everyone is on board with. Our latest love is this perfectly charred, flavor-packed grilled zucchini recipe. Although roasted zucchini and sauteed zucchini are some of my faves, grilling zucchini brings out a whole new level of flavor. Not to mention that smoky char you just can’t get from cooking it in the house. Fire up your grill and make it with me!

Why You Need My Grilled Zucchini Recipe

• Smoky, caramelized, and perfectly tender – Grilling zucchini gives it a smoky, caramelized taste you’ll love. And with my slicing method and timing, the inside gets tender and juicy, with perfect grill marks on the outside.
• 5 simple ingredients – Plus salt and pepper. And they’re naturally low carb and gluten-free. This dish keeps your summer barbecue nice and easy.
• Easy summer weeknight side – In just 15 minutes from start to finish, you’ll have a flavorful, healthy side dish that’s perfect for busy nights. I serve this grilled zucchini to friends and family all summer!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my grilled zucchini recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Zucchini – I try to get medium-sized ones for grilling, because they’re sweeter and more tender than larger zucchini, but not so small that slicing them lengthwise is difficult. But you can use any size you’ve got: 5-6 small zucchini, 3-4 medium ones, or 2-3 large ones.
• Olive Oil – Adds flavor, encourages browning and caramelization, and helps the spices stick to the veggies. Sometimes I use avocado oil instead.
• Dried Herbs – I used a combination of dried basil and dried oregano, but you could also use dried thyme or a seasoning mix (see my variations below). I don’t recommend fresh herbs here, because they will burn over the high heat, but if you want to try, triple the amount and soak them in water first.
• Seasonings – Garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.

How To Grill Zucchini

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Slice the squash. While the grill preheats, cut the ends off of the zucchini and slice into long, thin planks. I use a mandonine for this — see my tips below.
2. Mix the marinade. Whisk together the olive oil, dried herbs, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
3. Season the zucchini. Arrange the summer squash in a single layer on a large sheet pan or cutting board. Brush both sides with the marinade.

4. Throw it on the grill. Place the slices on the grates over direct heat. Grill zucchini, flipping halfway through, until it’s tender and has grill marks on both sides. I like to garnish with fresh parsley.

How Long To Grill Zucchini?

I cut long 1/4-inch-thick slices, so I grill zucchini for just 2-3 minutes per side. The time has more to do with the thickness than the size of the squash. Also see my tips below.

My Recipe Tips

• Long 1/4-inch-thick slices work best for grilling. This allows the vegetables to cook quickly and get tender by the time grill marks appear. Some grilled zucchini recipes call for thicker planks (1/2 inch thick) or just cut the squash in half, but I find these burn more easily by the time they get tender. Other shapes, such as spears or slices, tend to fall through the grill grates, unless you use a grill basket or foil packet.
• Don’t have a mandoline? I have and highly recommend this one. You can try slicing with a knife instead, but it’s challenging to get thin, even slices, and takes longer.
• Avoid moving the zucchini around. Just flip it once to let those grill marks do their thing.
• If you’ve got grill marks but the zucchini isn’t soft yet, shift it to indirect heat. This will keep it from burning. But don’t keep it on the grill too long, or it gets mushy.
• Weather not cooperating? You can make grilled zucchini using a grill pan on the stove instead.

Flavor Variations

I kept this grilled zucchini recipe super basic, but it’s easy to customize! Try these additions:

• Spicy – Toss 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes into your olive oil mix. If you’re feeling extra fiery, sprinkle more on top before serving.
• Lemon – Squeeze a tablespoon of lemon juice into the marinade, add a teaspoon of lemon zest, or both.
• Balsamic – Mix in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar into your marinade, or drizzle some balsamic glaze over the grilled zucchini once it’s done.
• Italian Seasoning – Swap the individual herbs with 2 1/2 teaspoons of my Italian seasoning mix.
• Toppings – Try a sprinkle shredded or grated parmesan cheese, feta crumbles, pine nuts, or even tahini sauce or pesto.
• Grilled Squash And Zucchini – You can make my recipe with a combo of zucchini and yellow squash, too.

Storage & Meal Prep

• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you have a lot of extra grilled zucchini, use it to make my zucchini lasagna!
• Meal prep: You can marinate the squash for up to 24 hours ahead. I just pop them in a large bowl in the fridge.
• Reheat: Warm in the oven, in short intervals in the microwave, or throw the zucchini on the grill again over indirect heat.
• Freeze: The texture of grilled zucchini tastes best fresh, but you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Freeze in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, then transfer to a zip lock bag once it’s solid. If you’ve got raw zucchini to freeze, check my guide for how to freeze zucchini.

Serving Ideas

Grilled zucchini is the perfect easy side with my other grilling recipes! And since it cooks at medium-high heat, you can add it next to your protein if you have room:

• Chicken – I usually throw zucchini on the grill with something simple, like grilled chicken thighs or grilled chicken breast. For a more unique meal, try my smoky and spicy peri peri chicken.
• Beef – You can’t go wrong pairing these grilled veggies with a grilled steak, a super juicy burger, or even chuck eye steak.
• Seafood – Flaky grilled salmon and shrimp skewers are my favorites this summer. Whip up some grilled lobster tail or tuna steaks if you want to get fancy.
• Lamb – The herby flavor in this grilled zucchini pairs perfectly with grilled lamb chops or kofta kebab.

More Easy Zucchini Recipes

You know I love zucchini season, so I’ve got no shortage of zucchini recipes. Try these next:

Zucchini Fries

Air Fryer Zucchini

Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini Casserole

My Favorite Slicing Tool For This Recipe

This mandoline has quickly become my new fave (and I’ve tried a few!). I love that I don’t have to balance it on the counter, and it creates even slices in a flash.

Recipe Card

5 from 10 votes

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Grilled Zucchini (Easy Recipe)

My easy grilled zucchini recipe is tender, charred, and full of flavor. Make it in just 15 minutes, with olive oil and simple seasonings.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 5 minutes

Total: 15 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from Wholesome Yum

Servings: 6 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 2 lb Zucchini ▢
• 1/4 cup Olive oil ▢
• 1/2 tbsp Dried oregano ▢
• 1 tsp Dried basil ▢
• 3/4 tsp Garlic powder ▢
• 1 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Preheat the grill (or a grill pan on the stove) to medium-high heat (~400 degrees F (204 degrees C)) for at least 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, slice the ends off of each zucchini. Carefully slice into long, 1/4-inch thick planks. I recommend a mandoline for this.

3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper.

4. Arrange the zucchini in a single layer on a large sheet pan or cutting board. Brush both sides with the marinade.

5. Once the grill is hot, place the zucchini slices onto the grates over direct heat.

6. Grill zucchini for 2-3 minutes per side, or until grill marks appear and the zucchini is tender.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

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Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 4 grilled zucchini slices, or 1/6 of the entire recipe

Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 108

Fat 9.5g

Protein 2g

Total Carbs 5.5g

Net Carbs 3.6g

Fiber 1.9g

Sugar 3.8g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

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Try More Of My Recipes

• 
  Cauliflower Steak (Roasted Or Grilled)
• 
  Grilled Eggplant
• 
  Grilled Asparagus
• 
  Grilled Broccoli

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Gratitude Moment

Today is one of the only days this month that I don’t have something on my calendar. My to-do list is still long, but I’m grateful to at least go through it without interruptions.

That’s one of the reasons I love grilling in the summer. It’s quick and requires minimal effort between all the summer activities. And grilled zucchini is one of the fastest options!

Is your summer schedule busier than other times of the year, or more relaxing?