Grilled Zucchini and Squash
Grilled Zucchini and Yellow Squash are tossed with lemon vinaigrette, fresh herbs, and feta cheese to make the perfect summer side dish! Serve the grilled squash medley with burgers, bbq chicken, ribs, and more!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
✔ Quick and Easy: This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to prepare, but the combination of the lightly charred zucchini and summer squash with the bright lemon dressing makes it tastes like something you’d get at a restaurant.
✔ Works with Any Summer Squash: I used zucchini and yellow squash, but any thin skinned squash that’s fully edible without having to peel or seed it will work.
✔ Customizable: Replace the lemon dressing with another favorite vinaigrette, omit the feta, use a different combination of fresh herbs — make this recipe your own!
About This Recipe
If your fridge is overflowing with summer squash, make this simple grilled zucchini and yellow squash recipe!
It’s my go-to method for using up lots of squash at once. (If I still have squash left over after grilling season ends, that’s when I start freezing zucchini.)
This is a fast, easy, and impressive recipe that takes very little time or effort to prepare. Grilling yellow squash and zucchini infuses them with a smoky flavor that’s perfectly counterbalanced by the bright and zingy lemon dressing.
Special Equipment You’ll Need
You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare squash and zucchini on the grill. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:
- Citrus Juicer: Is the best and easiest way to juice lemons.
- Grill: If you don’t have a charcoal grill or gas grill, you can still prepare this recipe! Use a indoor grill pan to grill the fresh produce.
- Grill Basket: For grilling the zucchini, squash, and onions.
- Tongs: For turning the veggies during grilling.
Ingredients Needed
This grilled zucchini recipe features plenty of fresh ingredients. Check your fridge and pantry, because you might have most on hand already.
- Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash: I recommend using medium-sized zucchini and squash. Extra large zucchini and squash will be more fibrous and have larger seeds
- Red Onion: The squash itself isn’t super flavorful, so we’re using sweet red onion to build up some flavor.
- Fresh Herbs: Parsley and mint pair nicely with the smoky flavor that comes from cooking squash and zucchini on the grill.
- Lemon Dressing: Yellow squash and zucchini go hand in hand with bright lemon juice. I opted to make a simple dressing using olive oil, lemon juice and zest, some garlic, cumin, and (the secret ingredient!) baharat seasoning.
- Feta Cheese: You can either leave the feta cheese off or substitute goat cheese in place of it for this recipe.
How to Grill Zucchini and Yellow Squash
- Make the lemon dressing: Either whisk it together in a bowl or add the ingredients to a jar and shake to combine.
- Prepare the zucchini and squash for grilling: I like to slice both the zucchini and summer squash into 1/2-inch rounds before tossing with olive oil.
- Grill the zucchini and yellow squash: I prefer using a grill basket for ease. The veggies will need to cook for about 7 to 10 minutes over medium-high heat.
- Assemble before serving: Stir the grilled veggies with half of the dressing, fresh parsley, and mint. Arrange on a platter and drizzle with remaining dressing and top with the feta cheese.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the complete recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instruction
Recipe Tips
- You will want to start with hot grill grates, so make sure you preheat the grill for 5 – 10 minutes before you start cooking.
- Use a grill basket to prevent the vegetables from falling through the grill grates.
- Lay the vegetables in a single layer on grill baskets. The veggies will develop nice grill marks if they’re not layered on top of each other.
Recipe FAQs
Got questions about grilling squash and zucchini? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
How thick should I slice zucchini and squash for grilling?
I recommend slicing them 1/3 – 1/2 of an inch thick for best results.
Do you have to grill zucchini and yellow squash in a grill basket?
“Have to?” No. But if you skip the grill basket, you’ll have to babysit each and every slice of summer squash to make sure none of it burns.
With a grill basket, you can easily remove all of the squash at once from the direct heat so it can keep cooking without the risk of burning or turning mushy.
What can I substitute for Baharat Seasoning?
If you don’t have baharat seasoning or are unable to find it at your grocery store, I recommend using extra cumin in place.
Storage Instructions
The best way to store leftover is in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should be enjoyed within 3 to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Serving Suggestions to Make This a Meal
Grilled zucchini and squash is the perfect summer side dish for a night of cooking on the grill!
- Mains: Grilled Chimichurri Steak, Grilled Greek Chicken, Grilled Flank Steak, Smoked Whole Chicken, or Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken
- Sides: Sun-Dried Tomato Pearl Couscous Salad, Grilled Corn, Rustic Rosemary Bread, Tomato Panzanella Salad
- Desserts: Old-Fashioned Peach Crisp, Raspberry Fool, Pomegranate Sorbet
- Drinks: St. Germain Spritz, Blackberry Mint Julep, Watermelon Mint Lemonade
More Zucchini Recipes to Try
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Grilled Zucchini and Yellow Squash Recipe
After grilling zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion, the veggies are tossed with lemon vinaigrette, fresh herbs, and feta cheese.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Dressing
- 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1 clove Fresh Garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Baharat Seasoning*
- 3/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, or to taste
For the Vegetables
- 2 medium Zucchini
- 2 medium Yellow Summer Squash
- 1 large Red Onion
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For Garnish
- 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup Fresh Mint, chopped
- 1/3 cup crumbled Feta Cheese
Instructions
Make the Dressing
- Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic clove, and seasonings in a small bowl or glass measuring cup.
- Mix well using a wire whisk. Set aside.
Prep the Veggies
- Wash and dry the zucchini and yellow squash. Cut each into 1/2 inch round slices. Set aside.
- Cut the onion in half from root to stem. Remove the papery skin and discard. Slice the root and stem off of each half.
- Then, cut each half into 6 - 8 wedges, cutting from end to end.
- Add all of the veggies to a mixing bowl, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Gently toss to coat.
Grilling the Zucchini, Squash, and Onions
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the oiled vegetables in a single layer on a veggie grilling basket (or multiple if needed to fit them all).
- Transfer the grilling basket(s) to the preheated grill and cook 7 - 10 minutes, flipping halfway through so the side facing up is turned to face the grill.
- Continue cooking, if needed, until desired doneness is achieved.
Assembling the Grilled Zucchini and Squash
- After grilling, gently toss the vegetables with half of the dressing, fresh parsley, and and fresh mint.
- Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with remaining dressing, and garnish with the crumbled feta.
- Serve immediately, seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste (if desired).
Notes
*Baharat seasoning: Can be replaced with an equal amount of ground cumin.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 122Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 152mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 3g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy. This provided information is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
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