Grilled zucchini is so delicious when you use fresh, firm, in-season zucchini! The olive oil-balsamic marinade is superb. This easy side dish is ready in just 20 minutes. Pair it with a grilled main dish, such as grilled shrimp, for the perfect summer meal!
This grilled zucchini is amazingly flavorful. Grilling is the perfect cooking method for this vegetable, which has a high water content - nearly 95%. Grilling eliminates extra liquid, caramelizes the zucchini, and turns it into a delicacy. Roasting zucchini is another great method.
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Fresh zucchini: Try to find firm zucchini with smooth, dark green skin.
- Olive oil: If you prefer an oil with a higher smoke point, use avocado oil.
- Balsamic vinegar: This is the secret ingredient! It adds flavor and promotes caramelizing.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Variations
A nice variation on the basic recipe is to sprinkle the cooked zucchini slices with cheese. I've tried grated parmesan and crumbled feta, and both work well.
I also like to sprinkle the zucchini with red pepper flakes. It adds a nice color, as well as flavor and some heat.
Instructions
The detailed instructions for making this recipe are listed in the recipe card below. Here are the basic steps:
Slice the zucchini. The secret is to slice it thickly – ½-inch thick – and grill just until fork-tender but not mushy.
Mix a marinade of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic. Brush the zucchini slices with the mixture.
Grill the zucchini until just tender and not a second longer.
Brush the zucchini with the remaining marinade and serve.
Expert Tips
- You want your zucchini firm, not limp and mushy. The best way to make it crispy on the grill is to get the grill hot (but not too hot) and avoid overcooking it. It's better to slightly undercook zucchini than overcook it.
- You can use a teaspoon of fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder. However, garlic powder works better in this recipe - it more uniformly distributes and doesn't burn on the grill as quickly as minced garlic.
Recipe FAQs
You don't need a lot of seasonings when grilling young, fresh zucchini. I like to use olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic.
No. The skin is edible and tasty. There are two exceptions, though. If you can tell that the skin has been waxed because it's unnaturally shiny, then it's best to peel it off.
You might also want to peel the skin off very large zucchini because it can be bitter.
The best way to prevent charring is to avoid grilling on very high heat and turn the zucchini frequently instead of just midway through cooking.
Serving Suggestions
Since I'm firing up the grill, I like to serve grilled zucchini with a main dish that I can also grill. So, I often serve it with one of the following:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It's best to use them cold, as you would antipasti.
I like to make myself a lunch platter with cold zucchini slices, feta cheese cubes, salami chips (or bacon chips) with cream cheese dip, black olives, and tomato salad. If you prefer to reheat the leftovers, do so gently in the microwave at 50% power.
More Zucchini Recipes
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Recipe Card
Balsamic Grilled Zucchini
Video
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini - large, unpeeled, about 1 pound total weight
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra-virgin
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - see notes below
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat a grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. I like to use a dual-contact electric grill.
- Trim the zucchini edges and slice it crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds.
- In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Brush the zucchini rounds with the mixture on both sides. Set aside any remaining marinade.
- Grill the zucchini slices until just tender, 3-4 minutes on each side. In my dual contact grill, I grill them for 3 minutes on the first side, then for 2 more minutes on the second.
- Brush the zucchini slices with the remaining marinade and serve.
Notes
- If using any salt other than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, including Morton kosher salt, use half the amount listed.
- You want your zucchini nice and firm, not limp and mushy. The best way to make it crispy on the grill is to slice it thickly (½ inch thick), get the grill hot (but not too hot), and avoid overcooking the zucchini.
- You can use a teaspoon of fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder. However, garlic powder works better in this recipe: It is more uniformly distributed and doesn't burn on the grill as quickly as minced garlic.
- The leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for 3-4 days. It's best to use them cold as antipasti. If you prefer to reheat them, do so gently in the microwave at 50% power.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Linz says
Great recipe…..and she can show you some tax loopholes (LLM)!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Tax loopholes - oh, I wish! I used to practice family law. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Brian says
Enjoyed the recipe. Reduced the vinegar with a pinch of sugar to thicken and it stayed put nicely. Thank you.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Brian!
Anna U says
Loved the flavor. The flavor was so good! I think I need a thicker balsamic. How did you get it to stay on like your photos with the balsamic clearly on top? Do you have a balsamic vinegar recommendation?
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Anna! It's best to use a high-quality aged vinegar rather than a young one. The aged ones are thicker. I typically use this balsamic vinegar from Whole Foods.