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Grilled Zucchini, marinated in lemon juice and olive oil, is a healthy summer side dish that everyone loves! It takes just a few minutes to prepare and only 10 minutes to cook.

Grilling out is the only way to eat during the summer months. We love this grilled zucchini side dish with some grilled potatoes, grilled Steak, chicken thighs or smoky spice rubbed tri-tip.

grilled zucchini strips on a plate

Grilled zucchini is healthy and delicious, seasoned simply with just olive oil, lemon, and salt. Cooking it on the grill adds so much flavor to the food, plus a smokiness that you just can’t get indoors. Because of the high water content in zucchini, it’s incredibly juicy when cooked properly.

Ingredients for Grilled Zucchini

  • Zucchini – Each zucchini will serve 2 people, so grab just what you need. choose medium sized zucchini that are about 7-8 inches long. Larger ones tend to be too watery and the smaller ones lack flavor.
  • Lemon – I use both the zest and the juice from a lemon. Zest it first, the cut it in half and squeeze out the juice, careful not to let the seeds into your marinade.
  • Seasoning – I usually just stick with simple salt and pepper, but Italian seasoning is also quite delicious.

How to Grill Zucchini

There are just a few steps in this recipe and all you need is a large, sharp knife and a cutting board. You can slice it in different ways, whichever you prefer. I like to quarter them.

  1. Trim the ends, then cut the squash in half lengthwise, then into quarters. You’ll end up with long, triangular strips. You could also just slice them in half, or even into half-inch thick rounds.
  2. Toss them in some olive oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with salt. Let them marinate in a sealed bag for about 30 minutes.
  3. Grill ’em up! You’ll want to have some long handled grilling tongs to be able to grab the zucchini to flip them. If you are cutting them into rounds, you’ll want to use a grilling mat or vegetable basket for ease in flipping.
grilled zucchini strips on a plate with lemon.

Expert Tips

  • Slice zucchini into uniform sized pieces so they will cook evenly. I like to cut the whole zucchini into halves or quarters. Thinner strips tend to cook too fast and get a little mushy.
  • I like to give my squash 30 minutes to marinate, but if you’re short on time you can just toss them in lemon and olive oil and throw them on the grill.
  • Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or toss into a stir fry (at the end, just long enough to warm through).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Salt Zucchini Before Grilling?

Salting the zucchini adds flavor and also pulls out some of the moisture which helps keep them from getting soggy.

Do You Grill Zucchini with the Skins on?

Yes! There is no need to peel the skin unless you really want to. For larger zucchini, you may want to peel them because the skin can be bitter. Also if there is a waxiness to the skin (sometimes grocery stores do this to extend the shelf life), you may want to peel them.

How Long Do I Grill Zucchini?

Squash is pretty tender to begin with, so they don’t take long to grill – just about 10 minutes total. You could throw them on the grill and forget about it for 10 minutes if you wanted, or you can flip them a few times to grill marks on both sides and ensure even cooking.

Zucchini with grill marks cut into strips on a plate with lemon and parsley.

More Delicious Zucchini Recipes

Recipe
A plate of grilled zucchini slices

Grilled Zucchini

5 from 2 votes
Grilled Zucchini, marinated in lemon juice and olive oil, is a healthy summer side dish that everyone loves! It's become a staple in our house and the only vegetable my kids actually beg for!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5-2 pounds zucchini about 3-4 medium zucchini
  • Olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • Salt
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Instructions
 

  • Trim the ends from the zucchini and slice into quarters, lengthwise.
  • Place zucchini into a large zip-top bag and add a few tablespoons of olive oil, zest and juice from half a lemon. Marinate in the bag for 30 minutes. You could also do this in a large, shallow dish.
  • Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat (350-375 degrees F). Place zucchini directly over the heat and close the lid. Cook the zucchini for 10-12 minutes, or until tender, flipping every 3-4 minutes to char all sides.
  • Transfer to a plate and tent with foil until ready to serve.
  • Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges. Also delicious with shreded Parmesan cheese.
Keyword grilled zucchini

Nutrition

Calories: 24kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 9mgPotassium: 321mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 227IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.

Kristin Maxwell

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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Comments

  1. Carleen says:

    Can i prepare the zucchini and leave in refrigerator for a few hours?

    1. Kristin says:

      If you mean grill it and then refrigerate, I would recommend not doing that. It will get mushy as it sits.