How to Grill Zucchini

My tips will teach you How to Grill Zucchini that’s perfect every time, and you’ll love grilling zucchini for a side dish all summer long!

PIN this recipe so you can Grill Zucchini all summer long!

Most of my life I was lukewarm about zucchini. It wasn’t until I discovered the deliciousness of zucchini cooked on the grill that I really started to crave fresh garden zucchini. Now I grill zucchini all summer long as a side dish, or to use in recipes like Zucchini Greek Salad or Easy Grilled Greek Zucchini. And now there are more than 50 Zucchini Recipes on the blog!

I think the first weekend in June means it’s grilling season, so I’m featuring this popular post of tips for grilling zucchini as my Friday Favorites pick for this week. This is a recipe to use in the summer when you have fresh garden zucchini or zucchini from the farmer’s market.

Once you’ve tried it, I promise this recipe for grilling zucchini will become a part of your regular summer rotation. If you’re a zucchini fan but haven’t cooked it on the grill, you must try grilling zucchini for a perfect summer side dish!

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

• fresh zucchini about 10-12 inches long
• low-sugar vinaigrette salad dressing, I usually use Newman’s Own Classic Oil and Vinegar Dressing (affiliate link)
• Garlic Powder (affiliate link) or Minced Garlic (affiliate link), probably optional, but good)
•  dried herbs of your choice such as Dried Oregano (affiliate link), Dried Basil (affiliate link), Dried Thyme (affiliate link), or Ground Rosemary (affiliate link), or a combination of herbs; herbs are optional but good

Does grilling zucchini make it a healthy dish?

This recipe for zucchini that’s perfectly cooked on the grill is low-carb, Keto, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and suitable for the original South Beach Diet, so this is a recipe you can make for anyone. That’s probably one reason why this delicious recipe with tips for How to Grill Zucchini is one of the Top Ten Low-Carb Zucchini Recipes on Kalyn’s Kitchen.

How can you grill zucchini without an outdoor grill?

Zucchini can be easily cooked on a stove-top grill pan with ridges (affiliate link) or even a George Foreman Grill (affiliate link) if you don’t have an outside grill. Remember the George Foreman Grill cooks both sides at the same time, so the cooking time will be less.

Can you use the tips for grilling zucchini for extra-large zucchini?

You want rather thick slices of zucchini when you’re cooking them on the grill, so for gardeners this is the perfect way to cook those big zucchinis that don’t quite get picked on time.

What other vegetables can be cooked with this method?

My How to Grill Zucchini method of marinating the vegetables, draining the marinade, and then grilling it is also very good to use on yellow summer squash or eggplant. You can also use it for mushrooms, peppers, and sweet onions.

Want more ideas for cooking vegetables on the grill?

Check out my round-up post of Low-Carb and Keto Grilled Vegetables for more ideas.

How to Grill Zucchini that’s perfect every time:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. I like to use a mandoline slicer (affiliate link) to slice the zucchini in perfectly even slices, and I cut them on the diagonal for more surface area on the grill.
2. Mix together your favorite low-sugar vinaigrette, garlic powder, and a few teaspoons of dried Italian herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, or rosemary.
3. I almost always use Newman’s Own Classic Oil and Vinegar Dressing (affiliate link) but any dressing that’s low in sugar will work as a marinade for cooking zucchini on the grill.
4. Put the zucchini in a single layer in a heavy Ziploc bag, dump in the marinade, and let it marinate in the fridge for several hours (or all day while you’re at work.)
5. When it’s time to cook, let the zucchini drain well in a colander placed in the sink while you preheat the grill to medium-high.
6. There is some oil in the marinade to keep the zucchini from sticking, but if you have non-stick spray for the grill I’d use it before you start heating the grill.
7. When the grill is hot, lay zucchini on an angle to the grill grates and cook 3-4 minutes.
8. Then lift one piece to see if grill marks are showing, and when they are, rotate each piece going the opposite direction to get those criss-cross marks.
9. Then turn and cook a few minutes more on the second side.
10. I cook zucchini about 10-12 minutes total, or slightly less if you want a bit more crunch left in them.
11. Season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper and enjoy!

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

Perfect Zucchini cooked on the grill is a great low-carb side dish for Juicy Grilled Chicken Breasts or as a side dish for any of these Low-Carb and Keto Grilling Recipes.

More Zucchini Cooked on the Grill:

• Grilled Zucchini Caprese Stacks
• Grilled Sausage and Summer Squash with Lemon and Herbs
•  Easy Kabobs with Zucchini and Sausag

Continue to Content

Print

Yield: 4 servings

How to Grill Zucchini

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

This post can teach you How to Grill Zucchini that will be a tasty low-carb side dish all summer long, and your family will love this perfect zucchini that's easy to make on the grill!

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini about 10-12 inches long
• 1/2 cup of your favorite vinaigrette salad dressing (see notes)
• 1 tsp. garlic powder or minced garlic (optional, but good)
• 1-2 tsp. dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, or a combination of herbs (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut zucchini into slices, making sure the slices are the same thickness. I like to use a mandoline slicer to slice the zucchini in evenly-thick slices on the diagonal so there is more surface area to touch the grill.
2. Combine salad dressing with garlic powder and dried herbs of your choice, if using. (I like this both with and without the extra flavorings. This is one place where fresh herbs are not better.)
3. Put zucchini slices into Ziploc bag, pour in marinade and let zucchini marinate in the fridge 4 hours or longer, even as long as all day if desired.
4. When you’re ready to cook, drain zucchini into a colander placed in the sink. (Use a bowl to catch the marinade so it doesn't go down the drain and discard marinade.)
5. To cook zucchini, preheat grill to medium-high. (You can only hold your hand there for 3-4 seconds.) You can spray the grill with non-stick spray if desired, but the marinade has plenty of oil so you may not need it.
6. Place zucchini on grill diagonally to the grill grates, keeping a spray bottle handy for taming any flames that shoot up from the oil in the marinade.
7. After 3 or 4 minutes, check for grill marks, and when you see them rotate zucchini going the opposite direction. Cook 3 or 4 more minutes after you've rotated.
8. Turn zucchini to second side and cook a few minutes more, or until zucchini is starting to soften, with the outside slightly charred and browned.
9. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve hot.

Notes

I like Newman’s Own Classic Oil and Vinegar Dressing dressing for this recipe. (affiliate links)

This is an easy recipe for How to Grill Zucchini that Kalyn came up with and has used every summer for many years.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 196Total Fat 16gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 2mgSodium 655mgCarbohydrates 3.9gFiber 2gSugar 9gProtein 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
As long as you use low-sugar vinaigrette., zucchini that’s grilled using my tips will be perfect for any low-carb eating plan including Keto, and it’s also great for any phase of the original South Beach Diet. I like Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar or Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette which has only 1 gram of sugar per serving. For vegan, Paleo, or Whole 30, be sure to choose an approved dressing.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Grilling Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2006, and it’s literally been popular since the first day I posted it. The tips for How to Grill Zucchini were last updated in 2023.

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