Try this easy recipe for grilled zucchini, featuring tender-yet-crispy zucchini wedges with beautiful grill marks, served on a bed of tangy lemon garlic yogurt, and topped with tangy feta, fragrant basil, crunchy nuts, lemon juice, and hot honey. This refreshing summer side dish is perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this easy dish:
- Zucchini
- Yogurt – make sure to use a good-quality thick yogurt and not runny yogurt. You could also use Greek yogurt but it’s really thick and has a higher fat content so I prefer to use regular plain yogurt. The yogurt is seasoned with basil, lemon, and fresh garlic.
- Herbs – basil goes perfectly with zucchini.
- Nuts – you can use pine nuts, pistachios, or flaked almonds.
- Cheese – tangy feta cheese is perfect with zucchini. Alternatively, you could use a mix of grated and thinly shaved parmesan cheese.
- Lemon juice
- Hot honey – is a must in this recipe. Hot honey is simply warm runny honey that is seasoned with red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper. Don’t omit this! You don’t have to make it really spicy, a touch of heat is enough.
How to make it step-by-step
Prepare the zucchini:
Wash and dry the zucchini. Cut each zucchini into quarters lengthwise to create wedges. Pat the zucchini dry with paper towels (or the oil will splash while frying).
Drizzle the zucchini wedges with the frying oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
(4 small zucchini)
Grill the zucchini:
Preheat your grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat. Place the zucchini wedges on the grill, cut side down. Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until the zucchini is tender and browned. I try to stop when the zucchini has golden brown marks and avoid letting it get too dark or black, as it tastes bitter to me. Remove from the grill and set aside.
Prepare the lemon garlic yogurt:
In a small bowl, mix the plain yogurt, minced garlic, a couple of finely chopped basil leaves, and lemon zest. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
(1 cup yogurt, 2 cloves garlic, a couple of basil leaves, zest of 1 lemon)
Toast the nuts:
In a small dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts or pistachios until they are golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
(2 tablespoons pine nuts)
Assemble the dish:
Spread the lemon garlic yogurt on a large plate.
Arrange the grilled zucchini wedges on top of the yogurt.
Sprinkle the crumbled feta, toasted nuts, and sliced basil leaves over the zucchini. Drizzle with lemon juice.
(1/2 cup crumbled feta, a couple of basil leaves, 1/4 lemon)
In a small pot, add honey, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Heat until the honey is very runny and warm. Drizzle hot honey and some olive oil over zucchini.
Season everything with salt and pepper.
(1 tablespoon honey, pinch of red pepper flakes, pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste, about 1 tablespoon of olive oil)
Enjoy!
More delicious zucchini recipes
Storage
This dish doesn’t store well – yogurt can’t be reheated. If you want to prepare it ahead, prepare all the ingredients and store them separately. Reheat the zucchini and assemble just before serving.
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Grilled Zucchini
Ingredients
- 4 small zucchini
- 2 tablespoons frying oil
- 1 cup (240ml) plain yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic
- zest grated from 1 lemon
- 2 twigs basil leaves divided
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts or pistachios
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 lemon
- 1 tablespoon honey
- pinch of cayenne pepper or to your taste
- pinch of red pepper flakes or to your taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions
Prepare the zucchini:
- Wash and dry the zucchini. Cut each zucchini into quarters lengthwise to create wedges. Pat the zucchini dry with paper towels (or the oil will splash while frying).4 small zucchini, 2 tablespoons frying oil
- Drizzle the zucchini wedges with the frying oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
Grill the zucchini:
- Preheat your grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat. Place the zucchini wedges on the grill, cut side down. Grill for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until the zucchini is tender and browned. I try to stop when the zucchini has golden brown marks and avoid letting it get too dark or black, as it tastes bitter to me. Remove from the grill and set aside.
Prepare the lemon garlic yogurt:
- In a small bowl, mix the plain yogurt, minced garlic, a couple of finely chopped basil leaves, and lemon zest. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.1 cup (240ml) plain yogurt, 2 cloves garlic, zest grated from 1 lemon
Toast the nuts:
- In a small dry skillet over medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts or pistachios until they are golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.2 tablespoons pine nuts
Assemble the dish:
- Spread the lemon garlic yogurt on a large plate.
- Arrange the grilled zucchini wedges on top of the yogurt.
- Sprinkle the crumbled feta, toasted nuts, and sliced basil leaves over the zucchini. Drizzle with lemon juice.1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1/4 lemon
- In a small pot, add honey, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Heat until the honey is very runny and warm. Drizzle hot honey and some olive oil over zucchini.1 tablespoon honey, pinch of cayenne pepper, pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Season everything with salt and pepper.
- Enjoy!
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