This grilled zucchini and summer squash is the perfect summer side dish! Why just grill your main dish when it is so easy to grill your side dish?
Zucchini and yellow summer squash are marinated in lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic, fresh thyme and olive oil.
The squash soaks up all that herby lemon flavor and come out amazingly delicious!
Grill your side dishes!
Let's face it, when you are grilling you don't want to be running inside every few minutes to check on your side dishes. That's why potato salad and coleslaw are such favorites when you are grilling.
But what about if you grilled your side dish?! It turns out, it's easy and delicious!
I've been making this marinated zucchini and summer squash from Giada for years and years. It's in her Family Dinners Cookbook which was published in 2006, so that's how long I've been making it!
I love that it goes with everything, it's the perfect side for chicken, pork, beef or seafood!
Ingredients.
With just a handful of ingredients you can make this light and lemony simple grilled zucchini.
- Summer squash and zucchini - you can use whatever ration of summer squash to zucchini that you'd like. Honestly, I just use whatever I have. I've done this with all zucchini and all summer squash and it's always good!
- Lemon juice - fresh squeezed, no bottle juice.
- White wine vinegar - sometimes I use an herbed vinegar for extra flavor.
- Garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Fresh thyme - can also use dried time.
Step by step directions.
Mince the garlic and chop the thyme.
In a pan large enough to hold the zucchini (or in a ziplock bag) whisk together the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, minced garlic, fresh thyme, olive oil and salt and pepper.
Cut the zucchini and yellow squash into quarters lengthwise.
Save 3 tablespoons of the marinade for later and add the zucchini and yellow squash. Toss to combine.
Cover and marinate at room temperature for at least 3 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Preheat the grill.
Preheat your grill for a medium high heat.
Make sure that your grill grate is clean. I like to preheat mine on high, scrape the grates and then adjust to the proper temperature.
Grill the squash.
Remove the squash from the marinade and place on the grill.
You can use a grill basket, but since the pieces are a nice size, they are pretty easy to flip individually.
Grill the zucchini, turning occasionally until they are crisp tender about 8 minutes total.
I like to lay the zucchini perpendicular to the grill lines so that you get lovely grill marks!
Place the zucchini on a platter and drizzle with the reserved marinade.
Enjoy!
Once you make this grilled zucchini and summer squash, you'll make it over and over again!
It really is the perfect side dish for grilling! It can be served warm or at room temperature.
Variations - sometimes I use tarragon, mint or oregano in place of the thyme.
More zucchini recipes to try.
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Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 pound zucchini trimmed and quartered lengthwise
- 1 pound yellow squash trimmed and quartered lengthwise
Instructions
- Whisk together lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic, thyme, olive oil and salt and pepper.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of the marinade.
- Place the marinade in a dish large enough to hold the zucchini or a ziplock bag.
- Marinate for at least 3 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
- Heat grill to medium high and grill squash for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp tender.
- Serve, room temperature or warm, drizzled with the reserved marinade.
Such an easy side dish to add when already grilling out. The grill marks give it a bit of crunch to it. So delicious!
The absolute perfect summer side dish!
This marinade sounds great! Perfect marinade for summer veggies.
This looks like the perfect side dish for a summertime BBQ! 🙂 Yum!
It doesn't get better than grilled vegetables like this grilled zucchini. The perfect side dish for grilled BBQ chicken.