Best Grilling Recipe for How to Cook Large Zucchini
When you have a bumper crop of fresh zucchini you need a great recipe for how to cook zucchini.
Whether it is the beginning of zucchini season and you are looking for inspiration on how to use smaller zucchini or your vegetable garden has overgrown zucchini into baseball bat size, here is a great way to grill zucchini.
This recipe will become your go-to zucchini recipe!
And a few ideas on how to use up a huge zucchini in vegan recipes as well as protein-packed suggestions.
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Summer Squash or Fruit?
Zucchini is also called courgette and is a variety of summer squash in the gourd family. It is grown for its edible fruits and flowers.
Zucchini is well known for its versatility in global recipes due to its mild flavor profile.
Most use big zucchini in vegetable side dishes and mains, but do you know zucchini is technically a fruit?
And it is a variety of summer squash that is typically harvested and eaten while immature.
According to WebMd, “Squash is native to Central America and Mexico, but it has also been integral to a wide variety of international cuisines for centuries. Elongated varieties of squash began to appear in Italian kitchens as early as the 1600s, but the first description of the produce with the name “zucchini” did not appear until the early 1900s.”
Is Zucchini Nutritious?
Many calorie-conscious cooks prize zucchini for its limited calories and high nutrient content.
Zucchini is packed with many important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is a great source of folate, potassium, and daily values of Vitamin A.
With its high fiber content, it is a great way to add fiber to a low-calorie diet.
And you can eat the zucchini seeds. Many recipes call for the seeds to be scraped out like when you make stuffed zucchini, but this recipe leaves them intact. If you have really big seeds, scrape them out and roast them. They make a delicious snack or salad topper.
There are many reasons to make zucchini part of a great meal!
How to Store Big Zucchini
When stored in a plastic bag in the fridge, zucchini can usually keep for up to one week.
It will also keep for up to three months in the freezer.
How to Grill Large Zucchini
Grilling zucchini is my favorite way to cook it. Grilling keeps zucchini on the healthy side.
- First, wash and dry your zucchini with a paper towel.
- Cut small zucchini in half lengthwise. We are not cutting zucchini slices with medium-sized ones, so cut from stem to tip not side to side. If your zucchini is large enough, you can cut thick slices or long strips to grill. I find cutting quarters easier to handle on the grill.
- If you are grilling medium zucchini, then cut the zucchini halves into quarters. If you have a large size then you can cut the halves of zucchini into thirds. If they contain large seeds, you may want to scrape them out.
- Make sure the cut pieces are about the same size so they are done in the same amount of cooking time.
- Rub the zucchini with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Place them in a large bowl or baking dish and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.
- Grill over medium-high heat using direct heat until golden brown with a few grill marks.
Ingredients for Grilled Zucchini with Dill Vinaigrette
The best way to make this new recipe is with champagne vinegar. It is milder than white wine vinegar with a great subtle wine flavor.
However, you can substitute white wine vinegar but don’t use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. These kinds of vinegar will wipe out the mild flavor of the zucchini in this recipe and change the flavor profiles of the recipe.
Here are the ingredients for Grilled Zucchini with Dill Vinaigrette
- 1 ½ Tbsp white wine or champagne vinegar
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup plus 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise
If you are not a fan of dill you can use other bright, fresh herbs in the vinaigrette as well. If you don’t have fresh then you can use dried Italian seasoning in a pinch.
How to Make This Recipe for Grilled Zucchini
You can make this easy recipe with any of your small, medium, or even oversized zucchini. Grilling is a great way to cook just about any vegetable. This is one of my favorite recipes that I use all summer long.
This recipe makes 2 servings (Date Night), however, you can easily double or triple. Use 1 medium zucchini per serving or 2 large zucchini for 3 servings.
Double the vinaigrette for 4 servings as well. It is enough to just coat the zucchini.
Steps for Grilled Zucchini with Dill Vinaigrette
Preheat your grill to a very high heat. Use a chimney of charcoal and pour it into the bottom of your grill when the coals have a good coating of white ash.
In a medium bowl mix the ingredients for the vinaigrette – vinegar through pepper. Pour into a blender.
If you use a Vitamix or heavy-duty blender, you can place the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mustard, 1 ½ tablespoons fresh dill, salt, and a few pinches of pepper directly in the blender.
Blend on high until smooth. About 30 seconds.
While the motor is running, slowly add the ¼ cup olive oil and blend until emulsified. Another 10-15 seconds.
Cut your zucchini in half starting at the top of the zucchini slicing to the bottom.
If you have medium zucchini, cut the zucchini halves into quarters. If you have large-size or giant zucchini, cut each zucchini half into thirds.
Brush the zucchini quarters with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the Zucchini on the Grill and Serve
Clean your grill grates and reduce to medium-high heat. Or spread the charcoal around the sides of the grill.
Place zucchini on clean grill grates in a single layer. Grill turning over every two minutes, until lightly golden brown on all sides, about 6 – 8 minutes.
Remove from the grill and cut each quarter in half crosswise.
Place on a platter and immediately drizzle with the vinaigrette.
Garnish with the remaining dill.
You can make the vinaigrette a couple of days in advance of your event. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let come to room temperature before using.
The complete grilled zucchini recipe is at the bottom of this post. Print it out and I bet it will be a repeatable one of your great recipes for summer.
What to Serve with this Grilled Zucchini Recipe
This recipe makes a great side dish for so many foods!
Make it as part of this Healthy Date Night Hot Off the Grill. The recipes on the menu make two servings, but you can easily double or triple the servings.
The entire menu is listed on this Heart Healthy Mouthwatering Menu for your Hottest Date Night.
Wine recommendations for the menu are provided in the Healthy Date Night menu post as well.
Included in the menu is a wonderful recipe for Grilled Mediterranean Style Fish. And if you haven’t grilled fish before there are some great tips to make grilling fish easy.
Add this great summer salad recipe for Tomato Panzanella Salad.
Finish with an indulgent, but not filling dessert like this Chocolate Dipping Sauce. Serve it with cut fruit or cookies.
Other Ideas for How to Cook Large Zucchini
Here are a few ideas and zucchini boat recipe ideas for using up your extra large zucchini or monster zucchini.
For vegetarian Italian recipes, toss zucchini noodles, or zoodles, with marinara sauce.
Or make an Italian recipe zucchini shell by removing the seeds and stuff with marinara sauce, chopped bell pepper, and mozzarella cheese. Top with a sprinkle of bread crumbs and broil.
A meatier Italian zucchini boat option is to add cooked Italian sausage to your tomato sauce.
Also, try Zucchini Lasagna using thin long slices of the veggie in place of the pasta and layer with ricotta cheese.
Cook up a snack of Zucchini Parmesan Bites by brushing small slices of zucchini with olive oil, rolling in grated Parmesan cheese, and air frying until crisp.
How about making a stuffed zucchini using ingredients like Mexican recipes? Cook lean ground beef or ground chicken with chopped jalapeno pepper, diced red bell pepper, chopped onion, and a little oregano. Add meat mixture to zucchini shells. Top with cheddar cheese and then broil the zucchini boats. Add a dollop of sour cream, fresh tomatoes, or salsa before serving.
Additionally, use grated zucchini to bake up zucchini bread or make zucchini patties for an appetizer. Add an egg and onions to grated zucchini and mix with salt and pepper. Fry little patties and top with one of your favorite cheeses until melted.
Blend zucchini into smoothies with almond milk and berries or kale.
You can always add diced zucchini, tomatoes, and shredded carrots to a green salad for a side dish.
Invite Friends Over and Make this Grilled Zucchini Recipe
The next time you invite friends over for a great cookout include this dish as one of your delicious recipes.
This will become a favorite way to use up your bigger zucchini!
Cheers Y’all!
P.S. Please share with your friends on your favorite social media.
Grilled Zucchini with Dill Vinaigrette
Equipment
- grill
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Tbsp white wine or champagne vinegar
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup plus 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise
Instructions
- Heat grill to high or cook over direct heat.
- Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mustard, 1 ½ Tbsp fresh dill and salt and pepper to taste in a blender. Blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add ¼ cup olive oil and blend until emulsified.
- Brush zucchini with the remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill turning, until lightly golden brown on all sides, about 6 – 8 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and cut each quarter in half crosswise. Place on a platter and immediately drizzle with the vinaigrette. Garnish with the remaining dill.
Notes
Helpful Equipment
These tools can be really helpful when cooking veggies on the grill!
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