Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Zest Recipe

Serves 8 | Total time: 50 minutes | Active time: 30 minutes

By mid-summer, anyone with a garden — or a neighbor with a garden — has more zucchini than they know what to do with. This is what to do with it.

A quick marinade, a hot grill, and one clever finishing touch turn everyday zucchini into the side dish everyone asks about. The secret is the lemon salt: fresh zest chopped together with kosher salt and scattered over the charred spears while they're still warm. It's bright, smoky, and somehow tastes like far more work than it is. Serve it next to grilled chicken, fish, or pasta — it goes with just about everything coming off the grates.

Ingredients

• 6 medium zucchini
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 lemons, zested
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for the lemon salt

How to Make Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Zest

1. First, lop off the tops and bottoms of the zucchini and quarter them lengthwise. Place in a large resealable plastic bag.
2. Next, drizzle in the olive oil, then add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and the lemon juice. Seal the bag and toss to coat the zucchini evenly.
3. After that, set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to marinate.
4. Meanwhile, preheat a grill to medium heat.
5. Then grill the zucchini, turning as needed, until tender and lightly charred, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove to a plate as each piece finishes.
6. Finally, pile the remaining lemon zest onto a cutting board and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of kosher salt on top. Use a knife to chop the salt and zest together until it becomes a fine lemon salt. Sprinkle generously over the grilled zucchini and serve.

Getting the Best Char

• Cut the spears thick. Quartering lengthwise gives you pieces sturdy enough to flip without falling through the grates or going limp.
• Pull each piece as it finishes — zucchini goes from perfectly tender to mushy fast, and they rarely all finish at the same moment.
• Make the lemon salt fresh. It takes a minute, and the fragrant oils from the zest are what make the whole dish sing.

This is the kind of recipe that earns a permanent spot in your summer rotation, right alongside whatever protein is sharing the grill. If your current setup makes cooking for eight feel like a juggling act, it might be time to look at a roomier built-in grill or a full custom outdoor kitchen built around how you actually cook.

Come see the options in person at our Coeur d'Alene or Post Falls showroom, or set up a free consultation. Bring your questions — and your garden zucchini surplus stories. We've heard them all.

Credit: Recipe courtesy of The Pioneer Woman