In episode 75, host Taryn Solie guides you through grilling the perfect zucchini with just three ingredients. You’ll hear tips and tricks for preventing mushiness as well as step-by-step instructions to give you tender and flavorful zucchini. Whether paired with chicken, steak, or pork, this grilled zucchini is a summer staple you won’t want to miss.
Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, or your favorite podcast player. Or scroll down to read a full transcript.
RECIPES MENTIONED
These are some of the recipes mentioned in the episode, all of which are on Hot Pan Kitchen.
- Grilled zucchini
- Grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Pineapple grilled chicken breast
- Grilled flank steak
- Grilled pork tenderloin
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Some of the following are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
TRANSCRIPT
Taryn Solie: Hello grillers, and thank you for tuning in today! I am your host, Taryn Solie, and I am here to talk with you about all things grilling and outdoor cooking, including delicious recipes and handy tips and tricks, all to give you some grilling inspiration.
Today we’re taking a break from grilled meats and are grilling a vegetable instead. This veggie is a summer staple, though you can get it all year round. I’m talking about zucchini.
Zucchini is probably my favorite vegetable to grill because it’s really easy and quick, both to prep and to cook. I know one of the complaints against zucchini is that it gets mushy, but I’ve got a couple tips to help combat that. So let’s get into the recipe.
To make grilled zucchini you only need 3 ingredients: the zucchini itself, some salt, and some oil. For the recipe we’ll be going over today here are the quantities you’ll need:
- 5 zucchini, on the smaller side;
- 1 tbsp mild oil, I like to use avocado oil; and
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
A couple of notes about the ingredients:
- First about the salt – this recipe specifically uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is the type of salt I prefer to cook and grill with. It is less salty by volume than other kosher salts, leaving a little more room for error as you season your food. If you have a different type of salt, I’ll link to an article on the show notes page that will help you figure out how much salt to use.
- Next, for the zucchini, I like to cook with ones that are on the smaller side. I find larger zucchini tend to get mushier than smaller zucchini, simply because there’s more of the soft center portion. If you have a really large zucchini I have a tip for cooking it that should help, and I’ll get to that in a little bit.
For this episode I’m going to go over the full recipe then give some tips at the end. The grilling process itself is really very easy.
Start off by prepping the zucchini. Slice the tops and bottoms off one of the zucchini using a large sharp knife on cutting board. Then slice the zucchini in half length-wise so there are two long pieces. Place the halves in a large bowl and repeat with the rest of the zucchini.
Measure out the oil with a measuring spoon and drizzle it over the zucchini halves. Do the same with the kosher salt, then use your hands to rub the salt and oil over the zucchini until each piece is well coated.
Turn on your grill to 400 degrees F. Once it comes to temperature, place the zucchini with the skin side down – meaning the darker outside part that’s curved – with a pair of tongs. Cook the veggies for 3 minutes, then use the tongs to flip the zucchini and cook them for an additional 2 minutes.
At this point you want to check the doneness of your zucchini by picking it up with your tongs and seeing how much give it has and whether or not the flesh part is starting to turn slightly translucent (besides where it touched the grill grates). If the zucchini is still fairly stiff and opaque, cook it another minute or two, depending on the size and thickness of your zucchini. The zucchini will be done when it has some give when gripped with the tongs but is not completely limp, and the flesh of the zucchini is somewhat translucent.
Once they’re cooked to your preference, remove them from the grill and serve immediately.
Now for the tips I mentioned about keeping zucchini from getting mushy.
First, get to know the hot spots on your grill. Most grills have certain spots that are hotter than others, meaning some pieces of zucchini may be done before others. Likely hot spots are directly over flames or heating elements and likely cooler spots are at the front of the grill (closer to the opening of the lid).
When grilling the zucchini, you really need to give it your undivided attention. Zucchini cooks quickly and if it cooks even a minute too long that’s when it start to get squishy.
If you keep those two things in mind and pay attention to the color and texture of the zucchini as you’re flipping it, you can avoid mushy grilled zucchini.
Also, while we’re talking about flipping the zucchini, it can be tricky as the pieces are slightly slippery and the grill will be hot! I like to use a pair of tongs with good teeth or grips on them and recommend wearing an oven mitt while doing this to protect your hands from the heat of the grill.
A last quick note about the size of your zucchini – I didn’t forget about this. In this recipe I use small zucchini that I cut in half length-wise, but if you have a really large one I recommend cutting it into quarters, still length-wise. Then follow the directions and cook it skin side down first, and flip it onto one side of the flesh for the remaining time. It may take a little less time to cook than a half a zucchini, so you’ll just have to watch it as it cooks – which you should be doing anyway.
And that’s it! As I mentioned before, this is one of my favorite grilled veggies and I make it all the time, especially in the summer. We eat it a lot with grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs or grilled chicken breasts, but it’s also great with grilled flank steak or pork tenderloin. You can really eat it with anything.
I’ll include a link to the full printable recipe for this grilled zucchini, as well as the other recipes and resources I’ve mentioned, on the show notes page. To get to it you can either go to my main website at Hot Pan Kitchen dot com and click on podcast in the main menu, or you can click on the link provided in whatever podcast app you’re listening on.
If you enjoyed this recipe, consider subscribing to the show on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss out on future episodes! I’ve got so many more great grilling and smoking recipes you’re going to love.
That’s it for today, thank you so much for listening, and until next time, keep grilling like a mother.
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