Grilled Zucchini

This Grilled Zucchini is a Bulgarian staple. This recipe is home for us because our family and we have been making grilled vegetables with creamy sauces for generations. This recipe is a simple but beautiful way to elevate your zucchini game. We are extremely proud to be Bulgarian and even more proud and honored to be able to share our cultural recipes with you all. We honestly think that the simplest recipes often taste the best and every time we close our eyes we see myself enjoying a recipe like this with our family and envision the fondest memories filled with love and laughter around the table.

What stands out

This Grilled Zucchini is simplicity at its best. If you love zucchini like we do, this is a great way to highlight the popular summer veggie as it takes over our gardens in the summer! The sauce is so light and refreshing and will pair perfectly with any grilled veggie so you could also serve it with grilled peppers or eggplant if you like. The prep time for this dish is just a few minutes and it makes a lot so you can enjoy all week long.

How to Prepare Grilled Zucchini

Wash the zucchini, pat them dry and cut off a little bit off of each end.

Use a knife to slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch strips and then place them on a baking sheet.

Drizzle the zucchini with a little bit of olive oil on each side and massage with your hands.

Now, place the zucchini on a grill pan on the stove over medium heat for a few minutes on each side.

Take the zucchini off the heat and add some salt.

Meanwhile, mince a garlic clove and then add it to a bowl.

Next, add all of the remaining yogurt sauce ingredients to the bowl and stir.

Dip the zucchini in the sauce or you could drizzle the yogurt sauce over top and enjoy.

Kitchen tip

You could absolutely bake the zucchini in the oven or make them on the BBQ as well.

Swaps

1. If you don’t like dill you can leave it out or use parsley or basil instead.
2. This recipe is with sour cream instead of yogurt.
3. If you are dairy-free, you can use your favorite non-dairy alternative in this recipe, just make sure it’s not sweet.
4. If you use olive oil it might smoke up so we suggest a higher smoke point oil like avocado oil instead.
5. You can certainly bake the zucchini in the oven or make them on the BBQ as well.
6. Any yogurt will work for this Grilled Zucchini, including Greek yogurt.

Serve it with

• This Grilled Zucchini pairs perfectly with our chicken or pork skewers.
• As an appetizer platter with a variety of our Grilled Veggies.
• Add these Grilled Zucchini to your wrap, or sandwich with a smear of the yogurt sauce as well.

Questions

strong What can we do if we don’t have a grill pan?

If you don’t have a grill pan, you can use a regular skillet on the stove, or cook these in the oven on a mark baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You could also head outside and make this Grilled Zucchini on the BBQ.

strong Can we use a different vegetable instead of zucchini?

Yes, you can substitute zucchini with other vegetables like eggplant, bell peppers, or asparagus. The cooking time may vary slightly depending on the vegetable.

strong How do we know when the zucchini is done cooking?

The grilled zucchini is done when it has nice char marks on each side and still has a bit of bite to it. It shouldn’t be too soft or mushy.

what can we use instead of dry dill in the sauce?

You can use fresh dill if you prefer, or omit it altogether if you are allergic or don’t like dill. You could add in chopped fresh parsley or basil instead if you like. br

Can we make this Grilled Zucchini ahead of time?

Yes, you can! The zucchini is just as cold or room temperature so you can prep up to a few days ahead and refrigerate. The sauce can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

The Zucchini:

• 4 zucchini, cut into slices
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil, drizzled on each side
• ½ teaspoon salt, to taste

The Yogurt Sauce

• ⅓ cup plain yogurt, any you like
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dry dill, or finely chopped fresh dill (or omit)
• ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste

Equipment

• Nakiri Knife
• Cutting Board
• Redmond Real Salt
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper
• Mixing Bowls

Method

1. Wash the zucchini, pat them dry and cut off a little bit off of each end. Slice it into 1/4 inch strips. We usually get 4 slices out of each zucchini depending on the size.
2. Drizzle on a little bit of oil on each side and massage each side with your hands.
3. Grill them on a grill pan on the stove on medium heat for a few minutes on each side. If you need to add a touch more oil in the grill pan prior to adding the zucchini in you are more than welcome to.
4. The zucchini should have a bite to it and char marks on each side. Take it off the heat and add some salt.
5. In a separate bowl add all of the ingredients for the sauce and stir. Dip the zucchini in the sauce or even pour the yogurt sauce on top and enjoy.