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Zucchini is tossed with olive oil and lemon zest for a super simple summer side!
I sat down to dinner with some girlfriends the other night and began picking their brains for which types of recipes they would like to see on the blog. We were eating a simple meal of grilled shrimp, steak and zucchini. Dishes I’ve made a thousand times over and barely give a second thought. And they both said…”how about this zucchini?”
“Eh”, I said, “it’s so simple, who would be interested in this?” And then a resounding…”Us!”
Thing is, I often forget that recipes don’t have to be complicated to be useful. In fact, it’s usually the opposite. The little tricks that are second nature to me can be new to someone else. My friend pointed out that she never thought to cut the zucchini diagonally (more surface area prevents it from slipping through the grates on the grill) or use lemon zest to enhance the flavor.
I’ve made grilled zucchini and other vegetables a zillion different ways over the years, but for my family, this super simple preparation is the favorite. No vinegar or special seasonings required and it can be on the table in minutes. Check out the short video below and get ready to fire up the grill!
- 2 medium zucchinis
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
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Preheat your grill to high heat.
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Slice zucchini on the bias into 1/4 inch think ovals and toss with the rest of the ingredients.
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Lay zucchini ovals directly on the hot grill and cook until deep grill marks appear, about 3 mins. Reserve the lemon/olive oil mixture.
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Carefully flip and repeat on the other side.
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Remove and arrange on a serving plate and drizzle with the reserved lemon/olive oil mixture.
Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says
Funny how the simplest of recipes are often the best ones and the ones that we don’t often think people will care for. Your friends were certainly right to be loving this one! I’ve been eating a lot of zucchini lately and have been loving it. Such a light, refreshing and tasty side. So perfect for Summer!
Cathy says
It really is the perfect summer side Dawn. Light, easy and so good.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
The simplest ones are always the favorites Cathy! I’ll be adding this one to my list for sure! So great to meet you the other day! Hope we can keep in touch!
Cathy says
So great to meet you to Mary Ann! What a small world! And of course we have to keep in touch! Look forward to the next time.
Anne says
Wow I love love love the simplicity of this!! (it’s certainly not too simple 😉 ) I will have to try this out once I get a grill 😀
Cathy says
Thanks Anne! Sometimes the best ones are the simplest!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
I am totally guilty of the same thing, Cathy!! I think as Food Bloggers we are all guilty over over looking the simple things, the things we eat on the regular, to share with our readers! Simple grilled zucchini is something we eat pretty often during the summer too! Yours looks just perfect! Grill marks for days!! LOVE it! Cheers, friend!
Cathy says
right? we sometimes need to get out of our own way and remember that the simple recipes are our go-tos for a reason!