When summer rolls around, you will find me making lots of zucchini and squash dishes since I grow them in my garden. This easy grilled zucchini and squash is my go-to recipe for a delicious and easy way to prepare them.

The zucchini and squash are dressed with a simple garlic and olive oil marinade and then thrown onto the grill for just a few minutes per side.

easy grilled zucchini and squash on a plate

About this recipe

In the summer months, I have to make lots of zucchini and squash recipes because I grow so much of it in my garden. Making sure you have a variety of zucchini recipes in the summer is so helpful.

It keeps you from getting bored of this summer staple.

If you have not grilled zucchini and squash before, it is very easy. I will walk you through all the steps to make them so they come out perfect every time.

grilled zucchini and squash top view — Grille zucchini and squash.

Ingredients you will need

Zucchini.
Squash.
Olive Oil.
Garlic Powder. Garlic powder works better when grilling because fresh garlic will burn too easily.
Kosher salt.
Fresh ground black pepper.
Lemon

If you are looking for a different type of spice blend for the grilled zucchini and squash, my Italian chicken marinade is a great option.

Steps to make this easy grilled zucchini and squash recipe

You want to slice all of your zucchini and squash lengthwise (the long way). This helps make sure the vegetables do not fall through the grill grates.

sliced up zucchini and squash — Zucchini and squash sliced lengthwise.

Add the sliced zucchini and squash to a large bowl. Then add olive oil and garlic powder and toss well. Notice, that I have not added the salt yet.

The reason is I do not want the vegetables sitting with the salt which draws out moisture and makes getting a nice sear difficult on the grill. I like to sprinkle this over the zucchini and squash when it is grilling.

zucchini and squash in olive oil — Zucchini and Squash tossed in olive oil and garlic powder.

That is it. Once you have tossed the zucchini and squash in the olive oil, you just head straight over to the grill which you will have per-heated over medium heat.

Just grill the vegetables for about 2-3 minutes per side and serve immediately.

grilled zucchini and squash closeup — A closeup of that grilled zucchini and squash.

Tips for making the best grilled zucchini and squash:

Grilling zucchini and squash is not difficult at all but even the easiest recipes can benefit from a few tips. Here are some of the things I do to ensure I make my grilled vegetables the best they can be.

Do not salt the zucchini and squash until it is on the grill. Adding salt before grilling draws out moisture which can affect the searing on the grill.
Make sure to slice those veggies lengthwise so they do not fall through the cracks of the grill.
Do not overcook the zucchini and squash. I find 2-3 minutes per side yields a non-soggy zucchini and squash with just a little firmness on the inside.
Once the zucchini and squash are done grilling, serve them right away. They will keep cooking off the grill which could cause them to overcook and get mushy.

More ideas for using up zucchini and squash

If you love this zucchini recipe, you may also like some of these:

Print Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Grilled Zucchini and Squash

A delicious and easy grilled zucchini and squash side dish that takes only minutes to make. The perfect summer side dish when zucchini and squash are in season.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Servings: people

Author: Melissa Oleary

Ingredients

3 small zucchini sliced lengthwise into ¼ inch thick strips
3 small yellow squash sliced lengthwise into ¼ inch thick strips
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lemon

Instructions

Pre-heat your grill to medium heat or between 400-450 degrees for 10 minutes. If you are using a grill pan, pre-heat that over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Slice the zucchini and squash into ¼ inch thick slices lengthwise.
3 small zucchini, 3 small yellow squash
Add the sliced veggies to a large bowl.
Now add the olive oil and garlic powder and toss the veggies well making sure to coat all of them.
3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Once you have added the olive to the veggies, start to place them on to the grill making sure they lay the opposite direction of the grates.
Sprinkle the kosher salt evenly over the veggies and cook for 2-3 minutes.
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Now with tongs, flip the squash and zucchini over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Once done cooking, remove from the grill, squeeze fresh lemon over the top and serve immediately
1 lemon

Notes

When grilling the zucchini and squash:

You do not need to close the lid on the grill when cooking the vegetables.

You can also make this grilled zucchini and squash indoors on a grill pan. Just follow the steps to pre-heating the grill pan in the recipe section.

Nutrition