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Grilled Zucchini and Squash

Grilled zucchini and squash are tossed with garlic-infused olive oil, then grilled until tender with defined charred grill marks. The result is golden, slightly smoky planks finished with lemon juice, fresh parsley, and optional Parmesan for an easy summer BBQ side.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Grilled zucchini and squash
  • 2 zucchini sliced diagonally into 1/3-inch planks
  • 2 yellow squash sliced diagonally into 1/3-inch planks
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 Parmesan optional, for finishing

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and prep the vegetables
  1. Toss zucchini and yellow squash with olive oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated and glossy.
  2. Hold the vegetables at room temperature while you prep the grill for more even searing.
Grill
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high and clean and oil the grates so the planks release easily.
  2. Grill the vegetables 3–4 minutes per side without moving, until grill marks form and the squash is tender, then flip to finish the other side.
Finish and serve
  1. Arrange the vegetables on a platter alternating zucchini and yellow squash for a striped look.
  2. Drizzle with lemon juice and any remaining garlic oil over the top.
  3. Scatter fresh parsley over the vegetables and grate Parmesan on top if desired for extra salty, nutty flavor.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the planks about 1/3-inch thick so they cook at the same rate and develop crisp, defined grill marks; don’t move them during the first flip window. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat briefly or serve chilled. Freezing is not recommended as the squash will soften too much. Dietary swap: use dairy-free Parmesan (or skip it) to make this naturally dairy-free while keeping the same lemon-garlic finish.