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This Grilled Zucchini Salad features tender grilled zucchini, juicy sweet tomatoes, earthy Kalamata olives, and a vibrant lemon dressing. It's light, fresh, and completely unexpected in the best way!
When it comes to dishes that let summer produce shine, this Zucchini Salad is right up at the top of my list. Along with Southern Succotash, Corn and Tomato Salad, and Cucumber Tomato Salad, these dishes prove veggies can be the most talked-about dish on the table.
Grilled Zucchini Salad at a Glance
- Serves: 4
- Time Needed: Ready in about 30 minutes with just 10 minutes of hands-on prep
- Suited For: Entertaining, weeknight summer dinners, and simply using up garden-fresh zucchini.
- Why This Recipe Works: Grilling the zucchini adds smoky undertones that contrast beautifully against the juicy tomatoes and light vinaigrette, while the olives and feta add bold Mediterranean flavor.
Kristen's Keys for Zucchini Salad
These are the things that matter when making this unique salad.
- Choose small zucchini. Smaller zucchini have fewer seeds, a firmer texture, and a milder flavor than oversized zucchini, all of which help make them better suited for a salad.
- Salt and dry the zucchini before grilling. Salting the zucchini draws out excess moisture, allowing it to brown rather than steam, while intensifying the flavor and preventing the salad from becoming watered down. It is a similar process I use to prepare eggplant for gluten-free eggplant parmesan.
- Do not overcook the zucchini. Grill the slices over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, just until tender with visible grill marks. They should still hold their shape once tossed with the tomatoes and dressing.
- Grilling the zucchini adds tremendous layers of flavor. I have made this salad using thinly sliced raw zucchini to see if that would be a suitable option. The flavor and texture couldn't compete with what the lightly grilled zucchini adds. No grill? A grill plate on your stove works well here.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
- Zucchini: Opt for smaller zucchini. It has fewer seeds and is overall less bitter than large zucchini.
- Tomatoes: I recommend using smaller tomatoes, such as cherry, grape, Roma, or Campari tomatoes. If you are using larger tomatoes, you will want to remove some of the seeds to prevent the salad from being watered down.
- Olives: Kalamata olives will add an earthy, salty flavor to the salad. Don't be tempted to swap Kalamata olives for Spanish or black olives, as they have different flavor profiles. It is better to omit the olives altogether.
- Basil: Look for vibrant green and aromatic basil leaves.
- Lemon: Use the zest and juice of a fresh lemon for the light lemon dressing.
- Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is best for its rich, aromatic flavor.
- Feta Cheese: An optional addition for a creamy, salty finish. Feel free to omit it for a dairy-free salad or swap it out for fresh mozzarella, freshly grated parmesan cheese, or crumbled goat cheese. But feta is my personal favorite in this zucchini salad.
How to Make Grilled Zucchini Salad
- Prepare zucchini. Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch rounds. Lay the sliced zucchini out onto a sheet pan or cutting board and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Let the zucchini sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to draw out the water. Then pat dry with a paper towel.
- Grill zucchini. Grill the zucchini on a lightly greased grill or grill pan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side. I find that a grill basket makes the process easier and prevents the zucchini from falling through the grates.
- Make Dressing. While the zucchini cools slightly, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, honey, salt, pepper, and zest and juice of a lemon in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine. Add grilled zucchini, tomatoes, olives, and basil, and toss to combine.
- Garnish and serve. Crumble the feta evenly over the salad, garnish with additional ribbons of basil, and serve immediately.
Storage + Make-Ahead Tips
I prefer this zucchini salad while slightly warm, for a contrast in both flavor and texture. That said, you can chill the salad before serving.
- When ready to enjoy, crumble the feta over the salad, add the basil ribbons, and gently toss to combine.
- Assemble the salad as directed, waiting to add feta and basil until right before serving.
- Cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours.
- Right before serving, top with crumbled feta and basil and toss to coat.
Serving Suggestions
While this salad is delicious alongside Lemon Baked Cod and Baked Pesto Chicken, with the grill already running, it just makes sense to pair this Grilled Zucchini Salad with a grilled entrée. It keeps the heat out of the kitchen and is perfect for summer. Try one of the following pairings:
More Zucchini Recipes
After enjoying this unique Zucchini salad, don't miss these favorites. From sweet to savory, I have plenty of recipes to put that zucchini to good use.
Did you make this recipe?
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Grilled Zucchini Salad
This Grilled Zucchini Salad features tender grilled zucchini, juicy sweet tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and a vibrant lemon dressing. It's light, fresh, and completely unexpected in the best way!
Ingredients
- 3 small zucchini
- kosher salt, to taste and to salt zucchini
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, + more for greasing grill
- 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes, or grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 5 basil leaves, sliced into ribbons + more for serving
- 2-3 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese, optional
Instructions
- Wash and dry zucchini. Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch rounds and arrange in a single layer on a cutting board or sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, or until beads of water form on the surface of the zucchini slices.
- After 10 minutes, preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grease lightly with olive oil.
- Pat the zucchini dry with a paper towel and carefully place the zucchini on the grill OR in a single layer in a grilling basket. Grill the zucchini for 3-4 minutes per side until lightly charred and just tender. Remove from the grill and let the zucchini cool slightly.
- While the grilled zucchini is cooling, prepare the dressing by whisking together 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, the zest and juice of 1 medium lemon, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of kosher salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the zucchini to the mixing bowl with the dressing, along with the tomatoes, olives, and basil. Gently toss to coat.
- Garnish with crumbled feta cheese and additional basil, if desired, and serve.
Equipment
- grill basket optional but make grilling zucchini easier
Notes
No Grill? A cast-iron grill pan works just as well.
Feta Cheese: Feel free to omit the feta for a dairy-free dish or swap it for cubed fresh mozzarella or freshly grated Parmesan.
Tomatoes: Use any ripe tomato. Cut cherry and grape tomatoes in half and dice larger tomatoes into large chunks, removing any large pockets of seeds to prevent the salad from watering down.
Storage Instructions: Store zucchini salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Any longer, and the tomatoes begin to break down, making the salad a bit watered down. If intentionally chilling before serving, wait to add the basil and feta until right before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 154kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 253mgPotassium: 626mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1103IUVitamin C: 52mgCalcium: 91mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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