10 top tips for grilling zucchini

Some colleagues completely disagree with me, think zucchini is ‘the dumbest vegetable in the world’, but I genuinely love zucchini. A real crowd-pleaser that you can do anything with. Frying, rolling and my absolute favorite: grilling zucchini. It’s not that difficult; you just need to know a few tricks to get it perfect. I’m sharing them with you today.

Turn that grill on, baby!

1. Wash zucchini at the very last moment

The last thing you want is for your zucchini to be covered in bruises and soft spots when you grill it. In other words, for it to no longer be at its freshest. So suppress the urge to wash the zucchini as soon as you bring it home. Yes, even if you’re worried that the zucchini at the supermarket has been touched by 100 hands. Water speeds up the rotting process. Only wash the zucchini when you plan to do something with it. Until then, leave it alone.

2. Buy zucchini with large stems attached

Speaking of buying zucchini: choose the vegetables that still have a substantial piece of stem attached. The shorter the stem, the faster the zucchini loses its freshness. So check whether the zucchini has a stem at least one centimeter thick. No, you don’t need to take a ruler into the supermarket: choose one by feel. For example, go for the nicest-looking zucchini in the crate. With smooth, bright green skin and none of those ugly bruises and scratches. That’s how we like them.

3. Cut the zucchini into long spears

If you want to grill zucchini at its best, it’s important to create a good surface area. Not too thin, not too thick, not too large, not too small. Size matters. So cut it lengthwise into spears. Essentially long, triangular shapes (like these zucchini sticks with bacon—also incredibly delicious). Why is this the best way? It maximizes the surface area of the zucchini. This allows more water to evaporate from the flesh, which helps your zucchini stay nice and firm. By the way, leave the skin on the flesh; it creates even more firmness.

4. Leave the seeds in the zucchini

They aren’t hugely visible. At least, not like pumpkin seeds. But they’re there: seeds in zucchini. Should you remove them or not when grilling? The answer is no. There’s no need. They add just a little extra texture and don’t do anything bad to the flavor of your zucchini. So leave them in—it saves extra work.

5. Salt the zucchini before grilling

Zucchini are quite spongy. Did you know they consist of 90% water? If you don’t prepare them properly, they become mushy. Limp, wet and slimy, in other words. You don’t want that. You can prevent this by salting the zucchini well before grilling it. This draws excess moisture out of the vegetable. Cut the zucchini into the familiar spears, sprinkle them with salt and let them rest for 20 to 30 minutes. You’ll probably see some droplets of moisture appear on the vegetable afterward. You can remove them with some paper towel. Tip: this works perfectly for eggplant too!

6. Be careful with seasoning

I always feel an enormous urge to experiment with herbs and spices. Could dried basil be the secret ingredient? Or might curry powder add just that magic touch? With zucchini, though, I’d better hold back. The vegetable doesn’t need much fuss at all to become even more delicious. A good (extra-virgin) olive oil, some salt and pepper, and perhaps a little garlic powder are enough. If you do want to make things a little more exciting, try a vinegar. It won’t make your zucchini sour—as you might expect—but instead gives it a spicy sweetness. Very tasty! Any kind of vinegar works, from balsamic vinegar to red wine vinegar. Feel free to experiment. Yes, now you can.

7. Sprinkle the zucchini with Parmesan cheese

Parmesan cheese is an (unexpected) surprise in many (unexpected) dishes. Do you remember the espresso martini with Parmesan cheese? Zucchini with Parmesan may sound a little less exciting, but it’s just as good a combination. The cheese gives the zucchini a wonderfully savory, salty flavor. And it creates an incredible crust, especially if you grill the zucchini over high heat. The oil in the Parmesan is responsible for that. The easiest way to coat the zucchini is to sprinkle the cheese into a deep plate and dip the zucchini spears into it. And while you’re at it… Make these zucchini chips with Parmesan too.

8. Use a grill grate

Zucchini loves water. It literally goes completely soft from it (mushy, as you now know). If you cook the zucchini in a pan, the vegetable fills up again with its own released moisture. And then you get exactly the texture you don’t want. It’s best to grill your zucchini on a grate. That way, the zucchini doesn’t come into contact with its own escaping moisture.

9. Cook briefly over high heat

Zucchini doesn’t need much time to become its most delicious self. At least not when you grill it over high heat. How does that work? If you cook your zucchini over low heat for a long time, the moisture remains on and around the zucchini for longer. Then you get that horrible mushiness nobody is waiting for. High, ‘dry’ heat makes the moisture evaporate quickly. This gives you that beautiful brown layer on the zucchini. Grilling for 15 minutes over medium-high to high heat should be enough for perfect zucchini.

10. Grill it with its best companions

Your zucchini simply tastes better when served with tomatoes, broccoli and carrots. This does require some planning—tomatoes cook faster, while carrots take longer—but it’s worth it. Trust me.

Also read:

• This surprising ingredient makes the most delicious healthy brownies ever
• Recipe: Turkish zucchini fritters with yogurt dip
• 4 secret ingredients to take your vegetable soup to the next level

Source: Tasting Table