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This zucchini salad recipe with corn and tomatoes is tossed in a zesty lemon dressing and makes for the ultimate summer dish! It’s fresh, healthy, and super easy to make.
Easy Grilled Zucchini Salad
Savor the bright and fresh flavors of summer with this Grilled Zucchini Salad. It features tender, charred zucchini slices combined with sweet corn kernels, juicy tomatoes, cheese, and a light, zesty dressing that brings it all together in a mix of color and taste.
With zucchini season underway, my zucchini casserole recipe and this salad are calling your name! Grilling is the best way to get juicy, tender-crisp zucchini, and it tastes so, so good with the other veggies in here. Everything is charred to perfection in this flavorful vegetarian dish.
Perfect for picnics, barbecues, or light lunches, this zucchini salad highlights the best of fresh produce and is sure to impress your family and friends. Tossed in a quick and easy homemade lemon garlic dressing, this vibrant salad can be topped with crumbled cheese or enjoyed as a delicious vegan option.
Recipe Ingredients
Get ready to make a side dish perfect for the warmer months! Please grab the following fresh ingredients you’ll need to make this vibrant and flavorful zucchini salad.
For the Grilled Vegetables
- Zucchini – Slice your zucchini into crescent shapes, about 1/2-inch thick. Yellow squash or eggplant can make good substitutes.
- Cherry Tomatoes – The tomatoes provide a juicy sweetness to the salad. Grape tomatoes or chopped Roma tomatoes are also okay to use.
- Corn Kernels – The corn adds a sweet, crisp texture and a bit of charred flavor from grilling.
- Arugula – Peppery arugula gives the salad a slightly bitter note that complements the grilled vegetables, but baby spinach or mixed salad greens will work.
- Olive Oil – Used to coat the vegetables. Avocado oil or grapeseed oil are great alternatives.
- Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper – Kosher salt is okay to use.
Lemon Dressing Ingredients
- Olive Oil – This is the base of the dressing. You could also use extra virgin olive oil.
- Lemon Juice – Use fresh lemon juice for the zestiest flavor.
- Minced Garlic – You’ll need a clove of fresh garlic. A 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder will also work.
- Dried Oregano – Feel free to use any other dried herb of your choosing instead.
- Crumbled Goat Cheese – You could also use salty feta or bleu cheese if you’d like.
How to Make Grilled Zucchini Salad
Using lots of zucchini, this recipe is a great way to showcase fresh, seasonal vegetables. This salad is not only easy to make but also the perfect potluck dish! Let’s walk through the steps to create this delicious and vibrant side dish.
Grill the zucchini. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high, about 425˚F. Brush the grill grates with oil. Drizzle olive oil over the sliced zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until tender and grill marks appear.
Prepare the veggies. While your zucchini is grilling, grab a grill pan and combine sliced tomatoes and corn inside the pan; drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Grill. Set the grill pan on the grill and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes and corn are charred, about 2 minutes. Or, if you have any leftover grilled corn, use that instead.
Make the dressing. In a salad bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Toss the salad. To the bowl, add zucchini, tomatoes, corn, and arugula; toss to coat it with salad dressing.
Serve. Top with crumbled cheese, if desired, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Grease the grill grates. To ensure that your zucchini doesn’t stick to the grill, be sure to brush your grill grates with olive oil before cooking.
- Serve it hot or cold. This salad tastes amazing warm, room temperature, or cold! If you want to serve it cold, just keep it in a sealed container in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
- Season to taste. Taste test your zucchini before you incorporate it into the salad to make sure you’re satisfied with the amount of seasoning.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve your salad as a main dish or with your favorite protein – chicken, fish – or make it a healthy side for your best vegetarian recipes. Here are some of my favorite things to serve it with:
- Chicken Breasts: These juicy Stove Top Chicken Breasts are an explosion of savory flavor! They’re a classic, pan-seared chicken masterpiece.
- Steak: For a full-course meal made entirely on the grill, pair this zucchini salad with my easy Grilled Flank Steak. It’s made with a creamy and delicious avocado chimichurri sauce.
- Hummus Dip: Serve your salad with a summery appetizer like my Avocado Hummus Dip! It goes great with pita chips, crackers, raw vegetables, and more.
- Cocktails: Nothing gets me in the summer mood like a homemade cocktail. This salad pairs so well with my 2-ingredient Red Wine Bambus Cocktail.
How to Store Leftovers
You can store this zucchini salad in an airtight container, refrigerated, for 3-4 days. If you expect to have leftovers, I recommend garnishing with cheese as you go instead of sprinkling it over the entire salad. The salad will last longer without the cheese.
More Zucchini Recipes
ENJOY!
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Grilled Zucchini Salad
Ingredients
For the Vegetables
- 2 medium-sized zucchini, cut into ½-inch thick half-moons
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2½ cups corn kernels
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or any other dried herbs
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups arugula
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese,, you could also use bleu cheese or feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high, about 425˚F.
- Brush the grill grates with oil.
- Drizzle olive oil over the slices of zucchini and season them with salt and pepper.
- Grill the zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until tender and grill marks appear.
- At the same time, grab a grill pan and combine the tomatoes and corn inside the pan; drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Set the grill pan on the grill and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes and corn are charred, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a salad bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- To the bowl, add the zucchini, tomatoes, corn, and arugula; toss to coat with the salad dressing.
- Top with crumbled cheese, and serve!
Equipment
Notes
- For a heartier meal, consider adding chopped grilled chicken, juicy shrimp, or diced salmon.
- Serve this zucchini salad alongside your favorite mains as a side dish, or enjoy it on its own for a light, satisfying summer meal.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
This salad is absolutely delicious! I paired it with grilled chicken with peaches.
I used feta and spinach….home grown tomatoes and zucchini…twice as much garlic.. that’s how I roll…delicious. thank you.
Do you cool the zucchini and then add to the arugula?
Hi there!
Great question! When I make this dish, I usually toss everything together right after cooking so the zucchini has cooled down a bit by the time I mix it with the arugula. If you prefer, you can let the zucchini cool down a little more before adding it to the arugula to keep the greens crisp. Either way works well!
Can you do this in the oven or stove top?
Yes, you can pan-sear all the veggies on the stovetop.
Can the vegetables be grilled the day before? Or will the zucchini get to soggy?
Hi!
Yes, the vegetables can be grilled the day before. However, zucchini tends to become a bit soggy when stored, so it’s best to grill it fresh if you prefer a firmer texture.
I love this salad so much! I’m thinking about next time adding in some rotini or bow tie pasta as well! Maybe I’ll need to have extra dressing made up if I do that? Not sure..?
Hi!
I’m so glad to hear that you love this salad! I am making it for our 4th of July get-together tomorrow. 🙂
Adding pasta is a fantastic idea, and I would definitely recommend mixing some extra dressing in to taste. Pasta can absorb quite a bit of the dressing, so having a bit more on hand will help.