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Grilled Zucchini Ribbons

Grilled zucchini ribbons with long, thin “noodle” ribbons draped elegantly after a quick, high-heat grill in a grill pan. Slightly wilted ribbons show delicate grill marks and are dressed with lemon herb vinaigrette for a bright, tender bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini
  • 4 large zucchini Shaved into long, wide ribbons; stop when you reach the seedy core.
Olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For tossing the ribbons.
Salt and pepper
  • 1 salt To taste for the zucchini and vinaigrette.
  • 1 pepper To taste for the zucchini and vinaigrette.
Lemon herb vinaigrette
  • 3 tbsp olive oil Whisk with lemon juice and herbs.
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice Freshly squeezed if possible.
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped.
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint Chopped.
  • 1 tsp capers Rinsed if briny.
  • 1 clove garlic Minced.
Garnish
  • 1 parmesan curls Add on top after dressing.
  • 1 toasted pine nuts Add on top for crunch.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the zucchini ribbons
  1. Use a vegetable peeler to shave zucchini into long, wide ribbons — stop when you reach the seedy core.
  2. Toss ribbons gently with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Grill and finish
  1. Preheat grill pan to high heat and brush with oil.
  2. Working in small batches, lay ribbons flat on the grill pan and cook 1–2 minutes until grill marks form and ribbons just start to soften — they cook very quickly.
  3. Transfer to a platter as they are done.
  4. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients and drizzle over.
  5. Garnish with parmesan curls and toasted pine nuts.

Notes

Pro tip: keep ribbons uniform in width so they soften at the same time—work in small batches to maintain high heat and crisp-tender grill marks. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 2 days; the texture will soften more after dressing. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. For a lighter option, use only 1 tablespoon olive oil to toss the zucchini and keep the full lemon herb vinaigrette for flavor.