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Grilled Zucchini Spears

Grilled zucchini spears with charred edges and a garlic herb finish are quick to make and stay tender-crisp on the grill. Cut-side-down grilling creates classic grill marks, then a final skin-side pass for a smoky bite. Serve with lemon wedges and a dipping sauce like tzatziki, ranch, or aioli.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 115
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Grilled zucchini spear base
  • 4 zucchini Medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise into spears.
  • 3 tbsp olive oil For coating the spears so they brown and char.
  • 3 garlic Minced.
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 black pepper To taste.
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped.
  • 1 lemon wedges For serving.
Dipping sauce
  • 1 dipping sauce of choice (tzatziki, ranch, or aioli) Choose one for serving.
Optional grill setup
  • 1 oil grates Oil the grill grates before placing the zucchini to prevent sticking.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Season the zucchini
  1. Toss the zucchini spears with olive oil, garlic, dried Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Make sure every spear has a light, glossy layer of seasoning.
Grill for charred edges
  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high and oil the grates. Look for heat that lets zucchini sizzle immediately on contact.
  2. Place the spears cut-side down and grill for 3–4 minutes until char marks form. Keep them in a single layer so the cut face gets direct contact.
  3. Rotate the spears to the other cut side and grill for 2 more minutes. You should see fresh grill marks deepen as moisture cooks off.
  4. Finish skin-side down for 2 minutes. The skin should look slightly blistered and the spears should be tender-crisp.
Serve with garnishes and dipping sauce
  1. Remove the spears and arrange them on a serving plate. Spread them out so they stay visibly crisp at the edges.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges and the dipping sauce of choice. Serve immediately while the char is vivid and the garlic-herb sheen is glossy.

Notes

Pro tip: oiling the grates (or brushing them lightly) is the difference between clean grill marks and sticking—do it right after preheating. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat on a hot grill pan or skillet for a minute or two. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. For a lower-sodium option, choose a no-salt-added tzatziki or ranch or use a yogurt-based dip with less salt.