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Grilled Zucchini Ribbons

Grilled zucchini ribbons are long, thin zucchini noodles quickly grilled until slightly wilted with delicate grill marks. Finish with lemon herb vinaigrette and a scatter of parmesan curls and toasted pine nuts for an elegant Mediterranean side.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Zucchini ribbons
  • 4 zucchini Shaved into long, thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler; stop when you reach the seedy core.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil For tossing and grilling.
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
Lemon herb vinaigrette
  • 3 tbsp olive oil For the vinaigrette.
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice Freshly squeezed.
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley Chopped.
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint Chopped.
  • 1 tsp capers Drained.
  • 1 clove garlic Minced.
  • 0.25 salt To taste for vinaigrette.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste for vinaigrette.
Garnish
  • 0.5 parmesan curls For garnish.
  • 0.25 cup pine nuts Toasted for garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 grill pan

Method
 

Shave and season the zucchini
  1. Use a vegetable peeler to shave zucchini into long, wide ribbons and stop when you reach the seedy core.
  2. Toss the ribbons gently with olive oil, salt, and pepper until lightly coated.
Grill the ribbons
  1. Preheat a grill pan to high heat and brush lightly with oil.
  2. Working in small batches, lay ribbons flat on the grill pan and cook 1–2 minutes until grill marks form and the ribbons just start to soften.
  3. Transfer the grilled ribbons to a platter as soon as they are done.
Dress and garnish
  1. Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together until emulsified.
  2. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the grilled zucchini ribbons.
  3. Garnish with parmesan curls and toasted pine nuts.

Notes

For best texture, grill only until the ribbons just start to soften—overcooking makes them limp. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 2 days; rewarm briefly over medium heat or serve at room temperature. Freezing is not recommended. For a dairy-free option, skip the parmesan curls or replace with a vegan parmesan-style topping.