Vegetarian Recipes
Perfect Grilled Zucchini
https://www.loveandlemons.com/grilled-zucchini/


If your fridge is stuffed with zucchini but it’s too hot to make zucchini bread, crispy baked zucchini, or stuffed zucchini boats, what should you cook? Grilled zucchini, of course! A lot of the time, I grill zucchini along with a mix of other rainbow veggies, but lately, we’ve had so much of it on hand that I’ve been grilling it up on its own. Luckily for us, it’s a delicious summer side dish.
While a lot of grilled zucchini recipes call for slicing the squash into thin slabs, I like to cut it into wedges. This way, the zucchini keeps a nice bite as it cooks. Lightly charred & tender, these perfect grilled zucchini wedges are great on their own, so you can stop there if you want. However, I highly recommend that you take them one step further by serving them with lemony Greek yogurt, fresh herbs, and feta. This preparation is so easy to toss together, and it transforms the plain grilled zucchini into a bright & simple, yet elevated, side dish.
Grilled Zucchini Recipe Ingredients
This easy grilled zucchini recipe uses just a few ingredients, but it’s loaded with tangy flavor and lots of yummy textures. Here’s what you need to make it:
- Zucchini! A mix of yellow squash and zucchini would work here too.
- Lemon. I squeeze the juice over the hot grilled zucchini and mix the zest into the creamy yogurt base.
- Greek yogurt. An extra-thick yogurt makes the perfect tangy, smooth base for the grilled veggies.
- Garlic. I finely grate one clove to give the yogurt an extra kick.
- Feta. Sprinkle the platter generously with the feta for tangy, salty flavor.
- Mint leaves. They’re a delightful fresh garnish for the bright zucchini and tangy yogurt.
- Red pepper flakes. A pop of color and a little heat are the perfect finishing touches for this recipe.
That’s it! Slather a platter with the lemony yogurt, and pile it high with the grilled zucchini, feta, fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes.
How to Grill Zucchini
Once you’ve chopped your zucchini, grilling it is easy! Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat, and toss the zucchini wedges with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
When the grill is hot, grill the wedges cut-side-down for about 2 minutes. Then, flip them and grill them skin-side-down for an additional 3-4 minutes, until grill marks form.
Remove the zucchini from the grill and transfer it to a plate or large bowl. While it’s still hot, toss it with lemon juice. Enjoy it as-is, or proceed with the recipe below!
What to Serve with Grilled Zucchini
Serve this grilled zucchini recipe as a side with whatever you’re grilling or with a summer pasta like this veggie penne pasta, mushroom pasta, pasta pomodoro, or pesto pasta. It’d be great with a hearty couscous or pasta salad too.
Alternatively, get some good crusty bread, add few handfuls of roasted chickpeas, and call it dinner on its own!
Try tossing leftover grilled zucchini into orzo or thinly slicing it and adding it to a grilled cheese sandwich.
If you love this grilled zucchini recipe…
Try grilling asparagus, portobello mushrooms, corn, or veggie skewers next!
Grilled Zucchini
Author: Jeanine Donofrio
Recipe type: Side dish
- 3 small-medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, cut in half horizontally
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- ½ garlic clove, finely minced
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh mint
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat a grill to high heat. Toss the zucchini lightly with olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper. Grill cut side-down for 2 minutes, then flip and grill skin-side down for 3 to 4 minutes or until char marks form. Remove from the grill, transfer to a plate, and squeeze with lemon juice.
- In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, lemon zest, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread the yogurt on a medium serving platter, top with the zucchini, feta, mint, and red pepper flakes. Season to taste and serve.
Vegetarian Recipes
Lemon Ricotta Pasta


Here’s a quickie recipe for those nights when you just need something fast and delicious. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is super fast, light, and fresh, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner during the summer. The bright lemon flavor perfectly compliments the light and creamy ricotta, and the little pops of sweetness from the peas make every bite a little more interesting. Simple, fresh, and easy.
Originally posted 3-4-2011, updated 6-8-2022.
Do I Have to Use Fresh Lemon?
This is one of those recipes where you really do want to use a fresh lemon instead of bottled juice. The zest from the lemon adds a ton of bright, summery lemon flavor to the pasta without making the sauce too sour. We add just a little of the juice to balance the creaminess of the ricotta, but the zest is where you’re getting all that gorgeous sunny lemon flavor!
Not All Ricotta is Created Equal
I find there is quite a bit of variation in the quality of ricotta from brand to brand. Some are smooth, mild, and sweet like fresh milk, while others are bland and grainy. My preferred brand is Galbani, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went, so I got the generic Kroger brand. It was definitely a bit grainy, but the pasta was still quite delicious despite that!
Also, make sure to get whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe.
What Else Can I Add?
This simple pasta is a great jumping-off point for making a more elaborate pasta, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Try adding some sliced chicken breast, fresh basil, or fresh spinach. Garlic butter shrimp would also go great with this pasta!
What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pasta
This pasta is so light and fresh that I suggest keeping any side dishes really simple, light, and fresh as well. I would go with a super simple side salad, or maybe some roasted asparagus and tomatoes.


Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lemon $0.89
- 8 oz. pasta* $0.67
- 1 cup frozen peas $0.50
- 1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
- 1 Tbsp butter $0.11
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta $1.60
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.36
- 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste) $0.02
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste) $0.02
Instructions
-
Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
-
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water from the pot.
-
Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta so the pasta will thaw the peas as it drains.
-
Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.
-
Add the drained pasta and peas, and about ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the butter and garlic. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
-
Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, the residual heat from the skillet and pasta have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has formed a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
-
Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Step By Step Photos
Zest and juice one lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.
Cook 8oz. pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
Add 1 cup of frozen peas to a colander, then pour the boiled pasta over top to thaw the peas as you drain the pasta.
Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 clove garlic to a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant.
Add the still-hot pasta and peas to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the hot reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
Add 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp lemon zest to the pasta. Stir until the ingredients are combined, the residual heat from the pasta and skillet have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has turned into a creamy sauce.
Add more of the reserved pasta water if the mixture is too thick or too dry. Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste.
Enjoy the lemon ricotta pasta while still warm!
The post Lemon Ricotta Pasta appeared first on Budget Bytes.
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