Smashed Grilled Zucchini 💥

SMASH your zucchini to create craggy edges that soak up the marinade and get charred on the grill!

Get Amanda Neal’s recipe👇

Smashed Grilled Zucchini with Za’atar and Labneh
Recipe Courtesy of Amanda Neal for Food Network Kitchen
Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr
Active: 30 min
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Smashed Zucchini:
4 medium (8-ounce) zucchini (about 2 pounds total)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely grated
2 teaspoons za’atar seasoning
3/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Seasoned Labneh and Toppings:
1 1/2 cups labneh
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
1/3 cup toasted pistachios, roughly chopped
Za’atar, for sprinkling

Directions

Special equipment: a grill basket

For the smashed zucchini: Trim the ends off the zucchini and discard. Cut each zucchini in half crosswise, then smash with a meat mallet. The zucchini should be in large pieces with uneven, craggy edges; do not over-smash or the zucchini will be in pieces too small and might fall through the grill basket or grill grates.

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, za’atar, Aleppo pepper, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the smashed zucchini and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, for the seasoned labneh and toppings: Whisk the labneh, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and several grinds freshly ground black pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Once the smashed zucchini has marinated, preheat a grill to medium-high for direct-heat grilling.

Once hot, place the zucchini in a grill basket, leaving behind any residual marinade in the baking dish. Place the basket on the grill grates and close the lid. Grill, turning the zucchini halfway through, until charred in spots and just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Return to the baking dish and toss in the marinade until evenly coated.

To serve, smear the labneh in an even layer on a large serving platter. Top with the smashed zucchini. Scatter the mint and pistachios evenly over the top and sprinkle generously with za’atar.

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