It will always feel like summer when you serve up a grilled zucchini and corn salad on your dinner table. This delicious vegetarian salad is perfect for a summer barbecue or a family holiday dinner.
BBQ season doesn’t have to be over just because the weather is starting to cool off. This delicious and healthy grilled zucchini and corn salad is the perfect side dish to your favourite BBQ-ed mains.
This salad is very light and combines my favourite grilled veggies into one. With the slightly tangy dressing, this salad will a fresh flavour and beautiful colours to your dinner table.
I love to serve this salad warm but it’s just as delicious from the fridge. That means you can either make it in advance or double the recipe and have leftovers for lunch.
Preparing Grilled Zucchini and Corn Salad
Ingredients
Zucchini: Also known as courgette, this summer squash adds the perfect sweetness in this recipe. Zucchini and tomato sauce are the perfect pairing in my opinion.
Corn: Corn is a cereal grain that has been domesticated for thousands of years. It is a starchy vegetable that grows on stalks that produce ears covered in light yellow kernels. We use fresh corn for this recipe although canned can work as well.
Olive oil: I use olive oil for this recipe because of its mild flavour. Olive oil is the fat extracted from olives. The least processed is extra virgin olive oil, which I use in this recipe.
Oregano: Oregano is a plant from the mint family. It’s used as s herb and has a very potent flavour. Dried oregano is the leaves of a fresh plant that has been air-dried.
Lemon: Lemons are citrus fruit loaded with vitamin C. These somewhat oval, yellow fruit are packed with flavour. They are sour and sometimes tart and add freshness to recipes. For this recipe, we are using the juice of a lemon.
Honey: We can thank bees for this luxurious sweet ingredient. Bees make honey from the nectar of flowers of which the excess is collected by beekeepers, bottled and sold. There are many different types of honey varying in taste and consistency. You want to make sure to use a honey that you like and one that is runny.
How to Make Grilled Zucchini and Corn Salad
This light and fresh grilled salad is a very simple recipe to make. We use a few fresh ingredients to get the best flavour and simple grilling to cook the veggies to perfection.
Step 1: Heat the Grill
Let’s start with heating your barbecue. Ideally, you want it at about 400˚F. But don’t worry if you find it hard to get this exact temperature.
The first and easiest way to control the heat level is by reducing the number of burners you turn on. I have a 5-burner barbecue so I light up 3 out of the 5 to get to the right heat level.
After that, if the temperature gets a bit higher or lower, adjust your cooking
time accordingly knowing that my timing suggestions are based on a 400 ˚F temp.Step 2: Prep the Veggies
Now it’s time to get the veggies ready for grilling.
To get the corn ready all you have to do is take all the leaves and hair off the cob.
Did you know? The leaves around a cob of corn are called the husk. Different cooking methods may call for you to keep the husk on for grilling. This is a great way to speed up the cooking process and keep the corn very juicy. But, in this recipe, we are looking to char the corn. This creates a slightly different and more earthy flavour which is exactly what we’re aiming for by removing the husk.
Next, wash the zucchini, cut off the ends and cut them into long wedges. I do this by cutting each zucchini in half length-wise. Then take each half and cut it in half again.
TIP: Pay attention to the size of the wedges. You want them to be roughly the same size. Start by cutting your smallest zucchini first for comparison. If your second one is bigger instead of cutting the zucchini into 4 strips cut it into 6 instead.
Place all the zucchini wedges skin side down on a cutting board, and spray or brush them with olive oil. Then sprinkle them with salt and oregano.
Step 3: Grilling Time
Once the BBQ is hot, place the zucchini and corn on the grill over direct heat. Cook for 5 minutes on each side for a total cooking time of approximately 15 minutes. Keep the BBQ covered in between rotating the veggies. You may need less or more time depending on how hot the BBQ gets during the process or how evenly the heat is distributed. The goal is not to have mushy zucchini.
Once the veggies are cooked move them onto a plate and let cool for a few minutes.
Step 4: Make the Dressing
While the veggies are cooling, make the dressing. This dressing is very simple and just one example of what will work with this grilled zucchini and corn salad. See our substitutions section for more dressing options.
Start by juicing half a lemon. Then combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and stir well to combine.
Step 5: Finish the Salad
Now that the vegetables have cooled it’s time to make the salad.
First, cut the corn off the cob by standing the corn and sliding a sharp knife against the cob from top to bottom. Add the corn kernels to a medium bowl.
Next, cut the zucchini wedges into 1/2-inch pieces and add them to the bowl as well. Lastly, wash and chop the fresh parsley.
Now top everything with the dressing and toss to coat.
Substitutions
Dressing: The recommended dressing is simple and light but it definitely isn’t the only option for this delicious grilled salad. Try substituting in G&K Lemon Dressing for an equally fresh but slightly more tart flavour. Or our G&K Maple Dijon Dressing for a slightly sweeter take.
Corn: I would not recommend you replace the corn altogether but you can definitely use canned corn instead of fresh. After draining a can of corn take 1/3 cup and fry it on medium-high heat in a little bit of butter.
Lemon: You can use lime in this dish instead of lemon but note that it will make the dish a little more bitter. That doesn’t mean worse though. You can counter it with a touch more honey if you find the tartness too strong.
Serving Grilled Zucchini and Corn Salad
Grilled Zucchini and corn salad is perfect as part of any BBQ feast. Try it with our grilled herb and garlic shrimp, grilled honey-glazed pork chops, or yogurt marinated chicken.
Even if you’re not barbecuing your main this salad is sure to make an impression. Say you’re serving up a holiday dinner, for example, this grilled zucchini and corn salad makes a great shareable salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a corn husk?
The leaves around a cob of corn are called the husk.
Do I need to remove the husk before cooking corn?
Different cooking methods may call for you to keep the husk on, whether it be for steaming or grilling. This is a great way to speed up the cooking process and keep the corn very juicy.
But, in this recipe, we are looking to char the corn kernels. This creates a slightly different and more earthy flavour which is exactly what we’re aiming for by removing the husk.
Neither method is right or wrong. It depends on what flavour you are trying to achieve, the cooking method as well as your preference.
What is another name for zucchini?
Zucchini is a summer squash that has another name that is often used among food enthusiasts. This name is courgette. Neither of these names is actually English. Courgette is French and Zucchini is Italian, which is probably why you will see both used interchangeably.
Let us know in the comments if you have any other questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
Are you looking for dinner ideas? Check out our recipes:
Grilled Zucchini and Corn Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Medium bowl
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat up the BBQ to 400˚F
- While the BBQ warms up prepare the zucchini and corn. Husk the corn. Wash the zucchini and cut off each end. Next, cut each zucchini in half length-wise and again each half length-wise. Note: If you have a large zucchini you may need to cut it in half, and then each half into 3 wedges instead of two. We’re looking for roughly 1-inch wide wedges.2 medium zucchinis, 1 corn on the cob
- Spray or brush the flesh of the zucchini with olive oil. Then sprinkle with salt and oregano.½ tbsp olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, 1 tsp oregano
- Once the BBQ is hot, place the zucchini and corn on the grill over direct heat. Cook for 5 minutes on each side for a total cooking time of approximately 15 minutes. Keep the BBQ covered in between rotating the veggies. You may need less or more time depending on how hot the BBQ gets during the process or how evenly the heat is distributed. The goal is not to have mushy zucchini.
- Once the veggies are cooked move onto a plate and let cool for a few minutes.
- While the veggies cool you can make the dressing and chop the parsley. Wash and finely chop the parsley and juice half a lemon. In a small bowl or measuring cup combine all of the dressing ingredients.2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, Pinch of salt and pepper, 2 tsp honey, 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- Once the veggies are cool enough to handle, cut the zucchini wedges into ½ inch pieces and cut the corn kernels off the cobb.
- Add the zucchini, corn, parsley and dressing to a medium bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper and gently stir to coat the veggies.
- Serve as a side to your favourite BBQ mains.
