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Still serving the same old salad at your barbecue? This summer, heat things up with a gorgeous platter of grilled zucchini with whipped feta dip instead. Smoke-lashed vegetables and a pool of cool, creamy sauce are a stylish summer combo that will instantly elevate your next grill gathering.
And while you’ve got the tongs out, try this grilled asparagus with Romesco sauce and burrata too. Just as quick and easy to prepare and pairs perfectly with an open fire-cooked ribeye or tomahawk steak.
Maybe it’s the female rage talking, but does anyone else feel their hair stand on end and their blood begin to boil when the person standing at the barbecue, usually a man, is congratulated on his outstanding barbecue feast?
Yes, he might have turned a couple of chicken kebabs over and flipped a few burgers, but who marinated that chicken? Hand-smashed those burgers? Chopped every single salad ingredient, blended every dip, sliced every tomato, pickle and burger bun? Not to mention setting the table and ensuring everyone has a drink? A woman, that’s who*!
Well, this summer I’m making my man earn that credit by striking fiddly salads from the menu and adding grilled vegetables. No laborious kitchen faff for me this year, I’m bringing it all out on the grill tray and sipping on spritzes.
Anyone else?
*most likely, no offence intended to any well-meaning persons who do it all themselves.
Zucchini on the grill
It is peak zucchini season in the UK right now, the ripest are harvested between July and September, which coincides with BBQ season! I’m not done with salads, but charred zucchini look just stunning: long, elegant slivers of vegetable striped with trademark grill lines.
And they’re a lot less work. Prepping the zucchini takes seconds, then you can hand them over to the ‘hardworking’ grill master. First trim the ends, then carefully slice lengthways trying to get them an even thickness.
The key is to cut them thin enough to cook but not so thin they dry out. Spray or brush the zucchini lengths with olive oil before putting on the grill.
Whipped feta dip
With a pile of char-striped vegetables strewn on top, Greek feta dip is the ultimate in summer spread luxury. It’s reassuringly thick, devastatingly creamy, cool in all senses of the word, and tastes like heaven.
And it is just minutes to prepare! Simply add all the dip ingredients: crumbled feta, Greek yoghurt, grated garlic and lemon zest, to a This is an affiliate link.blender and blend until entirely smooth. Set aside at least an hour of fridge time for the garlic feta dip flavours to develop and meld, and for it to chill to brisk perfection.
This dish makes for a beautiful barbecue centre piece, but don’t stop there! The decadent dip alone is also a sandwich spread (try a BLT bagel), dipping sauce (e.g. French fries) and mezze staple (accompanying muhammara and baba ghanoush).
Recipe Tips and Notes
- No need to add salt. The feta cheese is plenty salty!
- ½ clove of garlic was enough for me, but garlic fiends can add a little more to your taste.
- Lemon zest brings a brightness, leave the juice out or it will tip the sour balance too far.
- Thinly sliced zucchini will dry on the grill. A thickness of 2 cm or 2/3 inch is ideal.
What goes with it
What doesn’t go with grilled zucchini and Greek feta dip? This combo of cool and creamy customer and meltingly soft courgette is a barbecue’s new bae.
The fresh and flavoursome dip enhances anything you can throw on the grill, and not just grilled vegetables, and the zucchini is a charry side of happiness. Here are my suggestions for the summer, serve with:
- Pork or chicken souvlaki, simple skewers of marinated meat, grilled of course!
- A backyard chicken or beef burger.
- A veggie-friendly halloumi burger.
Have a stack of floppy homemade pitas at the ready too and crunchy veg sticks for while-you-wait dipping.
Storage and leftovers
Whipped feta dip will keep well in the fridge- up to 7 days if stored in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container. It’s a super snack to have on hand, just have crackers or crudités at the ready too.
Keep the zucchini too, it will last for a day or two and can be added to a cool pasta salad.
More vegetables side dishes
- Lemony Edamame and Butter Bean Hummus
- Spanish Butter Beans in Romesco Sauce
- Grilled Asparagus with Romesco Sauce and Burrata
Grilled Zucchini with Whipped Feta Dip
Ingredients
- 200 g / 7 oz Greek feta
- 125 g / 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, full fat or low fat
- 1/2 clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 lemon, zest only
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 1 tbsp dill, chopped
For the Zucchini
- 3 zucchini
- salt
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil, or oil spray
Instructions
- Prepare the dip by combining the crumbled feta cheese, Greek yogurt, grated garlic, lemon zest and olive oil in a food processor or a blender and processing until smooth. Scrape the dip out of the food processor bowl into a serving plate and mix it with the chopped dill, cover with a cling wrap and refrigerate for the flavours to blend until needed.
- Preheat the grill. Meanwhile, cut the ends of each zucchini and slice them into long and 2/3 inch thick strips. (They shouldn’t be too thin or they will burn and dry out on the grill.)
- Once the grill is hot, spray the zucchini slices with an oil spray or brush each side with olive oil. Season with salt and grill for a couple of minutes on each side. Each slice should be soft and flexible once cooked all the way through.
- Take the feta dip out of the fridge and pile the grilled zucchini slices on top, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil if desired. Sprinkle with additional chopped dill and lemon zest.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
