Grilled courgettes

Grilled courgettes are a simple but delicious and healthy side dish. Once you realise how quick and easy these grilled courgettes are to prepare, you’ll want to have them on hand at all times because they’re so tasty and versatile! During the summer months, when courgettes are in season and plentiful, you can grill large batches and freeze the leftovers for the winter.

Courgettes are very popular in Italy, where they grow in abundance during the summer months. Mixed grilled vegetables (verdure grigliate), usually consisting of courgettes, aubergines, and red or yellow peppers, are a classic side dish that you’ll find on most menus in Italy. The same combination is also used as a pizza topping that goes under the name of pizza vegetariana, ortolana or alle verdure grigliate.

Grilled courgettes are a walkover to make, and they cook so quickly. If you’ve got your barbecue out, you could grill them alongside your vegan burgers or sausages and serve them with a couple of side dishes, like potato salad and Italian-style tomatoes. Otherwise, you could grill them on a grill pan like I did. Once grilled, you can choose a simple condiment of good quality extra virgin olive oil and sea salt or one of the delicious seasonings suggested at the end of this post.

Grilled courgettes can also be used as a filling ingredient for piadinas (an Italian flatbread) or sandwiches. You can use them to make involtini (slices of grilled courgette wrapped around a tasty filling) or put them in vegetable lasagne, for example. I sometimes cut them up and add them to salads, buddha bowls, quinoa or couscous.

How do you deal with a glut of courgettes?

I’m overrun with courgettes again! It happens every year… even though I only plant two courgette plants, they always produce so many! The plants become enormous and they’re so prolific! In 10 weeks I’ve harvested more than 50… from two plants… and it’s still early August. I’m a great believer in making do with what you’ve got (in this case, tons of courgettes) so I’ve become an expert at inventing dishes to use them up! I detest monotony of any kind, including boring, repetitive meals. So I’ve been busy inventing – watch this space for stuffed courgettes, polpette, fritters, burgers, involtini, rissoles, dips, quiches, and lots more! In the meantime, though, let’s start with this versatile classic: Italian-style grilled courgettes.

How to grill courgettes

Courgettes can be grilled on a barbecue, which gives them that irresistible barbecued flavour, or on a grill pan.

If using a grill pan, slice them to a thickness of about 5 mm. Thin slices will burn very easily. An adjustable mandoline is perfect for this job. Otherwise, slice them by hand, trying to keep the thickness even. Uneven slices will cook unevenly. If grilling on a barbecue, it’s probably best to cut the slices a bit thicker – anywhere between 1 and 1,5 cm. You can slice them lengthwise into strips, crosswise into rounds, or on the bias.

Seasoning is best added afterwards. It’s healthier to use raw oil and you won’t mess your grill up either. Cooking oil at such high temperatures is not advisable, and courgettes seasoned with raw oil are just as delicious.

Resist the temptation to move the courgettes around once they’re on the grill – that way, you’ll get nice, even grill marks. Turn them only once when the underside is done. To check, gently lift the slice of courgette and look underneath. Leave them until they are evenly marked by the ridges on the grill, and then turn them.

Ingredients

• Courgettes – Choose courgettes that are shiny and firm to the touch. Medium-sized ones are best for grilling.
• Salt – I use Guérande coarse, unrefined sea salt
• Extra virgin olive oil – Use organic, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil if you can.

Method

You’ll find step-by-step instructions with photos in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

• Wash and trim the courgettes (calculate one per person).
• Slice them by hand or on a mandoline to the desired thickness. I sliced mine to about 4 – 5 mm. On the barbecue, it’s probably best to go a bit thicker – anywhere between 1 and 1,5 cm. You can slice them lengthwise into strips, crosswise into rounds, or on the bias.

• If using a grill pan, place it on the cooker and turn the heat on full. When the grill pan is very hot, lay the courgette slices on it and sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt. Sprinkling salt on them while grilling is optional, but it does help draw out the water from the courgettes, and it imparts more flavour. If using a barbecue, you don’t want it as hot as it can get – more in the medium range.
• Sear the courgettes for a few minutes on each side, checking them regularly. Courgettes can be eaten raw, so how long you cook them for depends on your own personal taste.
• When nicely charred on both sides, transfer the slices to a serving dish and arrange them in layers. Season each layer with a pinch of unrefined sea salt and a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Seasonings for grilled courgettes

These Italian-style grilled courgettes need nothing more than a little unrefined sea salt and extra virgin olive oil to bring out their natural flavour. But, if you like a more decisive seasoning, you could:

• add crushed garlic and chopped parsley – simply mix them into the standard seasoning of oil and salt.
• season them with a dash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice, a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil, unrefined sea salt and chopped mint.
• spice it up a bit with a pinch of za’atar or red chili pepper, and then drizzle the courgettes with evo oil and a little unrefined sea salt.
• go for an all-time favourite like lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, unrefined sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• add a drizzling of tahini, unrefined sea salt and a pinch of sumac for a Middle-Eastern touch.

How to serve grilled courgettes

You could serve grilled courgettes as an accompaniment to a vegan main course. They’re great with farinata, focaccia, vegan burgers or meatballs, for example. Or you could serve them with other grilled vegetables like those in the photo below. That’s a meal in itself that needs nothing more than some fresh crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Serve with hummus or vegan cheese and bread for a complete meal.

How to store grilled courgettes

If you want to store grilled courgettes, it’s best not to season them until you’re ready to eat them. You can either put them in an airtight container in the fridge, where they will keep for 2 or 3 days, or freeze them (see paragraph below). Leftover grilled courgettes are delicious cold so there’s really no need to reheat them.

Freezing

The best way to keep courgettes for longer periods is to freeze them. Grilling them gets rid of excess water and prevents them from tasting bitter once defrosted.

Freeze your grilled courgettes unseasoned in a single layer on a sheet of baking paper. Once frozen, remove the slices from the baking paper and store them in a ziplock bag in the freezer, where they will keep for 3 months.

How to reheat grilled courgettes from frozen

Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Lay the frozen courgette slices on a sheet of baking paper and place them on a tray in the centre of the oven. A couple of minutes is sufficient to defrost them and revert them to their original state. Season them as indicated above and use them as fresh.

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