Grilled Zucchini and Corn Salad
The barbecue is one of the best ways to cook zucchini! Incorporating charred veggies with fresh ones makes Grilled Zucchini and Corn Salad into a delicious main or side salad. Add a sumac dressing for some brightness and acid.
Sumac
What is ground sumac? It is a dark red spice that is widely used in Middle Eastern cuisine. The flavor manages to be deliciously tart and lemony, but also kind of sweet.
This versatile spice can be used on seafood, meats, and vegetables like you would use lemon juice. It also adds tartness to marinades and salad dressings without adding any extra liquid. Sumac plays well with other spices and is an ingredient in spice blends like za’atar.
One of my favorite ways to use it is in salad dressings. Combined with oil, lemon juice, and a few other goodies, sumac brings an earthy, tangy twist to vinaigrettes. It’s especially good with grilled items.
Grilled Zucchini
Zucchini was made for the grill. Seriously. Cut the ends off, split them lengthwise, and oil the cut sides. That’s it.
How long do you leave it on? It depends. If you like it very tender and almost melty, you can grill it for 15 to 20 minutes.
I recommend you grill it for no more than 10 minutes if you are using it for salads like this one. The zucchini will be tender and have nice char marks but will hold together when cut into smaller pieces.
Grilled Corn on the Cob
If you have never tried grilling an ear of corn, I highly suggest you do it soon. The heat adds a subtle smokiness to fresh sweet corn. The yellow kernels make a pretty addition to any salad or side dish.
There is the option of grilling corn with the husks still on if you prefer. The kernels will steam rather than barbecue, but you might like that. You’re an adult, so you can do what you want.
Grape Tomatoes
Fresh and bite-sized, these tomatoes are favorites in a salad. Red ones are the most common. But I like that my local grocery store carries them in a variety of colors: red, orange, yellow, and green.
These pretty little jewels add some juicy freshness as a counterpoint to the grilled veggies. Plus, a pop of color!
Lessons Learned
- Want to grill the tomatoes too? I say go for it. There is still fresh (spinach or leafy green) as a contrast to the cooked.
- You can make this salad a few hours ahead of when you are going to eat it. Add the dressing and fresh herbs at the last minute so things don't get soggy.
- Don't like or have ground sumac? I'm sad for you. But you can use any tart or zingy dressing you have. It's still a great salad!
Hat Tips
Many thanks go to Alida at Simply Delicious for her corn and grilled zucchini salad inspiration and to Manu at Manu's Menu for the sumac dressing recipe!
Grilled Zucchini and Corn Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 zucchini
- 2 ears of corn
- 1 cup mixed grape tomatoes
- 4 cups spinach
- Italian Parsley
- Fresh Mint
Sumac Dressing
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sumac
- 1 tsp paprika
- 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the outdoor grill to high. Trim ends from zucchini and slice lengthwise in half. Lightly oil zucchini and corn with nonstick spray oil or olive oil.
- Place the zucchini (cut sides down) and the corn on the grill when the grill is hot. Cook for 10 minutes, turning once halfway through. You want the zucchini to be tender but still holding its shape. Remove from the heat.
- Cut the tomatoes in half. Arrange the spinach on a platter and add the cut tomatoes on top.
- Slice the zucchini into smaller chunks and add to the platter. Cut the kernels off the ears of corn and pile them onto the platter.
- Combine the dressing ingredients into a lidded jar. Shake to combine well. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley and mint.
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