Video How to grill summer squash

Here’s how to make the best grilled squash, charred and seasoned to perfection! It’s easy to grill up this tasty summer side dish.

Need a quick and easy summer side dish? Or got a load of yellow summer squash? Try this perfect grilled squash! It’s simple but full of big flavor, seasoned with Italian herbs like basil and oregano. Even better: it takes only 5 minutes to grill! It’s one of those sides that screams summer: you can almost smell the charcoal and hear the buzz of the lawnmower. Along with grilled zucchini, this has become a favorite for Alex and me because it’s so quick: and hard to mess up.

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Want to grill all the veggies? Go to Best Grilled Vegetables!

Table of Contents

Ingredients for grilled squash

When we say grilled squash, we’re talking summer squash. Yes, that large yellow squash that it seems everyone has more than enough of! interestingly, there aren’t tons of recipes that use the summer variety: you won’t find much summer squash soup or risotto like you do with winter squash. So making grilled squash is one of the best ways to use it (outside of roasted)! Here’s what you need:

Yellow summer squash (or a mix of squash and zucchini for variation in color!)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Spices: Dried basil, dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder

Love yellow squash? Check out these Yellow Squash Recipes to Try!

How to cut squash for grilling

There are a few different ways to cut summer squash for the grill. Here’s a little breakdown:

Rounds. You can slice the squash into 1/2-inch thick rounds. But the way we like to do it is…
On the bias (diagonal). It looks similar to rounds, but if you cut on the bias (diagonally), you get larger, most interesting shapes.
Planks. You also can cut the squash width-wise into long planks. (We did this for our grilled zucchini.)

How to grill squash

You can grill squash right on the grill grates: no grill basket or foil necessary! It’s fast and easy: just cook them until they’re charred and tender. Here are the basic steps (or jump to the recipe):

Preheat a grill to medium high heat. That’s about 375 to 450 degrees.
Cut the squash on the bias (diagonally). Make the pieces about 3/4-inch thick.
Toss with olive oil and seasonings. The blend of Italian spices in the recipe below is perfect.
Grill on the grates for 4 to 6 minutes. Cook until charred and tender, turning once.

Variations on seasoning for grilled squash

Yellow summer squash and zucchini work well with Italian and Mediterranean seasonings, but there’s no reason not to change it up. Here are a few other seasonings that would work well.

Important: Keep in mind many of these blends have salt included. Use ¼ teaspoon of the salt below, then sprinkle with the seasoning.

Fajita or taco seasoning: Make them into a taco filling! Try purchased or homemade Fajita Seasoning or Taco Seasoning.
Cajun seasoning: Add pizzazz, and maybe a little heat! Try purchased or homemade Cajun seasoning or Blackened Seasoning (not spicy).
Old Bay: Mix it up and add everyone’s favorite, Old Bay!

More grilled vegetables

Make all of our best grilled vegetables! This grilled squash is great for combining with a few more veggies to make into a big vegetable platter. Just keep in mind the size of your grill dictates how many you can make at once! Here are more to try:

Grilled Corn is a summer staple; dress it up as Elote or try it in foil.
Perfect Potatoes, Potatoes in Foil or Grilled Sweet Potatoes Smoky perfection.
Grilled Brussels Sprouts or Bok Choy Unique and 100% delicious!
Perfect Grilled Asparagus or Green Beans These veggies are best charred from the grill.
Grilled Avocado The trick you didn’t know you needed!
BBQ Grilled Cauliflower and Grilled Broccoli Who knew these could be so perfect on the grill?
Grilled Carrots Perfectly charred and flavored with cumin and a spritz of fresh lime juice.
Perfect Grilled Peppers Bell peppers have incredible flavor.
Grilled Portobellos or Grilled Mushrooms The grill brings out the meatiness in these fungi.
Grilled Romaine or Grilled Kale The grill adds delightfully smoky flavor to leafy greens.

More summer recipes

Summer is the perfect time for effortless meals! Here are some of our top recipes for summer:

Aperol Spritz The classic Aperol spritz is worth the hype! It’s light and bubbly, with hints of citrus and herbs. Or browse more Summer Cocktails.
Best No Mayo Potato Salad The BEST classic creamy potato salad, hands down. Or browse more Summer Side Dishes.
Strawberry Summer Salad Summer is all about salads! Try all our salads that capitalize on summer produce (head to Summer Salads You Need Now).