entertaining

Nail your 4th of July party menu with this recipe for Grilled Mediterranean Zucchini starring Morton Salt Coarse Sea Salt, fresh herbs and goat cheese crumbles.

This post is sponsored by Morton Salt. All opinions, recipe, and photos are my own.
Thanks for supporting the brands that support Her Modern Kitchen.

Since most 4th of July parties already involve firing up the BBQ, adding grilled vegetables to the menu is an easy, no hassle side dish. For Grilled Mediterranean Zucchini with Herbed Sea Salt, Morton Coarse Sea Salt is used to deliver a burst of flavor to otherwise mild zucchini when mixed with fresh, seasonal herbs.

To finish the dish, roasted tomatoes, goat cheese crumbles, and walnuts are added giving the dish texture and zest. You can serve the zucchini as an herby summertime side dish or make it a creative main meal for your vegetarian visitors.

Why choose coarse sea salt for this dish?

It’s common knowledge that salt is an important ingredient when cooking, in fact, rarely do you see a sweet or savory recipe without it. Salt has the ability to enhance flavor and when mixed with food, it helps the food release aromas that elevate the perception of taste, making us want to indulge in the food.

This dish features zucchini but the star is truly the Coarse Sea Salt from Morton Salt which is used to deliver the mix of fresh basil, oregano, and lemon zest. The coarse sea salt provides a more dramatic impact when compared to a finer grain of salt.  It also adds a note of texture to the zucchini.

In my opinion, coarse salt allows you to spread the salt flavor across the dish without overpowering the dish. This is why coarse salt works so well for for the Grilled Mediterranean Zucchini, delivering those small bursts of flavor in each bite making it delicious!

Prep in advance so you can enjoy the party too!

When I entertain, I like to balance the time I spend cooking and mingling while enjoying the party with my guests.  It’s especially important during the 4th of July season when there’s so much emphasis on relaxing and having a good time with family and friends.

All the components of this Grilled Mediterranean Zucchini dish can be prepared ahead of time so all you have to do when it’s time to eat is grill the zucchini. Once the zucchini is grilled, the dish is quick and easy to assemble while entertaining guests.

To prep ahead of time

• Roast the tomatoes the day before your party and refrigerate them until serving
• Prep the herbed sea salt the day-of and store covered in the refrigerator
• Slice the zucchini, brush them with the olive oil, garlic, and black pepper mixture then cover the zucchini until it’s time to grill

When you’re ready to eat, heat the grill and cook the zucchini. Finish the dish by topping each zucchini half with the herbed sea salt, goat cheese crumbles, chopped walnuts, and roasted tomatoes.

So here’s to delicious food, lots of time with family & friends and a happy 4th of July!

Alyssa

Grilled Mediterranean Zucchini with Herbed Morton Coarse Sea Salt for easy entertaining

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 3 large zucchinis
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large garlic clove minced
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Morton Coarse Sea Salt
• 4-5 sprigs fresh oregano plus more for garnish
• 6-8 large basil leaves plus more for garnish
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped walnuts
• roasted cherry tomatoes optional for serving*
• lemon slices optional for serving

Method

 

1. Prepare the zucchini by slicing each squash in half lengthwise
2. Mix together the olive oil, minced garlic, and black pepper in a small bowl
3. Lightly brush the olive oil mixture over both sides of the zucchinis
4. Prep the herbs for the herbed sea salt by stripping the oregano leaves from the stems
5. Finely mince the basil leaves and oregano until you have roughly 2 tablespoons of finely chopped herbs
6. In a small bowl, stir together the herbs, lemon zest, and Morton Coarse Sea Salt
7. When ready to eat, heat the grill to ~450°F
8. Place the zucchinis cut side down over medium-high flame and cook covered for 5-6 minutes
9. Flip the zucchini over and grill the outside for another 3-5 minutes until the zucchini halves are soft and give when pricked with a fork
10. Place the cooked zucchini on a serving tray, cut side up
11. Generously sprinkle the herbed sea salt over top of the zucchini followed by the goat cheese crumbles, chopped walnuts, and roasted cherry tomatoes, if using
12. Garnish with lemon slices and additional herbs before serving

Notes

*To make the roasted cherry tomatoes, toss 1 cup cherry tomatoes with 1 teaspoon olive oil, a pinch of Morton Coarse Sea Salt and black pepper. Roast for 10 minutes in the oven at 425°F or until tomatoes burst.