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Fire up the grill for this Grilled Zucchini Salad made with zucchini, sweet corn, charred bell pepper, golden halloumi or feta, and a bright honey lime dressing. It’s ready in about 20 minutes and pairs perfectly with just about anything coming off the grill.
I love grilled zucchini on its own, but adding sweet corn, grilled halloumi, and a honey lime dressing turns it into a salad I actually crave all summer.
Most grilled zucchini salads lean Mediterranean with tomatoes and lemon. But this version uses sweet corn, peppery arugula, and grilled halloumi for a fresh summer salad that’s filling enough to serve on its own or alongside your favorite summer dishes.
Everything Tastes Better When It’s Grilled
One of the best things about this salad is that the grill does most of the work. Instead of grilling just the zucchini, I also throw the corn, bell pepper, and halloumi on the grill. As everything cooks, the vegetables become sweeter and the halloumi develops golden crispy edges, making the finished salad taste like it was meant to be eaten together.
Here is why everything works so well together:
- Nearly every main ingredient goes on the grill. The zucchini, corn, bell pepper, and halloumi cook on the grill to create a sweet smoky flavor.
- The honey lime dressing ties everything together. A little sweetness from the honey and fresh lime juices balances everything.
- Halloumi helps make the salad hearty enough for dinner. It becomes crispy on the outside and stays soft in the center.
- It’s made for summer grilling. If you’re already firing up the grill for burgers, chicken, steak, or salmon, this salad comes together at the same time and makes the perfect fresh side dish.
Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients and measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
Fresh Zucchini. Any variety of zucchini works well here. I like using medium-sized zucchini because they’re less watery than large ones and hold their shape better on the grill.
Halloumi. Halloumi is a firm grilling cheese traditionally made from sheep’s milk. It’s one of my favorite cheeses to grill because it develops golden, crispy edges while staying soft and chewy in the middle. You can also easily swap with feta.
Bell Peppers. Use any color of bell pepper you enjoy. I usually reach for red or orange because they’re naturally sweeter and caramelize on the grill.
Corn. Fresh corn is my first choice during the summer, but frozen corn on the cob (thawed first) works surprisingly well when fresh isn’t available.
Arugula. Peppery arugula adds a nice contrast to the grilled vegetables. If you’re not a fan, mixed greens or baby spinach are both great substitutes.
Fresh Lime Juice. Freshly squeezed lime juice gives the dressing the best flavor.
Honey. A little honey balances the lime and enhances the natural sweetness of the grilled corn and bell pepper without making the dressing taste sweet.
Fresh Cilantro. Cilantro adds freshness, but you can substitute with fresh parsley.
How to Make Grilled Zucchini Salad
Step One. Start with prepping the veggies. Slice the zucchini length wise into 2-3 slices, they should be ½-inch thick planks. They hold together better on the grill than thinner slices. Slice the peppers in half and scoop out all the seeds.
Step Two. Fire up the grill! If using the stove top, place a grill pan on the stove on medium high heat. Brush or spritz all the veggies with oil, place on the grill or the grill pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Step Three. Mix up the dressing. Squeeze the lime, add the seasoning, honey, garlic, lime, chopped cilantro and whisk. Grill the veggies for about 2-3 minute each side or until the veggies have a nice charred grill mark.
Step Four. If using halloumi add it to the grill or grill pan. Only grill for about one minutes each side (it doesn’t need nearly as much time as the veggies!) If you are using feta, skip this part.
Step Five. Once the veggies have cooled, chop them up into bite sized (1 inch or smaller) pieces. Try to make them equal in size so it’s easier to eat. Add all the veggies to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss well. Add the cheese and arugula and gently mix.
Things to Know Before You Start
- Leave a little bite in the zucchini. It may be tempting to grill it until it’s very soft, but I like pulling it off when it’s still slightly firm. It will continue to soften as it cools and holds up much better in the salad.
- Let the vegetables cool for a few minutes before assembling. This prevents the arugula from wilting too quickly.
- Serve it warm or at room temperature. I think this salad tastes best shortly after everything comes off the grill.
- Feta is a great make-ahead option. If you’re preparing the salad in advance, I usually reach for feta instead of halloumi since it doesn’t need to be served warm to taste its best.
- No outdoor grill? A grill pan on the stovetop works great.
What to Serve with Grilled Zucchini Salad
This zucchini salad pairs well with just about anything. I especially love to enjoy it with:
- Burgers, like my Turkey Smash Burgers.
- Chicken, including Lemon Pepper Wings, Grilled Chicken Wrap and Teriyaki Chicken Skewers.
- Steak, especially Blackened Steak or Garlic Ginger Steak Kabobs.
- Seafood, like Pistachio Crusted Salmon or Blackened Shrimp for a lighter summer dinner.
Make Ahead and Storage
This salad is best the day it’s made, but you can absolutely prep most of it ahead of time.
To make it in advance, grill the zucchini, corn, bell pepper, and halloumi, then let everything cool completely before refrigerating. Store the grilled vegetables, dressing, and arugula in separate containers, then toss everything together just before serving.
Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The vegetables will release a little liquid as they sit, so give everything a gentle toss before serving again. The arugula will soften over time, but the flavors are still delicious the next day.
More Grilling Recipes
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Grilled Zucchini Salad with Corn
Equipment
- grill or grill pan
- sharp knives
Ingredients
- 2-3 zucchinis
- 2 corn on the cobs
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 cup arugula
- ½ cup halloumi or feta, see notes
Honey Lime Dressing
- 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
- ¼ tsp salt, *more as needed
- ½ tsp black cracked pepper
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ cup fresh lime, *about 1-2 fresh limes
- 1½ Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- Start with prepping the veggies. Slice the Zucchini length wise into 2-3 slices. The sliced shouldn't be too thin. They need to be hearty once chopped up to hold up in the salad. Chop the peppers in half and scoop out all the seeds.
- Fire up the grill! If using the stove top, place a grill pan on the stove on medium high heat. Brush or spritz all the veggies with oil, place on the grill or the grill pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Mix up the dressing. Squeeze the lime, add the seasoning, honey, garlic, lime, oil, chopped cilantro and whisk. Grill the veggies for about 2-3 minute each side or until the veggies have a nice charred grill mark.
- If using halloumi add it to the grill or grill pan. Only grill for about one minutes each side (it doesn't need nearly as much time as the veggies!) If you are using feta, skip this part.
- Once the veggies have cooled, chop them up into bite sized (1 inch or smaller) pieces. Try to make them equal in size so it's easier to eat. Add all the veggies to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the veggies and toss well. Add the cheese and arugula and gently mix.
Notes
- Slice the zucchini into ½-inch-thick planks so they hold together on the grill and develop nice char without becoming too soft.
- Don’t overcook the zucchini. I like to pull it off the grill while it’s still slightly firm since it will continue to soften as it cools.
- Fresh corn gives the best flavor, but frozen corn on the cob (thawed first) is a great alternative when fresh isn’t in season.
- Halloumi is best served warm or at room temperature. If you’re making the salad ahead of time, I recommend using feta instead.
- Let the grilled vegetables cool for 5–10 minutes before tossing with the arugula so the greens stay fresh instead of wilting.
- Store the dressing separately if making ahead and toss everything together just before serving for the best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great!!!
This looks sooooo Yummy and I will be trying this today🤗🤗‼️
I could eat this every day for the rest of my life. It was that good!
One of the best salad recipes I’ve ever had! Making this on repeat all summer long! Thank you!
Hi Erin! I am thrilled to hear this, it’s the perfect summer salad. Enjoy and thanks for the feedback.
Delicious and simple! I ate it warm and cooled. So, so good…will be eating on repeat all summer.
Hi Eileen, thank you greatly for the feedback. Happy to hear this will be in the rotation. xoxo
What happened to the corn? Listed in ingredients, nothing in the directions, I will grill and remove from Cobb, but reread about 4,times thinking I was missing something.
So fresh and delicious, making it again next week!
Can you use lemon in place of the lime?
yes! lemon will work great.