Grilled zucchini platter

Grilled zucchini platter

grilled zucchini platter close up

The weather is finally hotting up here so my today’s grilled zucchini platter is actually quite well timed. It’s perfect if you are firing off a BBQ this weekend, but if you aren’t it’s perfectly delicious (and probably a little healthier too) made on a good old griddle pan too.

Griddle pan is my trusty summer companion. As soon as it gets a little warmer it comes out of my cupboard and stays on my hob for months – I use it so often that there is little point putting it away. This grilled zucchini platter with whipped tofu and mint pesto drizzle is an example of a summer dish that I love using my griddle pan for.

If you don’t own a griddle pan, don’t worry, you can use a regular cast iron skillet or another heavy pan too – you simply won’t get those pretty char marks across your zucchini but cast iron will produce great caramelisation too. The key in both cases is to allow the pan to get quite hot before adding zucchini, making sure zucchini lies flat (I like to weigh it down with something – a pot for example – initially) and be brave – allow the pan to do its thing for quite a while before checking. I know, it’s tempting to have a little peek but trust me, charring needs heat and time…

While zucchini is charring, I quickly whip up some creamy tofu and fresh mint pesto in my food processor. The first provides neutral creamy element to the dish and the second strong herbaceous flavour of heady mint tempered with some milder parsley. This recipe produces a small jar of pesto as it’s very difficult to scale pesto down unless you are making it by hand, which is totally an option but hard work, so enjoy leftover pesto over your favourite pasta and beans for example. I hope you’ll give this grilled zucchini platter a go and enjoy, if you do.

MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

grilled zucchini platter ingredients

ZUCCHINI: Zucchini (known as courgette in the UK) is a queen of summer vegetables. It lends itself so well to grilling so I decided to make it the star of this grilled zucchini platter. It has a bit of a reputation for being bland but when charred to perfection and teamed up with a punchy pesto it’s anything but. I recommend seeking out small zucchini for this dish as they are typically less watery and therefore grill better than larger specimens.

TOFU: I used firm tofu to whip up a creamy, fairly neutral base, that offers a nice textural contrast to charred and meaty zucchini. There is no need to press tofu for this dish, just pop it straight into a food processor and season to your taste. If you are sensitive to bitterness, you may notice that the tofu does have slightly bitter aftertaste but don’t despair, pairing it with naturally sweet zucchini and fresh mint pesto neutralises it and the finished dish is delicious. If you are not keen on tofu, why not use drained cannellini beans instead?

PISTACHIOS: Lightly toasted pistachios are used to give mint pesto a creamier base and to give the dish a bit of a crunch too. If you don’t have pistachios, you could use almonds or pumpkin seeds if you don’t get on with nuts.

MINT: Mint and zucchini are a classic combination, which is why I decided to make my pesto with it. Mint has quite a strong taste though so it’s wise to temper it a little by adding something a little less assertive. I opted for parsley but basil (which is a cousin of mint actually) works beautifully too.

PARSLEY: I used parsley to offer a more neutral counterpoint to quite dominant mint. You could also use basil (fifty fifty split is nice) if you prefer. I used leaves and fine stalks only, saving large stems for a stock.

OLIVE OIL: I used extra virgin olive oil in the tofu and pesto and cooking olive oil to brush zucchini with. If you want your pesto less oily, you can dilute it by adding some water but be aware that it will turn it a little opaque and less visually appealing. It also won’t keep well so if you do that you may want to freeze it immediately after use.

NUTRITIONAL YEAST: Nutritional yeast – staple vegan cheese-like seasoning – needs no introduction, I am sure. I added some to tofu to give it a hint of cheese flavour and some to pesto too. If you don’t have any, how about a couple of teaspoons of white miso? It’s salty though so be mindful of that when seasoning.

GARLIC: I used a small garlic clove to season both components of the dish. If you prefer your garlic a little mellower, grate it and steep it in lemon juice first for 10-20 minutes – acidity will take the harshness out.

LEMON: I used lemon zest and juice in both whipped tofu and mint pesto. I like lemon and I did not feel like it was too much, but if you are not a fan use your tastebuds – start with less and add more if you think it’s needed. Also, lemons differ when it comes to their acidity levels so always just your palate to guide you. I recommend buying unwaxed lemons and washing them really well before zesting.

grilled zucchini platter whipped tofu

To make whipped tofu, place tofu and all the seasonings in a food processor and process until silky smooth. Hold some lemon juice and salt back, taste and add more if needed. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until needed. If you would like pesto to keep its vibrant green colour, blanch mint leaves (they have a tendency to go brown otherwise) for a couple of minutes then plunge them into ice-cold water immediately. Dry well before processing.

grilled zucchini platter mint pesto

To make mint pesto, place everything but olive oil in a food processor. Process while slowly drizzling in oil through the chute until everything is well chopped or leave it chunkier if you prefer. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

grilled zucchini platter scoring

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, sprinkle with salt and arrange on paper towels, cut side down for 10 minutes. Score exposed flesh with shallow criss-cross incisions, taking care not to cut the skin – a small pairing knife is best for this task. Next, turn each zucchini over and make shallow parallel incision, at regular intervals, across the length of zucchini.

grilled zucchini platter grilled

Brush both sides with olive oil and arrange on a hot griddle pan (grill) cut side down. Grill undisturbed for 12-15 minutes, on low-medium heat, until char marks develop before flipping to the other side and grilling until cooked through.

grilled zucchini platter

Assemble the dish by piling whipped tofu at the bottom of the plate, followed by grilled zucchini chunks (you can leave it whole) and a drizzle of pesto. Scatter with toasted pistachios and leftover herbs.

grilled zucchini platter macro

serves
4-6
PREP
20 min
COOKING
30 min
serves
4-6
PREPARATION
20 min
COOKING
30 min
INGREDIENTS
  • 750 g / 26.5 oz small zucchini (3 small)
  • 300 g / 10.5 firm tofu
  • 15 ml / 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 5 g / 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 small lemon, zest and 2-3 tbsp juice
  • salt & pepper

MINT PESTO

  • 70 g / 2.5 oz (1/3 cup) shelled pistachios
  • 20 g / 0.7 oz mint* leaves
  • 10 g / 0.35 oz parsley leaves and fine stalks (or basil leaves)
  • 5 g / 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 small lemon, zest and 2-3 tbsp juice
  • pinch of chilli, optional
  • salt & pepper
  • 120 ml / ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
  1. Cut zucchini into half lengthwise, salt exposed flesh and place them on a paper towel cut side down for a few minutes.
  2. Place drained tofu in a food processor, add olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic, lemon zest, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and a generous amount of salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
  3. Taste, adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon juice if desired.
  4. Heat up a griddle pan.
  5. Make shallow criss cross incisions in the exposed zucchini flesh taking care not to cut the skin. Flip the zucchini and over make shallow, parallel cuts that are approx. 0.5 cm / 0.2 inches apart across its length (hassleback technique).
  6. Brush zucchini with olive oil and place on the on griddle (or grill) cut side down. Weigh it down with something heavy for the first few minutes. Make sure the heat is set to low-medium and allow them to grill undisturbed for about 12-15 minutes, until dark char marks develop.
  7. Gently prise zucchini off with a palette knife and flip to the other side, grilling for 15 minutes or so – until cooked all the way through. Cool them a little before assembling.
  8. Transfer whipped tofu to a platter, mould it into a round shape with the back of a spoon, topped with charred zucchini (you can keep them whole, I cut mine into chunks), drizzle with mint pesto and scatter pistachios on top. Serve with crusty bread. You will have noticed that I also used some leftover vegan ricotta to style the dish, but that’s totally not necessary.

MINT PESTO

  1. Dry toast pistachios in a small pan, until only just lightly charred and fragrant. Allow to cool down. Set aside 2 tbsp for serving – chop them up roughly.
  2. Place pistachios, herbs, garlic, nutritional yeast, lemon zest and juice, and a generous amount of salt and pepper in a food processor. With the processor running, drizzle in oil in a steady stream through the chute.
  3. Process until everything is finely chopped. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
  4. Transfer to a jar, top with extra olive oil to prevent spoiling and store in the fridge or transfer to an ice-cube tray and freeze for up to 2 months.

NOTES
*Mint has a tendency to oxidise quickly. If you want your pesto to stay vibrant green, you may want to blanch your mint leaves in boiling water for a couple of seconds then plunge them into ice water immediately. Dry well before using.

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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
242
12%
sugars
4 g
5%
fats
20 g
28%
saturates
3 g
14%
proteins
10 g
20%
carbs
9 g
3%
*per 1 out of 6 servings
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5.0
1 review, 3 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Nina:
Always delicious recipes from you, and we love zuccini, or squasj as its named here in Norway 🥰
Have you tried freezing the pesto? I grow my own chocolate mint, and its fantastic in all sorts of dishes when fresh. Have not tried freezing it yet 🤔
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw thank you, Nina. I am so happy to hear that. Yes, pesto freezes well - just be generous with oil so that the herbs are covered with a generous layer. Hope this helps. Ania
Elaine:
we're not vegan, so I used parmesan instead of nutritional yeast, and they were delicious! my husband loved the tofu bottom layer, I think it's going on sandwiches tomorrow!
thank you for the delicious recipe!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Elaine, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed so much. x Ania
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