Grilled Zucchini Salad with Creamy Sunflower Dressing
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The magic of this grilled zucchini salad lies in the deliciously contrasting textures and colors. It’s loaded with bright, summertime favorites like grilled zucchini and vibrant corn, fresh alfalfa sprouts, crisp purple cabbage, chickpeas, and tossed in a lusciously creamy and easy-to-make sunflower seed dressing!
This grilled zucchini salad is one of those summer salads I come back to again and again. The zucchini gets lightly charred on the grill, giving it a smoky flavor that pairs so well with the sweet corn and creamy sunflower seed dressing. It’s fresh and colorful, but hearty enough to actually feel satisfying.
What really makes this salad work is the mix of textures. You’ve got tender grilled zucchini, crisp cabbage, crunchy sunflower seeds, delicate sprouts, and hearty chickpeas all layered together in one bowl. Fresh dill keeps everything tasting bright, while the sweet corn adds little bursts of sweetness throughout.
And then there’s the sunflower seed dressing, which completely brings the whole salad together. Blended sunflower seeds create a creamy texture without feeling heavy, while miso, lemon, and garlic add savory depth and brightness. It’s the kind of dressing that makes people ask what’s in it after the first bite.
What to serve with grilled zucchini salad
This salad is a perfect lunch or light dinner – enjoy it as a standalone meal, topped off with some lemon pepper croutons.
If you’re serving this as a side, you can pair it with a variety of main meals. Pair it with some shrimp cakes, lemon pepper chicken, or pork medallions. Or, while the grill is on, throw down some chicken breast, make a grilled salmon sandwich, or grilled shrimp skewers.
Grilled Zucchini Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Grilled Zucchini Salad
- 4 medium zucchinis (2 sliced into ½ inch rounds, 2 sliced lengthwise into ¼ inch strips)
- 2 ears corn (shucked)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cups salad greens
- 1 cup alfalfa sprouts
- ½ can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
Instructions
- Oil and preheat your grill to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the zucchini and corn with the oil and sea salt. Grill, turning the zucchini once and the corn a few times. Cook the zucchini for 3-4 minutes per side and the corn for 10 minutes. When the corn is cool enough to touch, cut off the kernels.4 medium zucchinis, 2 ears corn, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- While the zucchini and corn are cooking, place all the sunflower seed dressing ingredients into your high-powered blender and blend on high until smooth.½ cup toasted sunflower seeds, ¾ cup water, 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon miso, 1 clove garlic, Optional: a pinch of cayenne, Sea salt
- Layer the salad greens, alfalfa sprouts, chickpeas, cabbage, sunflower seeds, dill, and the grilled zucchini and corn in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat.4 cups salad greens , 1 cup alfalfa sprouts, ½ can chickpeas, 2 cups shredded purple cabbage, ½ cup sunflower seeds, 1 tablespoon fresh dill
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
More zucchini recipes
For more inspiration, check out all of our salad recipes!
This was wonderful! We had a clear day here and even though it was chilly I braved the cold air to turn on the bbq. So happy that I did! This recipe is a keeper.
Hi Kristen,
Making this recipe for a party and wanted to know if you cut the zucchini lengthwise or into circular slices for grilling?
When I made this for the pictures, I did a mix of zucchini rounds and long slices. You can do either one or both. I do like having both as it adds even more texture to the salad. 🙂
Holy cow, I wish I was eating this right now. I will be making this soon.
Thanks, Emilie! I hope you love it as much as we do!