Grilled Patty Pan Squash will quickly become your new favorite veggie to throw on the grill! It is a dense squash that doesn’t need to be peeled. It really can’t get much easier in just 10 minutes!
Ginny and I were at the farmer’s market the other day and the first summer squashes of the year were available. There were several of the usuals, but these beautiful patty pan squash caught my eye. I picked up some white and green varieties to bring home and throw on the grill.
Make sure you pick out smaller ones as the seeds are very small and the skin is thin and easy to eat. The larger ones are best used for stuffing, making it a great option if you wanted to stuff it full of sauce and cheese for a no crust pizza on the grill.
Note: The terms Patty Pan, Scallop, and Sunburst squash are interchangeable names that describe the same squash. Expect that the name may vary depending on your region.
🥒 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s fast, and you don’t even have to peel the squash!
- You can make a large batch quickly.
- The flavor is incredible.
- It only requires four ingredients.
- Squash is a low calorie food that fits most diets.
🧄 Ingredients
These are straightforward ingredients and other than the squash, you most likely have them on hand already.
Patty Pan Squash | As I mentioned, make sure to buy small ones for the best results for grilling found at the stores and local farmers markets from July to September. This often missed squash is a huge time saver as you never need to peel it before you cook it. Simply start cutting and grilling.
Garlic | Some minced garlic is the perfect addition to this recipe. It tastes so great, and you are always welcome to add more.
Olive Oil | For the squash to properly cook and be the right texture, you will need some kind of oil. We prefer olive oil, but avocado oil would also work well. The oil also helps them from sticking to the grill grate.
Rosemary | It’s best to use fresh herbs for this squash. If you aren’t a fan of rosemary, try out some other herbs instead.
🔥 Grilling Instructions
Step One: Mix freshly chopped garlic, some olive oil and some fresh rosemary. The simplest ingredients are usually the best anyways, right?
Step Two: Carefully cut the patty pan squash along the long axis to create ½” thick slices.
Step Three: Liberally brush both sides with the rosemary, garlic, oil mixture and place them on a grill preheated to 350 degrees.
Step Four: These will cook quickly, so just keep them 3 – 5 minutes per side. If they are on much longer, they may burn or become too soggy. Blech!
Step Five: Remove the squash and serve. I grilled too many of them for dinner, so I chopped them into bite sized pieces and added them to my lunches for the next several days. Win – Win!
💡 Expert Tips
The skin is completely edible. If you choose the smaller squash, the skin is thin and soft. It reminds me of a zucchini. The larger the squash gets, the harder the skin becomes. Make it easy on yourself and just buy the smaller squashes. There is no need to peel them which saves you time!
If it is difficult to slice these into 1/2″ disks, cut them vertically.
I could not taste a difference between the white and green varieties. Mix them up for added interest to your BBQ!
Don’t overcook these veggie steaks. You might think that cooking them longer will make them more tender but these are at their prime when they are a little tender and yet crisp.
Recipe FAQs
While patty pan squash tastes terrific, you’ll be happy to know it’s also healthy too. Loaded with vitamin C, fiber, folate, potassium, manganese, vitamin A, and more! So, if you are trying to eat a little healthier, consider adding some squash to your diet.
It has a mild flavor that closely resembles a zucchini. It’s not as sweet as some squash but is delicious all the same.
For best results, layer the squash on a baking pan. Then place it in the oven at 400 degrees for 5-8 minutes. This will keep it from being soggy while heating it up. You can also broil it for 1-3 minutes if you’d rather.
Yes! You don’t need to peel these and the skin adds a lot of flavor. You will find that the small squash has a thin and soft skin similar to that of a zucchini. Larger ones will have a thicker skin.
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Grilled Patty Pan Squash
Ingredients
- 2 Patty Pan Squash sliced ½ inch thick
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Rosemary fresh, finely chopped
Instructions
Prepare the Garlic and Rosemary Mix
- Combine olive oil, minced garlic cloves, fresh rosemary and olive oil in a bowl. Stir.
- Slice the squash to create ½" disks. Smaller, younger squash will have more tender skins and there is no need to peel or remove the seeds.
- Brush each side of the patty pan squash with the garlic/olive oil mixture.
Grilling Instructions
- Heat the grill to 350 degrees
- Grill each side for 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook or it will become soggy.
- Serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Jason’s been firing up the grill for over 30 years after graduating from the US Coast Guard Academy. His love of finely-grilled steak and chicken led him to buy his first Weber grill to put on his apartment patio in 1992. Each military move led to a new grill (a mixture of gas and charcoal) until he fell in love with the Big Green Egg in 2008. Since then, he has added another 4 grills to the collection. Yes, he has a problem. Jason loves smoking in the ceramic BGE with exotic woods including olive wood from Egypt and hard to find varieties such as sassafras and orange wood. Jason takes the term “foodie” to a whole new level, jumping at the chance to take food tours and cooking classes during foreign travels. These have provided inspiration to incorporate new ideas into recipes when he gets back home. He has been featured in Fox News, Parade, Yahoo News, Kansas City Living and more. After retiring from the military and moving to southwest Florida, he has focused grilling and smoking locally sourced meats and fish (read: he likes to catch his own fish!)
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