harissa honey roasted zucchini
It’s that time of year again when the zucchini are ABUNDANT and by abundant I mean I can hardly cook them fast enough before they start to spoil. Because I’m cooking them often, I also find myself getting bored, especially by late summer. I’m constantly looking for new things to make with them and for new flavors to try them with. Because of the relatively neutral flavor of this vegetable, it’s easy to pair it with a wide variety of flavors, including in sweet, spiced zucchini breads (but that’s a recipe for another time). For this recipe, I wanted some strong, salty, spicy, umami, sweet flavors to come through. The combination of harissa, honey, and garlic is dangerously good. Harissa is a spicy chili paste from North Africa and if you don’t already have it in your pantry, I’d highly recommend adding it to your repertoire. It is great for marinating vegetables, meat, fish, tofu, etc., for salad dressings, for spicy yogurt or tahini dips, or on its own to add some spice to any dish you’re cooking. By marinating the zucchini for a few hours before cooking, this helps those flavors to really infuse, but if you’re in a pinch it still tastes great without marinating.
This side dish will complement almost any main and is also a great one to bring to a summer potluck (just double or triple the recipe as needed). I’ve also eaten this as a main with grains, greens, beans, and/or any other protein. It’s delicious drizzled with your favorite vinaigrette or yogurt and/or tahini dressing. This zucchini also shines with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and feta. However you choose to have this dish, I hope that you enjoy and that it adds some fun and flavor to this versatile and bountiful summer vegetable.
I decided to serve this as a main over top of black lentils, farro, and radicchio with a harissa honey vinaigrette!
harissa honey roasted zucchini
serves 4 as a side
ingredients
2 zucchini (preferably on the smaller side)
3 tbsp harissa (I prefer spicy but go with mild if you prefer less heat)
2 tsp honey
1 large clove of garlic, grated
½ tsp salt plus more to taste
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
Optional: chopped parsley, chopped spring onions, feta, for topping
instructions
Slice your zucchini in half. On the cut side, using a paring knife, score in a crosshatch pattern (this will help make sure all that seasoning and flavor infuses into the zucchini).
Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the cut side of the zucchini and set aside.
Now, on to the marinade. In a small bowl, combine the harissa, honey, garlic, ½ tsp salt, and 1 tbsp olive oil.
Using a brush, brush the marinade onto the zucchini on both sides, leaving them cut side up and making sure there is an abundance of marinade on them. However, you should still have some marinade remaining which we will need later.
Cover zucchini and let marinate for 1-4 hours (if you’re in a pinch, you can skip this).
Once the zucchini is finished marinating, heat the oven to 400 F. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
Once the olive oil is heated, add the zucchini to the cast iron cut side down. Depending on the size of your zucchini, you may need to cook in two batches. Cook the zucchini for 6-7 minutes or until it is well-browned and starting to get soft.
Once browned, flip the zucchini cut side up and cook for another 6-7 minutes until browned and softened. Turn off heat.
Put all the zucchini back in the cast iron pan cut side up (even if they’re a little crowded it’s okay). Brush the cut side with the remaining marinade and put in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the zucchini are soft.
Serve! Optional: Put the zucchini on a platter and top with parsley, spring onions, and/or feta.
