Grilled Zucchini Coins with Tomato and Mozzarella

Am I crazy or are these freakin' adorable?! Even better - they're insanely easy. The zucchini rounds are quickly grilled for flavor and char, then seasoned and topped with grape tomatoes and fresh mozzarella before 5 minutes in the oven (that's all you need to warm the tomatoes and melt the cheese). As simple as that sounds, the flavor is crazy good. In one bite, you explore an incredible combination of herby, grilled zucchini, sweet tomato, and creamy mozzarella. All. Boxes. Checked.
Want to prep ahead? Great idea since this makes a terrific party appetizer. Grill the zucchini and assemble the rounds as directed below. Refrigerate (uncovered) up to 24 hours before baking.

About the seasoning: I used a simple seasoning of salt, pepper and oregano and it was perfect. My kids said, "This is actually really amazing". When you use fresh, quality ingredients you need little else. That said, if you want to try something different, use Italian seasoning or dried basil, or both dried basil and dried oregano.

Grilled Zucchini Coins with Tomato and Mozzarella

Cooking spray
2 medium zucchini, sliced crosswise into 1-inch thick rounds (about 8 slices per zucchini)
Salt and ground black pepper
Dried oregano (for sprinkling over the zucchini, about 1/2 teaspoon max)
16 cherry or grape tomatoes (one per zucchini round)
16 pieces fresh mozzarella, about 1-2 inches (one piece per zucchini round)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Coat a stove-top grill pan with cooking spray and preheat to medium-high. Add the zucchini rounds to the hot pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until you have nice grill marks (the zucchini will still be firm). Transfer the rounds to the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Season the top with the oregano. Skewer the tomatoes on wooden picks and insert into the center of the zucchini. Spear a piece of cheese on top. Season the cheese with salt and pepper.
Bake for 5 minutes, until the cheese just starts to melt. Serve warm or room temperature.

Serves 4-6