Grilled Summer Veggies
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Grilled Summer Veggies are a staple for any summer barbecue or summer night grilling session. Grilling veggies results in smoky, caramelized and tender vegetables that enhances their natural sweetness. Perfect side dish to any grilled food and to serve for a quick and easy dinner.
Grilled Summer Veggies
Summer is all about barbecues and throwing just about every food on the grill. I love grilled food and take advantage of using my grill all summer long! A staple in our summer grilling are Grilled Summer Veggies. We make them pretty much every week during the summer time. We love to serve them next to any grilled protein such as chicken, steak, fish or any shellfish. They are delicious served with our Homemade Chimichurri Sauce.
Grilling veggies results in smoky, caramelized and tender vegetables that enhances their natural sweetness. This recipe is also great because it’s so versatile. You can use any summer veggies you prefer so get creative with it! Perfect side dish to any grilled food and to serve for a quick and easy dinner.
Ingredients needed to make Grilled Summer Veggies:
- Vegetables– Zucchinis, Bell Peppers, Cremini Mushrooms, and Red Onion.
- Olive Oil– For cooking.
- Balsamic Vinegar– Adds a tangy flavor to the veggies brining out their natural sweetness.
- Spices and Herbs– Pink sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian Seasoning.
Equipment needed to make Grilled Summer Veggies:
- Large Mixing Bowl– To prep veggies in.
- Grilling Basket– This keeps the veggies from falling into the grill grates.
- Tongs– For tossing.
- Grill– You can also use a griddle or cast iron skillet with ridges.
How to make Grilled Summer Veggies:
- Step 1– Preheat grill on medium heat.
- Step 2– Slice zucchinis into round circles, slice bell pepper into thick chunks, slice mushrooms into thick slices, rough chop red onion. Place all prepped veggies in a large mixing bowl.
- Step 3– Drizzle olive oil and balsamic over veggies. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, pepper and Italian seasoning. Toss veggies making sure they are well coated with oil, balsamic and spices.
- Step 4– Lightly oil a grilling basket and place on preheated grill. Place veggies in grilling basket. Grill veggies for 20 minutes on a medium flame. Occasionally tossing them by using a tong. This will make sure veggies are grilled evenly.
- Step 5– Use oven mittens and carefully remove basket from grill. Place veggies in a serving bowl and serve. Place any leftover veggies in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
Tips and Substitutions:
- Preheat your grill– Whether you place your vegetables directly on the grill or using a grill vegetable basket, you want to preheat your grill.
- Use grill vegetable basket– A Vegetable basket will keep your vegetables in one place while on the grill. It makes it easier and will allow vegetables grill and cook through evenly.
- Lightly oil and Preheat vegetable basket– This way your veggies won’t stick to the basket.
- Cut vegetables into smaller pieces- They will be grilled evenly and all vegetables will have the same texture.
- Occasionally give veggies a toss while they’re grilling in the basket– This is another technique that will help all veggies cook through the same way.
- Switch up your summer veggies– This recipe is very versatile and you can try different variations of different summer veggies. Use eggplant, asparagus, tomatoes, summer squash or any other veggies you may like.
- Substitute for olive oil– Use avocado oil, unsalted butter or refined coconut oil.
Variations:
- Turn into skewers– If you don’t have a grill basket, cut your veggies into larger chunks and skewer them with skewer sticks.
- Use what you have– Use any veggies you already have and want to use up. Or add more veggies. Eggplant, asparagus, summer squash, green beans, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. are all great.
- Make them cheesy– Sprinkle with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.
- Add some spice– Sprinkle with some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a bit of an added kick.
- Use other spices and herbs– Add some paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, turmeric, rosemary, etc. for more added flavors.
- Add fresh herbs– Top with some fresh herbs like parsley, basil, dill, mint, or cilantro for a touch of added freshness.
- Add more sauces– Add some coconut aminos, tamari sauce, or Worcestershire sauce.
- Finish with sauces for topping– Homemade Chimichurri Sauce, Homemade Pesto, or Cilantro-Lime Jalapeño Ranch Dressing will elevate your grilled summer veggies.
What to serve Grilled Summer Veggies with:
- Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Blue Cheese Dressing
- Grilled Steak Kabobs
- Turkey Burgers
- Shrimp Skewers with Avocado Mango Salsa
- Mahi Mahi Burgers with Chipotle-Avocado Spread
Grilled Summer Veggies FAQ’s:
What vegetables are best for grilling?
You can pretty much grill every vegetable. However, some are better than others as they get a nice caramelized sweet flavor and/or a nice chard. Some of the best vegetables for grilling are:
- Corn
- Zucchini
- Summer Squash
- Eggplant
- Mushrooms (Cremini or Portobello)
- Bell Peppers
- Asparagus
- Tomatoes
- Red Onions
Should I marinate veggies before grilling?
Yes. If you have time, marinate your veggies for a couple of hours or over night if possible. This allows for the flavors and juices to settle in. Making the veggies even more flavorful.
Do you have to soak vegetables before grilling?
No. You do not have to soak vegetables before grilling them. Just make sure to rinse your veggies before hand and brush off any dirt or debris.
Can you grill frozen vegetables?
You can throw frozen vegetables on the grill. However, they will not have the same texture as fresh ones. Frozen veggies hold a lot more water than fresh veggies do. The added moisture will prevent the veggies from getting chard and caramelizing as fresh ones do.
Meal Prepping it:
Grilled food is not just for barbecues and pool parties. I love to use my grill and incorporated in my meal prep during the summer time. It actually makes meal prepping so much easier since you can grill different foods at the same time. Especially during those blazing hot summer days that you just don’t want to turn your stove or oven on.
These grilled summer veggies are great for meal prepping as you can make a good amount and keep in the fridge for the week. They make a great side dish to any grilled protein such as chicken, steak, fish or any shellfish. It’ll make for a nice and light summer dinner.
Storing Grilled Summer Veggies:
- Storing– Place any leftover grilled summer veggies in an airtight container. Keep them refrigerated for up to 3-5 days.
- Freezing– Allow grilled veggies to completely cool-off. Place them in a freezer bag or freezer friendly container. Keep grilled veggies frozen for up to 3-4 months. Thaw-out in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating– Reheat grilled veggies by placing them back on the grill, microwave, or stovetop.
Did you like this Grilled Summer Veggies recipe? You may also like these other summer grilling recipes:
- Adobo Steak and Avocado Salad with Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing
- Grilled Pineapple Chicken Salad
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Shrimp Skewers with Avocado Mango Salsa
Grilled Summer Veggies
Ingredients
- 2 medium zucchinis
- 3 bell peppers
- 8 oz crimini mushrooms
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat grill on medium heat.
Slice zucchinis into round circles, slice bell pepper into thick chunks, slice mushrooms into thick slices, rough chop red onion. Place all prepped veggies in a large mixing bowl.
Drizzle olive oil and balsamic over veggies. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Toss veggies making sure they are well coated with oil, balsamic and spices.
Lightly oil a grilling basket and place on preheated grill. Place veggies in grilling basket. Grill veggies for 20 minutes on a medium flame. Occasionally tossing them by using a tong. This will make sure veggies are grilled evenly.
Use oven mittens and carefully remove basket from grill. Place veggies in a serving bowl and serve. Place any leftover veggies in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
Recipe Notes
- Preheat your grill– Whether you place your vegetables directly on the grill or using a grill vegetable basket, you want to preheat your grill.
- Use grill vegetable basket– A Vegetable basket will keep your vegetables in one place while on the grill. It makes it easier and will allow vegetables grill and cook through evenly.
- Lightly oil and Preheat vegetable basket– This way your veggies won’t stick to the basket.
- Cut vegetables into smaller pieces- They will be grilled evenly and all vegetables will have the same texture.
- Occasionally give veggies a toss while they’re grilling in the basket– This is another technique that will help all veggies cook through the same way.
- Switch up your summer veggies– This recipe is very versatile and you can try different variations of different summer veggies. Use eggplant, asparagus, tomatoes, summer squash or any other veggies you may like.
- Substitute for olive oil– Use avocado oil, unsalted butter or refined coconut oil.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
