Grilled Vegetables
Grilled Vegetables are the BEST vegetables, with a light char and smoky flavor to make them extra delicious. Drizzle with garlic herb sauce before serving and they’re absolutely irresistible!
Despite what your meat-eating friends and family tell you, the grill is NOT just for BBQ Chicken Breasts and Grilled Beer Brats. Vegetables are totally worth getting excited about when they’re cooked on the grill. (Vegetables worth getting excited about?! Tell me more….)
The high heat of grilling caramelizes the natural sugars in vegetables, enhancing their sweetness, mellowing their raw bite, and creating a beautiful char that adds so much depth to their flavor. While I love Grilled Corn and Grilled Asparagus on their own, this grilled vegetable recipe brings all kinds of veggies together in one fabulous, colorful side dish—then you can enjoy a little bit of everything!
Another thing I love about grilled vegetables is their simplicity and versatility—it’s easy to scale up the recipe for a crowd (or meal prep), you can make them into a main dish or use them as a side, and there are endless seasonings and accompaniments you can add to put your own spin on them. Here, I add a tangy garlic herb sauce, which makes all the natural flavors of the grilled veggies really pop.
Ingredients for Grilled Vegetables
Here’s a quick rundown of what you’ll need for this recipe. For the full measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Olive Oil – Or another oil you like to use for grilling.
- Asparagus – To keep them from burning to a crisp, I recommend choosing meaty, decent-sized asparagus and not the thin wispy little spears.
- Bell Peppers – Any kind you like! Green, red, yellow, orange—they’re all delicious grilled.
- Cremini Mushrooms – You can use white mushrooms instead, but cremini mushrooms have more depth.
- Corn – Look for ears with plump kernels and moist (but not wet) silk at the top.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Grilling concentrates the sugars in tomatoes, making them even sweeter.
- Zucchini – Or yellow squash.
- Salt and Pepper – Keep in mind that there’s also salt and pepper in the sauce, so don’t overdo it.
For the Herb Garlic Sauce
- Olive Oil and Butter – Melt the butter before getting started.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – For a bright pop of acidity. You could use red wine vinegar instead if you’d like.
- Garlic Powder and Fresh Garlic – Double the garlic! Fresh garlic has more punch than mellow garlic powder, so I like using a bit of both.
- Herbs – Fresh chopped basil, oregano, and parsley.
- Salt and Pepper – Freshly ground black pepper is more flavorful than pre-ground.
How to Make Grilled Vegetables
This is a quick rundown of the steps for grilling vegetables. You’ll find more detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
- Prepare. Preheat the grill. Brush the veggies with the oil, then season with salt and pepper.
- Grill. Add the vegetables to the grill and cook for about 3 minutes, until tender and charred. Transfer to a platter.
- Make the sauce. Whisk together all of the ingredients.
- Serve. Drizzle the grilled veggies with the sauce and serve.
Tips for Grilling Vegetables
These tips will help you get PERFECT grilled vegetables every time!
- Cut evenly. As best as you can, ensure the vegetables are cut to similar sizes for even cooking. I know it’s not always possible and it’s not a deal-breaker if they’re not, but it will make your life (or at least grilling your dinner) a lot easier.
- Remove vegetables when they’re done. Some veggies will naturally cook more quickly than others; when they’re tender and charred, remove them from the grill even if others are still cooking.
- Monitor the grill temperature. Maintain consistent heat to ensure the vegetables char nicely without burning. If you find some are cooking faster than others, move them to a cooler part of the grill. Grilled vegetables do cook quickly, but you don’t want them to cook TOO quickly, or they’re just be charred on the outside without ever getting tender.
Variations and Ways to Use Grilled Veggies
Grilled vegetables are so versatile, you can customize them to just about any cuisine or flavor. Here are some ideas.
- Mediterranean style. Add slices of eggplant and red onion to your vegetable mix and toss everything with dried oregano and garlic powder in addition to the oil, salt, and pepper. Instead of the herb sauce, finish with fresh lemon juice and crumbled feta.
- Tex-Mex. Toss the vegetables with oil and fajita seasoning; use the finished veggies in fajitas, tacos, and quesadillas.
- Teriyaki. Marinate the vegetables in teriyaki sauce, then brush the sauce over the grilled vegetables as they cook. This is excellent in a bowl with rice and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs.
What to Serve With Grilled Vegetables
- Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwich
- Boursin Cheese Pasta
- Rice Pilaf
- Cheesy Artichoke-Spinach Quinoa Cakes with Lemon-Caper Sauce
- Chicken Souvlaki
- Cast Iron Skillet Steak
- Honey Garlic Pork Chops
More Grilling Recipes
- Grilled Lamb Loin Chops
- Basil Pesto Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich
- Grilled Beer Brats
- The Best Grilled Lobster Tail
- Grilled Clams with Garlic Parmesan Basil Butter
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
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Get the Recipe: Grilled Vegetables
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
- 2 bell peppers, seeded, stemmed and cut into 1 inch strips
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, wiped clean
- 2 ears corn, cut crosswise into 4 pieces
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes, stemmed
- 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Herb Garlic Sauce
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano
- 2 tablespoons packed fresh parsley leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
- grill
Instructions
- Preheat grill.
- Using a brush, lightly coat the vegetables with the oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the vegetables on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes or until charred and tender, crisp. (You can cook the vegetables longer if you prefer them softer.)
- Transfer the vegetables to a platter and set aside.
- Whisk together the ingredients for the herb garlic sauce and drizzle over the vegetables.
- Serve immediately.