I’ve cooked a lot of things on my grill but until this summer, I had never done vegetables. I hadn’t really given it a lot of thought, but it makes sense to throw vegetables on the grill, if you’ve already got it going.
Why heat up the kitchen or dirty another pan? Plus it adds a delicious smokiness to the vegetables. Here are some veggies that are just great on the grill – but don’t let this list stop you from throwing your favorites on or whatever you have in the kitchen! Experiment!
Baby Artichokes
Halve a pound of baby artichokes. If needed, use a spoon to remove any prickly choke. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until they are lightly charred and tender. Cooking time should be about 8 minutes total.
Asparagus
Trim the tough ends off a pound of asparagus. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high heat until they are lightly charred and tender. Cook time should be about 6 to 8 minutes.
Bell Peppers
Halve, stem, and seed 2 large peppers. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high for about 5 minutes until lightly charred and tender.
Corn
Husk 4 ears of corn, brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper (and a little cayenne pepper if you like spice). Grill on medium-high for about 8 to 12 minutes, until they’re lightly charred and tender.
Eggplant
Cut 1 large eggplant into ¼ inch thick rounds. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high until lightly charred and tender. Eggplant cooks quickly, and this should only take about 2 to 3 minutes. Watch closely!
Portobello Mushrooms
Remove the stems from 4 large mushrooms. You can scrape out the gills with a spoon if you so desire. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high heat, until lightly charred and tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Onions
Peel and cut 2 medium onions into ¼ inch thick rounds. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Onions cook quickly, about 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high, so make sure to turn them to get lightly charred and tender, not burnt and sticky, onions.
Zucchini
Slice 1 pound of zucchini, diagonally, into ¼ inch thick slices. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high until lightly charred and tender. Cook time should be about 4 to 6 minutes.
Summer Squash
Slice 1 pound of summer squash, diagonally, into ¼ inch thick slices. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high, until lightly charred and tender, about 4 to 6 minutes.
All of these simple veggies serve 4 with the amounts listed. You can use any kind of oil that you want but I recommend olive or canola because they won’t overpower the flavor of the vegetables. Always remember to turn your vegetables or you will end up with burnt on one side and mush on the other. If you are going to grill multiple vegetable kinds, put them on the grill in the order of longest cooking time to shortest. This way they all get done at about the same time.
Spices and Marinades
Now that we’ve mastered the basics of grilling these wonderful summer delights, let’s have some fun with them. An addition of a few extra ingredients before and/or after grilling can add a little pop to your grilled veggies.
Chile-Garlic & Soy
Before grilling, toss the veggies with 4 tablespoons of olive or canola oil, 1 tablespoon each chile-garlic sauce and soy sauce, and ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper. Grill as usual.
Chile-Lime
Before grilling, toss the vegetables with 4 teaspoons of olive or canola oil, ¾ teaspoon each chili powder and ground cumin, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Grill as usual. After grilling, toss with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and lime juice to taste.
Garlic-Thyme
Before grilling, toss the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of olive or canola oil, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried), ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill as usual. After grilling, toss with 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds, if desired.
Maple Butter
Before grilling, toss the vegetables with 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Grill as usual.
Spicy Orange
Before grilling, toss with 4 teaspoons olive or canola oil, the zest of 1 orange, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ – ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper. Grill as usual.
Grilling vegetables is simple and adds some flair to your favorite summer meals!
and they are yummy
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