This Grilled Vegetable Medley delights with cheerful hues of bell pepper, plump cherry tomatoes, and emerald zucchini.
The refining fire of the grill creates an easy, delicious grilled side dish out of the summer harvest.
I’ll tell you straight away, vegetables are not my first thought when the coals are hot and the wine is flowing—it’s steak, always steak. But juicy steak needs crisp-tender vegetables in a rainbow of colors for healthy balance.
The key to grilling vegetables is pairing like items–tomatoes with tomatoes, peppers with peppers–so each one can be removed from the heat as needed.
No one looks forward to limp squash or under-cooked onions and you want those charred tomatoes ready to burst.
TIP: Grill them separately, but toss together when serving for a perfectly cooked, beautiful side dish.
Oh, and keep them warm in the oven while you let that steak rest. 😉
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The Best Grilling Tools for Vegetables
- Skewers
give you the ability to place and remove vegetables quickly as well as monitor different types with more precision. I prefer metal skewers over wood skewers because they are bigger and don’t require soaking. NOTE: Don’t forget to use tongs or an oven mitt when they’re hot!
- Grilling trays
are ideal when cooking vegetables with similar cooking times. Grilling a wide variety of vegetables on a tray may not allow for the individual attention each may need. I prefer trays over baskets so the vegetables can be spread out over a larger surface area to prevent steaming.
- Grilling tongs
with a good grip and scalloped edges are the best tool for turning sliced squash or onions that go directly on the grill. Good grilling tongs should be 16-inches long, have edges that stay aligned, and easily handle small items like garlic cloves or delicate, soft tomatoes.
Grilled Vegetable Medley
Ingredients
- 2 medium medium zucchini , sliced 1/4" thick, lengthwise or in discs if round
- 1 medium yellow summer squash , sliced 1/4" thick, lengthwise
- 2 large large sweet onions , sliced 1/4" thick, in rings
- 1 red bell pepper , cut into 2" pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper , cut into 2" pieces
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes , stems removed
- 10 cloves garlic , unpeeled
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
- Favorite herbs or spice such as Italian , curry, salt-free seasoning
- Special items: Skewers or grill tray
Instructions
- Prep vegetables as indicated. Assemble peppers, cherry tomatoes, and garlic cloves on separate skewers. (If using a grill pan, make sure the vegetables are not crowded and will cook evenly.)
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- Arrange sliced squash, onion discs, and skewers on a rimmed baking sheet and brush with olive oil to lightly coat. Season generously with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with herbs.
- Grill over med-high heat until browned with grill marks on each side until crisp-tender, 6-8 minutes. Brush with olive oil on uncooked side just before turning. Remove each type of vegetable when done and place back on the rimmed baking sheet.
- Remove skewers from tomatoes, peppers, and garlic. Squeeze the ends of the garlic to remove peel (roasted garlic should pop right out) and slice squash into bite-size pieces.
- Keep in a warm oven until ready to serve. Mix vegetables together on a large serving tray, taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed; serve warm.
Notes
- Use leftovers for frittatas, soups, Alfredo, pizza, rice pilaf, fajitas, and salads.
- Grilled vegetables can be frozen, however there is a change in texture. Once frozen, use in recipes like soups, casseroles, or a frittata where the texture is not as pronounced.
Nutrition
Bam's Kitchen says
Your roasted veggies are so colorful and simply delicious. I am so excited for grilling season but not to rub it in I grill all year around in Hong Kong. Well actually, I also used to grill all year around in Michigan too but just shoveled a path and wore boots instead of flip flops to grill. Have a super weekend!
mjskitchen says
YAY…it’s grilling season!!! I don’t grill near enough vegetables so this post is extremely inspiring! Those vegetables all look delicious. Thanks!! Gorgeous first pictures and yes, loving this warming weather. Of course for me it needs to get in the 80s until I’m happy. we’ll be there next week. 🙂
Raymund says
Love this dish, the grilling process will give it a nice smoky and sweet flavours. Yum!
John@Kitchen Riffs says
I actually wore shorts on our morning walk today! It was in the low 60s — a bit chilly at first, but after a couple of minutes quite pleasant. 😉 Anyway, love grilled veggies! Haven’t done any yet this season — need to get on it. Good stuff — thanks.
Judy Purcell says
Well, now we have 4 inches of snow, while temporary is a reminder it’s not quite time to pull out the flip flops.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
Nothing beats a well cooked steak and grilled vegetables. It’s a hands down winner. 🙂
I love that top photo!!
Judy Purcell says
So true, Maureen! Thanks. 🙂
Mandy says
We love grilled veggies. I have never used skewers for them though – grand idea.
Have a lovely day.
🙂 Mandy xo
Judy Purcell says
We ended up buying long metal skewers years ago rather than mess with the wood ones, though either work just fine. You have a lovely day too! xo