The Ultimate Guide for the Best Grilled Vegetables

Why Vegetables Are Even Better On the Grill

• The uncelebrated hero of every BBQ. Sure, you might be focused on that juicy steak or the succulent grilled chicken smothered in delicious sauce, but the grilled veggies on the side are what tie a meal together.
• Grilling brings out vegetables’ flavor. There is just something about grilling recipes and all that delicious, smoky grill flavor that comes with them. I’ll show you my easy grilling techniques to really bring out the best in summer’s veggies.
• Great for meal prep. I’ll grill up a big batch of grilled vegetables to serve hot off the grill on the weekend, and we add leftovers to sandwiches, meal bowls, pastas, and more throughout the week.
• A comprehensive guide. From choosing the right veggies to grilling tips, tricks, and serving suggestions, let’s get grilling!

The Best Vegetables For Grilling

Let’s start with the veggies! Just about every vegetable can be grilled, but the best are vegetables that hold their shape well when cooked. They’ll be easiest to handle on the hot grill. Below are my favorite grilling vegetables and how to prep them. My main advice is: The more space you allow for grill marks, the more flavorful your veggies will be.

• Bell peppers – Seed the peppers and slice them into halves or quarters.
• Onions – I recommend cutting onions horizontally into 1″ slices. Leave the skin on, as this will help hold your onion circle together.
• Yellow squash, zucchini, and eggplant – Cut these babies lengthwise into 1/2″ thick strips.
• Mushrooms – Remove the mushroom stems so the caps can lay flat on the grill.
• Asparagus – Leave asparagus whole. Just trim off the tough, woody ends.
• Corn – Another veg you can grill whole. Peel the husks back to remove the silks before cooking the corn directly on the grill. You can also lay the husks back on the corn (after removing the silks), soak the corn in cool water, and grill. Check out my separate post on how to grill corn on the cob for more information.
• Tomatoes – Slice Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise. Leave smaller tomatoes whole and cook them on a grill basket. You could also leave tomatoes on the vine (which serves as a built-in handle to move them off the grill!).
• Cauliflower – Slice a whole cauliflower head into 1″ thick steaks.
• Broccoli – Trim off the fibrous bottom half of the broccoli stem and quarter the broccoli head into small trees. 
• Romaine – Cut heads of romaine in half vertically. Grilling lettuce is wonderful for a wedge salad or grilled chicken Caesar salad. You can also cut other leafy heads, like cabbage, into halves or into 1″ thick steaks for the grill.

Vegetable Grilling Time Guide

Exact cooking times for each vegetable may vary. Depending on the size and thickness of your vegetables, they may need more or less time on the grill. Note that the cooking times below are total grilling times, and not the amount of time per side.

• Bell peppers: 10-12 minutes (whole), or 8-10 minutes (halved or quartered).
• Onion, broccoli, cauliflower: 8-10 minutes.
• Squash, asparagus: 4-6 minutes.
• Eggplant: 5-7 minutes.
• Mushrooms: Larger mushrooms (think whole portobellos) need 8-10 minutes. Smaller mushrooms need 4-7 minutes.
• Corn: 15-20 minutes with or without husk.
• Tomatoes: Larger halved tomatoes need 6-8 minutes. Smaller cherry/grape-size tomatoes need 4-6 minutes.
• Romaine: 2-3 minutes.

FAQ

Grilling Tips

After many seasons of grilling vegetables, these are the top tips I’ve learned:

• Grill larger pieces. I try to keep my veggies as close to “whole” as possible. The more surface area that touches the grill, the better the flavor will be.
• Cut approximately the same size. Cut your vegetables into same-size pieces, so they’ll grill evenly. A mandoline slicer can be helpful for certain vegetables (think zucchini).
• Brush with oil. Drizzle or brush both sides of your vegetables with olive oil, avocado oil, or grape seed oil. This ensures that they won’t stick to the grill.
• Season, don’t marinade. Marinades often break down veggies, making them soggy. Opt for a nice seasoning instead. I prefer salt and freshly cracked pepper. You can also use a spice blend, like ranch seasoning, lemon pepper, or my Southwest spice mix.
• Play with heat. I like to have two zones on my grill. A direct high heat side (350-450°F) and an indirect heat side. Start cooking the veggies on the direct heat side. If they start to burn, move them to the indirect heat side.
• Move your veggies around. Most grills are hotter in certain areas (often the back), so pay attention and move your vegetables around if they start to burn. Extended tongs or a thin metal spatula, like a fish spatula, are best for grilling.
• Close the lid. For larger pieces of veg, I recommend closing the grill to speed up the cooking process. This will also help ensure that the veggies cook all the way through before they get too charred. Check their progress every few minutes and adjust their position on the grill if needed.

Serving Suggestions

Grilled veggies (of really any variety) are one of my favorite side dishes ever. The possibilities are endless, but here are my suggestions:

• With a grilled entree. Serve them next to a juicy burger, grilled chicken with mango salsa, alongside chimichurri steak, or grilled lemon pepper salmon.
• In pasta. Try a grilled vegetable orzo salad and this pesto pasta with grilled vegetables.
• Salads and grain bowls. Add grilled vegetables to a panzanella salad, farro salad, or a grain bowl.
• With a sauce. Drizzle grilled veggies with a balsamic reduction or serve them with creamy avocado tzatziki or homemade pesto.
• As a filling. Add your grilled veggies to a sandwich, burger, burrito, or taco.
• In eggs. I love adding leftover grilled veggies to a frittata, omelet, or a breakfast scramble.

Proper Storage

• Refrigerator. Allow the grilled vegetables to cool completely before sealing them in an airtight container and storing them in the fridge. They will stay good for up to 4 days.
• Freezer. Once the veggies have cooled to room temperature, seal them in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
• To reheat. Honestly, you don’t really even have to reheat them. Grilled vegetables are just as good cold as they are warm, in my opinion. If you would like to enjoy them warm, however, wrap them in aluminum foil and bake them in the oven at 400ºF for 5-7 minutes or until heated through.

Grilled Vegetable Recipes to Try

• Grilled Sweet Potatoes
• Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Zest
• Grilled Corn on the Cob with Roasted Jalapeno Sauce
• Grilled Vegetable Panzanella Salad