22 Healthy Grilled Summer Veggie Recipes - With Salt and Wit (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to cook vegetables on the grill? ›

Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the bell peppers; 7 minutes for the yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms; 4 minutes for the asparagus and green onions.

Grill that produce ahead of time (either earlier in the day or the day before), to turn out side dishes that promise maximum flavor and minimum time-sucking. Giada De Laurentiis' key to getting those great grill marks? Don't shift the vegetables too frequently once they've been placed on the hot grill.

A good everyday olive oil is a safe bet. Peanut oil or coconut oil will work too, and they'll lend different flavors to your food. You can season your vegetables very lightly, but since salt pulls moisture out of vegetables, too much before grilling will make it harder to get that great grill-marked, charred exterior.

And there's very little prep involved. All you really need to do is toss or brush the raw veggies in vegetable oil, and sprinkle them with your favorite seasonings. Then get them on the grill! Use grilled vegetables as side dishes, in salads, or in other recipes like casseroles or vegetarian lasagna.

Oil the Vegetables Lightly

Before putting the veggies on the grill, toss them with a light coating of oil. Don't use too much-it not only adds unnecessary calories, but dripping oil causes flare-ups and greasy flavors. Plus, tossing them in oil helps your seasoning stick more uniformly.

Method 1: directly on the grill

For large veggies like corn, bell pepper, thicker sliced zucchini, eggplant and onion, and portobello mushrooms, I recommend slicing, seasoning and putting them directly on the grill so that they get those lovely grill marks.

“You can't get a smoky char from the oven,” Jeffrey said. “Grilling also cooks the vegetables a bit faster, meaning that they'll have nice color when they come off the grill, but are less likely to be overcooked.” The time, equipment on hand and type of meal you're cooking will determine which technique you should use.

Are grilled vegetables healthy for you? ›

Eating fruits and vegetables helps increase your intake of dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, and many other vital nutrients which support a healthy body. When grilling, select different types of vegetables. These include dark green, red, orange, starchy, and other vegetables, like asparagus and onion.

In general, vegetables benefit from a direct, high-heat grilling method. The exceptions are dense root vegetables, like potatoes and turnips, that are best grilled by the indirect method or parboiled and finished over the fire.

When cooked, leftover vegetables stored in an airtight container will usually keep up to 3–7 days in the refrigerator.

Grilling is a cooking method that involves placing food, typically meat or vegetables, on a grill or grate over an open flame or heat source. Common foods cooked by grilling include: 1. **Meat:** Steaks, burgers, sausages, chicken breasts, pork chops, and kebabs are popular choices for grilling.

Consider grilling some fennel, eggplant, peppers, and zucchini for a summery grilled vegetable antipasto platter, served with a sauce or two. Grill a few ears of corn, and you're ready to make corn salads, salsas, cornbread muffins, and tacos in minutes.

“You can't get a smoky char from the oven,” Jeffrey said. “Grilling also cooks the vegetables a bit faster, meaning that they'll have nice color when they come off the grill, but are less likely to be overcooked.” The time, equipment on hand and type of meal you're cooking will determine which technique you should use.

Certain vegetables do better if they are briefly cooked before being placed on the grill. For example, precook firm veggies, like asparagus and carrots, for about three to five minutes in a saucepan of simmering water. Potatoes can also be cut into slices or wedges and parboiled for about 10 minutes until just tender.