Grilled Summer Vegetables

These colorful summer vegetables are marinated in a light vinaigrette and cooked to perfection on a grill, smoker, or in the oven. Excellent served as a nutritious and colorful side dish or chopped up in a couscous salad.  

One of my favorite phrases is “Eat the Rainbow!”. Honestly. The more vibrant the color, the better it tastes! Plus, the more color a vegetable or fruit bares, the more nutritious it is for you. And no matter how great beta carotene is for you, it simply wouldn’t be prudent to eat solely orange foods. The more varied the color, the better – visually and nutritionally.

And this is precisely why these Grilled Summer Vegetables are one of our go-to recipes during the summer months when we spend a lot more time outdoors and use the grill to cook our meals. It’s ironic because I don’t recall having grilled vegetables despite the fact that we ate a lot of vegetables in my childhood home. I think a lot of our vegetables were either served raw or boiled. But I don’t have the best memory.

What I do remember, is the first time I was presented with grilled vegetables while living in Italy. I couldn’t believe how incredible the colors and flavors were. I had no idea you could grill eggplant and zucchini! Every single bite was filled with such bold character. That’s when I fell in love with grilled vegetables – long before I had even heard the term “plant-based”.

Now that we eat plant-based, we enjoy a plethora of vegetables in a myriad of cooking methods. And this just so happens to be perfect for summer weather. Plus, these veggies have so much serving potential!! I like serving them with pasta – my favorites are couscous and edamame noodles. I simply love the soft texture with the Grilled Summer Vegetables. It’s a match made in heaven. Keep in mind that you can serve these Grilled Summer Vegetables with any pasta or whole grain, including quinoa, rice, millet, or sorghum.

So let’s chat about the vegetables. I like using onions, bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant (aubergine), whole mushrooms, and asparagus. You can also grill tomatoes and carrots, but I usually don’t. The carrots tend to take longer than the other vegetables and the tomatoes generally become too mushy for my liking. But you do you. If you like soft grilled tomatoes, you should definitely include them.

You may note that the measurements aren’t precise. This is simply because vegetables come in different sizes. Sometimes you may have the privilege of enjoying a huge zucchini. Other times, the zucchini may be somewhat thin. There’s plenty of marinade so that’s not an issue. If you don’t have enough real estate in your grill or oven to cook everything at once, work in batches. Or if the weather is nice, grill half today and the other half tomorrow. Easy peasy.

Next up is the marinade. There are so many ways to dress a vegetable for the grill. While this recipe is somewhat inspired by my initial introduction in Italy, these Grilled Summer Vegetables have morphed over the years. And admittedly, I don’t always measure. Scratch that. I rarely measure. And that’s what I need to emphasize. You can use or omit any of these ingredients and it will still turn out incredible. I promise.

I’m not just saying this because it’s my post and recipe. I’m telling you because my Grilled Summer Vegetables are rarely the same. Every single time I make it, it’s slightly different. It really depends on what I have in the refrigerator and pantry. It also depends on my mood. As I said before, I’ve been known to add tomatoes or carrots because they were begging me to include them. It just depends.

The marinade is the same. You can add a little more vinegar or herbs. You can also reduce the amount of soy sauce or tamari. I like adding a variety of spices in the marinade. In fact, I’m sharing my favorite blend, which is a little different from the standard Italian grilled or roasted vegetables you may have come across in the past.

I like adding a little cumin and smoked paprika because my husband really likes the combination. If you prefer a more traditional flavor profile, feel free to omit these two and add a blend of Italian seasonings like basil, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Again, it’s really based on your preference. Regardless of what you include, these Grilled Summer Vegetables will be delicious. I’m not even exaggerating. It’s something to do with grilling veggies – it’s magic…

Also, if you follow a gluten-free diet or are making this for someone who does, be sure to use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos instead of the soy sauce. But you already know this, I’m sure.

The next important note is the grill. These are Grilled Summer Vegetables after all. But what if you don’t have a grill? No problem!! You can also roast these vegetables in the oven. I use the oven throughout the winter when it’s way too cold out. The point is to release and deepen the natural flavors of the vegetables through the cooking process.

So please know that you can use a grill, oven, or smoker. We actually have an electric smoker that poses as a grill most of the time. It regulates the temperature by slowly adding wood pellets. It’s almost like using an oven but with the flavor and aroma of a wood fire.

A few minutes on the grill, smoker, or in the oven is all it takes to turn these vibrant vegetables into a delicious meal. Don’t believe me? Check out these photos!

Now we’re ready to begin!

The process is fairly straight-forward. Simply cut your larger vegetables in slices or planks so that they can cook evenly. Slice them as thin or thick as you want. The thinner you cut your vegetables, the less time it will take to cook. So be sure to keep an eye on your veggies. But don’t slice them too thin. We aren’t dehydrating anything here. You want the vegetables to retain plenty of moisture, which is important for flavor retention.

It’s important to note that there’s no need to slice the mushrooms, asparagus, or tomatoes (if using). They are so much easier to grill in their whole form. Don’t worry, you can slice or chop them up later, if you prefer.

Once all your veggies are prepped, dip them in your marinade and place them in a bowl, dish, or on a baking sheet. You will probably have a bunch of marinade left. Not only is this one hundred percent okay, it’s highly desirable!! You can drizzle the marinade over the vegetables and other sides on your plate. You can also toss it in your couscous, pasta, or grain. That’s precisely what I do.

Talk about flavor overload!!

Let’s get back to the vegetables. I like placing the dressed veggies on a baking sheet. I find they are so much easier to work with when they are laid out. If you’re roasting the vegetables, they’re ready to place in the oven. You’ll want to cook them for about 20-30 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit, depending on how thick you slice the vegetables. If they start to char, simply flip them over.

If you’re using a grill, you can certainly cook them on the baking sheet, but I think the vegetables cook better on the grill’s surface. Plus, you get to see the char marks from the grill rack. Depending on how hot your grill or smoker is, you’ll need to turn your vegetables over or rotate them around so they continue to cook evenly. This process may not take very long if your fire is really hot. This is especially true when cooking over an open flame or camp fire.

Also, please note that I recommend including a small amount of oil in the marinade to help your veggies from sticking. You may need to spray or wipe your grill’s surface with oil if it’s a bit dry and things tend to stick. Otherwise, your vegetables may get stuck to the rack permanently. And that would be a terrible waste!!

Once your Grilled Summer Vegetables appear the way you want them to and are cooked to your level of doneness, remove them from the grill and transfer them to a large bowl. You can either leave them as they are and serve with your couscous, pasta, potatoes, or grains. Or you can chop your vegetables up and toss them with some pasta and the remaining marinade.

Like I said, pasta and veggies are an absolutely delicious combination. And one of our all-time favorites. Did you start salivating at this couscous salad?? I’m telling you, it’s incredible!

The best part is these Grilled Summer Vegetables store extremely well. They can be made a few days in advance and served warm, at room temperature, or chilled. All options are fantastic! Same goes for the grilled veggie and pasta salad. I prefer mine at room temperature. And don’t forget to drizzle the remaining marinade over the vegetables and pasta or grains!

If you aren’t able to enjoy all of your grilled veggies when you make them and prefer to store them longer, simply place them in a freezer safe container or sealable bag, and freeze for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, remove them from the freezer and allow them to thaw completely before serving.

I hope you enjoy these Grilled Summer Vegetables as much as I do.  

I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Ingredients

• 1-2 onions, halved or quartered
• 2-4 assorted bell peppers, halved
• 1-2 zucchini, sliced in long planks
• 1-2 yellow squash, quartered or sliced lengthwise
• 1 eggplant, sliced in long planks
• 8 ounces whole mushrooms
• 8 ounces asparagus, ends removed
• 1-2 tomatoes or 4 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes (optional)
• Marinade (recipe follows)
• 1 pkg couscous, pasta, or grain, prepared per package instructions (optional)

Marinade Ingredients

• ½ cup balsamic or red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
• ¼ cup agave syrup or maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce*
• 1 Tbsp avocado oil** (optional)
• 1 Tbsp italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp cayenne (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the marinade by stirring all of the Marinade ingredients together in a bowl or liquid measuring cup. 
2. Dip the vegetables in the marinade and place them in a bowl or baking sheet.

1. Using tongs, place the vegetables in batches directly on the grill, under an open flame, in a smoker, or in a preheated oven at 400° F for 15 minutes.  Turn over and grill another 10-15 minutes, until desired doneness. 
2. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!! You’ll know the vegetables are ready when nice grill marks show underneath and the vegetables begin to char.  If using the oven, place the kabobs on a wired baking rack on a baking sheet.  This allows air flow and uniformed cooking.  It also prevents a mess in your oven.

1. Serve the vegetables warm, at room temperature, or chilled.  If desired, chop up the vegetables and toss with remaining marinade and couscous for a warm salad. 

Notes

* Lord Sandy makes a vegan Worcestershire Sauce, available at my local grocer. 

** This recipe has the option to grill or roast your vegetables without any oil, if you prefer.   If you do not include oil in the marinade, use a lined pan or lay them on a wire rack over a baking sheet to avoid the vegetables from sticking.  And be careful not to let your vegetables stay on the grill or in the oven too long; otherwise, they start to dry out too much.  If your vegetables tend to stick to your grill or pan, consider using a nonstick spray.  The marinade should keep them from sticking.  I found that a small amount of oil alleviated both of these issues. 

These grilled vegetables are great in buddha bowls, with cooked rice, couscous, sorghum, millet, or quinoa. I think the couscous complements the veggies perfectly, especially when chopped and tossed together with the remaining vinaigrette.

Store any remaining marinade covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  Delicious on salads, over grains, and vegetables.