How to Grill Vegetables

When summertime grilling comes to mind, most people think of tossing hamburgers, hot dogs and maybe corn on the cob on the barbecue. But almost any vegetable grills up well, making it easier to create a healthy, delicious meal any day.

Best of all, grilling vegetables is easy and quick.

 

What Vegetables to Grill

Nearly any vegetable can go on the grill, but some standouts are asparagus, eggplant, mushrooms, bell or hot peppers, onions, cabbage, and corn.

Artichokes, beets, radishes, fennel, leeks, zucchini, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, and any type of squash are also excellent choices.

 

How to Grill Vegetables

The steps for grilling veggies are simple:

• Wash and trim the vegetable.
• Cut the veggie in into slices about ½ inch thick.
• Brush the vegetable with olive oil (and, if desired, herbs) or marinade.
• Larger vegetable pieces can go directly on a preheated grill, but smaller vegetables need to go on skewers or in a grilling basket.
• While grilling, brush with oil or marinade, and turn frequently. This prevents drying and scorching.
• When the skin on the veggie starts to blister and the center is soft, remove from the grill.

 

Marinades

Most chefs recommend a marinade made mostly from lemon or lime juice mixed with oil. A good basic recipe is to mix 2 parts olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 part lemon juice. To this, fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary may be added.

Switch things up a bit by trying different types of oil (like sesame or walnut oil) or replace the juice with vinegar (like balsamic or red wine vinegar).

 

Tips for Vegan and Vegetarian Grilling

When grilling eggplant, soak in water for 30 minutes before grilling. Pat dry before applying oil or marinade. The same is true of asparagus, although you can soak that vegetable for closer to an hour.

For corn, don’t remove the husks; just pull the husks back and remove the silk. Soak in cold water for half an hour, pat dry, brush with butter, and pull the husks back up, securing them in place with string.

Cut off the root end of a whole garlic, brush with oil, and grill with the cut side down until the skin is brown.

 

Warning

Most veggies cook quickly on the grill, so keep your eye on them, less they burn.

 

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