Grilled Vegetables

This colorful grilled vegetables recipe, seasoned with Mediterranean flavors, will teach you how to grill vegetables like a pro and keep your family and friends coming back for more!

You don’t need any special grill pan or even skewers to make grilled vegetables. Along the Mediterranean sea where I was born and raised, they’re often thrown on the grill whole with nothing more than a drizzle of olive oil, charring until they’re perfectly tender and smoky. 

Although I do love a good veggie skewer, I embraced simplicity with this easy grilled veggies recipe by skipping that step. Instead, I used the time I would’ve spent chopping veggies and sliding them onto a stick to make a few upgrades, like boosting the flavor party with fresh herbs, vibrant spices, and a lemony dressing. These grilled vegetables are so good, they give off main dish energy.

Table of Contents

1. Best Vegetables to Grill (At Least These Are My Favorites!)
1. Veggies
2. Garnishes and Seasonings
2. Ways to Mix it Up: Other Grilled Vegetable Options 
3. How to Grill Vegetables
4. What to Serve with Grilled Vegetables 
5. More Grilled Vegetable Recipes
6. Grilled Vegetables Recipe

Best Vegetables to Grill (At Least These Are My Favorites!)

I kept things simple for this breezy recipe while going for a nice variety of colors, textures, and flavors:

Veggies

• Eggplant: The smoky char of the grill goes beautifully with eggplant’s sweet, earthy flavor. 
• Peppers: Grill whole baby bell peppers, or slice bell peppers into thick strips.
• Squash: I love the vibrant color of yellow squash; any summer squash like zucchini would work well. 
• Asparagus: Look for thicker spears, which will be sturdier on the grill. You can learn more in this recipe for grilled asparagus. 
• Tomatoes: I know, tomatoes are technically a fruit. But they deserve an honorable mention! Whole Campari tomatoes work well on the grill because of their smallish size.

Garnishes and Seasonings

• Za’atar adds nutty, bright, and aromatic quality. Substitute with Italian seasoning (I make my own) or Greek oregano. 
• Sumac is a vibrant Mediterranean spice that adds an addictive brightness. It’s well worth seeking out, or you can substitute with fresh lemon zest. 
• Salt and pepper enhance the flavor. 
• Fresh herbs: Parsley and basil bring a refreshing quality that makes these grilled veggies taste like peak summer. 
• Feta cheese: I love how the tangy, creamy feta softens into the warm veggies and becomes a dip of sorts as you go, but feel free to leave this off for a vegan option. For a low-lactose variation, swap for shaved parmesan. 
• Lemon: Perks everything up, drawing out the veggies’ natural sweet and savory flavor. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: Adds richness. I love a robust and peppery Spanish Hojiblanca with this recipe, but any high-quality extra virgin variety you have on hand will do. 

Ways to Mix it Up: Other Grilled Vegetable Options 

This lemony dressing can work with a variety of grilled vegetables. Some more ideas: 

• Corn on the cob: My easy tutorial for how to grill corn takes the guesswork out of the equation.
• Romaine lettuce: Yes, you can grill lettuce! In no time at all, a hot grill turns Romaine lettuce smoky, tender, and perfectly charred.
• Onions: Cut the onions into thick wedges or slices. Red onions are my favorite to grill because they are a little milder than yellow onions and slightly sweeter. 
• Brussels sprouts: My favorite way to prepare grilled Brussels sprouts is to quickly marinate them, skewer them, and grill them over medium-high heat. 
• Mushrooms: I like using large mushrooms like portobellos, and I don’t bother cutting them – just grill them whole.
• Zucchini or yellow squash: Zucchini is so versatile on the grill: Slice it into batons, rounds, make roll ups, or lengthwise as I’ve done here. 
• Carrots: I’ve had great results grilling thinner carrots whole, or by cutting larger carrots in half lengthwise. 
• Potatoes: Slice them into wedges for crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, grilled potato wedges!

How to Grill Vegetables

This grilled vegetables recipe will teach you how to grill vegetables the easy way, plus a lemony dressing to bring them to the next level. Here are the steps:

• Optional: Salt the eggplant to remove bitterness. Trim off the stem of 1 globe eggplant, then slice into 1/2-inch thick slabs. If you have the time, sprinkle all over with salt and place in a colander for 20 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel, removing excess salt.
• Meanwhile, prep the rest of your vegetables for grilling. I used 3 sweet mini peppers, but if you’re using bell peppers cut them into wide strips. Halve 3 yellow squash lengthwise. Trim off the tough woody ends of 1 pound of asparagus. Grab 5-6 Campari tomatoes (you can leave a little of the stem on for some visual flair or pick it off).
• Get ready to grill. Oil the grates of your grill and set to medium-high. Place the vegetables on a large tray or sheet pan, drizzle generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Give the veggies a quick toss to make sure they are well-coated with the oil. 
• Prep your garnishes and make the lemony dressing. Chop enough fresh parsley and basil leaves to get 1/4 cup each. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the juice of 1/2 lemon and 3 tablespoons olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. 
• Place vegetables on heated grill and cook until tender. Vegetables will be ready at different points, so watch accordingly or cook in batches: about 15 minutes for sweet mini peppers; 8 to 9 minutes for yellow squash and eggplant; and 5 to 6 minutes for Campari tomatoes and asparagus. Shift/turn the vegetables occasionally without fussing too much—letting them sit on the hot grill will give you a good char. 
• Finish and serve. Arrange the grilled vegetables on a large platter. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of za’atar and sumac. Whisk the dressing once more and pour all over the vegetables. Top with the fresh parsley, basil, and crumble on feta (if using). Enjoy!

What to Serve with Grilled Vegetables 

You really can’t go wrong with these grilled veggies. Serve them as a colorful vegetarian main with an assortment of dips, pita chips, and a hearty salad like Balela, a traditional chickpea salad that’s also filled with color and flavor.

Of course, they also pair well with grilled meat and fish, like spicy harissa chicken or simple grilled salmon. And for dessert, keep the grill hot for grilled mango or watermelon.

If you have leftover grilled veggies, chop them up and mix them into 1 cup of cooked grains like bulgur or farro.

* This post has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit.