Barbecuing vegetables on the grill is a delicious option for vegetarians who still want to take part in the family barbecue, and a nutritious alternative to fattier side dishes such as potato salad and chips. Everything from zucchini to eggplant to tomato can be marinated, stuffed, glazed and thrown on the grill for perfect summer fare. The trick to perfectly grilled vegetables lies in monitoring the cooking times of each vegetable to ensure that everything cooks evenly and without excessive charring.
Step 1
Set the heat on your gas grill to medium high. If using a charcoal grill, prepare the coals, and heat until they are smoldering white.
Step 2
Rub down the grill with extra virgin olive oil, which will prevent the vegetables from sticking to the cooking surface.
Step 3
Wash and clean your vegetables. For vegetables like bell peppers, you may opt to remove the whitish membrane inside as well. Cut the vegetables into serving-size portions.
Step 4
Prepare your basting sauce. Combine the garlic ,balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, honey, black pepper, sea salt and olive oil. Whisk the mixture together well and baste the vegetables. Continue to baste them with the sauce while grilling.
Step 5
Place your vegetables on the grill, and cook them for five minutes. Turn the vegetables 45 to 90 degrees and then flip them. Grill vegetables like peppers, eggplant, onions and corn on the cob for five to seven minutes per side. Wrap veggies like tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms and carrots in aluminum foil, and cook for between three and four minutes per side.
Tips and Warnings
- When plating the vegetables, arrange them so as to emphasize their colors. Add garnishes of fresh herbs, lemon wedges or sides of the barbecue sauce/ glaze for your guests.
- Remember that different vegetables possess different thicknesses and other characteristics that will vary their cooking time. You need to be careful to stagger the cooking time of each item accordingly so as to avoid over or under-cooking a portion of your menu.
Things You'll Need
- Tongs
- Assorted vegetables
- Grill
- Seasonings
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. garlic (granulated)
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 1 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp. sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Aluminum foil - optional
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