63 Best Grilled Vegetable Recipes for Barbecues and Beachside Bonfires
You can cook ribs year round; you can make grilled chicken whenever. But meals made with the best grilled vegetables take advantage of the timing of outdoor cooking season, focusing on corn just when it’s truly sweet, ripe eggplants that go silky on the grate, and blistered tomatoes bursting with juice. Summer grilling is better when you’re working with veggies, whether you’re talking charred green beans or blistered, spicy peppers. Below, you’ll find our favorite recipes for grilled veggie dishes, including side dishes, salads, and more, all perfect for lightly charred (or heavily charred) summer meals.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell1/63Grilled Whole Cauliflower With Miso Mayo
Basting cauliflower in a spicy butter sauce infuses it with flavor while turning it into one of the best grilled vegetables you'll every experience. Its gorgeous amber hue makes it an impressive-looking vegetarian entrée, and it also mingles well among your favorite grilled veggie and grilled side dishes if you're also cooking up some chicken, seafood, or pork.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens2/63Grilled Greens and Cheese on Toast
There's a lot to love about grilled cheese. But we're not talking about orange-tinted, buttery sandwiches here. Instead, this vegetarian main (or appetizer, if you prefer) introduces grillable Halloumi to direct flame, add a grilled veggie or two, and lightly charring some toast. The cook time is under 30 minutes, so this is the kind of grilling you can do on a weeknight.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell4/63Grilled Whole Eggplant With Harissa Vinaigrette
Nestle a whole eggplant in the dying embers of a charcoal grill (or char it up top) and it’ll soften into a deliciously smoky, spoonable mush. Serve this impressive, flavorful grilled veggie with slices of lightly charred bread or flatbread, and maybe something fresh and crisp like this cabbage tabbouleh.
Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Simon Andrews5/63Grilled Mushroom Antipasto Salad
Keep the mushrooms whole or in large pieces (so they don’t fall through the grate), and you will be rewarded with burnished, concentrated mushroom flavor. You can also prepare these hearty, easy grilled vegetables in a grill basket if you prefer. Dried oregano and a grated garlic clove boost the flavor of the vinaigrette.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou6/63Grilled Summer Squash and Red Onion with Feta
For maximum flavor without compromising char or texture, marinate zucchini or yellow squash for up to one hour after grilling. Bonus: it'll give you plenty of time to relax and have a drink.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou7/63Charred Leeks With Honey and Vinegar
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell10/63Grilled Beet Salad With Burrata and Cherries
Beet salad, meet the grill. Here, the beets are roasted whole, directly on the coals, which means they slip out of their skins easily and get a rich, smoky flavor. You can grill them up to two days ahead, making this a great add-on to a weekend cookout that'll give you an easy dish to make later in the week.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson11/633-Ingredient Charred Green Beans With Ricotta and Lemon
Photo by Laura Murray, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Simon Andrews13/63Grilled Eggplant With Garlicky Tahini-Yogurt Sauce
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson14/633-Ingredient Grilled Watermelon, Feta, and Tomato Salad
Ready to move beyond your basic tomato + balsamic vinegar summer salad situation? You can leave the vinegar out of your Italian-inspired tomato salad, but here's another fun move. Grilling watermelon adds a savory depth to the fruit, giving this refreshing side dish much more flavor than you’d imagine.
