Summertime is the season meant for grilling out. There are so many holidays and celebrations from May to September and nothing brings the family together more than a delicious outdoor grill sesh. But, we’re switching up the focus of grilling from meats to learning how to grill produce! Grilled veggies are easily the star of the show when made correctly and the variations are limitless.
First things first are the basics, when it comes to grilling vegetables, the simpler the better. Your best friends will be olive oil, salt & pepper, and the grill does the rest! Depending on the vegetable and the flavor and texture you’re looking for there are different techniques to be used. You can apply directly on the grates, in a grill basket, on skewers or in steamer packets. Our personal favorite is right on the grate, the flavor of those charred vegetables are unreal! Grill baskets are best for small chopped vegetables and skewers are helpful for chopped vegetables that you want charred. If you use a steamer packet, remember to use indirect heat. Here’s a graphic with recommended temps and times for some favorite grilled produce!
We all know cooking for a big group of people can be hectic, especially if you’re grilling with a house full of guests. It’s totally possible to grill and store your vegetables ahead of time, just be sure to follow these storing hacks:
- Room temperature for a few hours is OK
- If refrigerating, store in layers in shallow pans, cover each later and store for a max of 2 days
- Bring to room temperature before serving
Helpful Tips
- Oil vegetables lightly
- To prevent burning, sear veggies over high heat and move them to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking
- Cut smaller pieces for quicker cooking
- Use rosemary as a skewer to add extra flavor
- No grill? That’s ok, we’ve grilled shishito peppers in a waffle maker before
Recipes to Try
Sautéed Baby Vegetables with Grilled Portobellos
Grilled Baby Purple Artichokes with Parmesan Chipotle Aioli
Grilled Baby Purple Artichokes With Parmesan Chipotle Aioli
Ingredients
- 15 Melissa's baby purple artichokes
- 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chipotle in adobe sauce
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Prepare a hot grill.
- Cut off the top of the artichokes and peel off a few leaves to get to the more tender ones. Trim off the stems and split in half lengthwise. Juice the lemon into a bowl of water and add the trimmed artichokes.
- In a bowl, toss together the artichokes, olive oil and salt and pepper. Place the artichokes on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes. Flip them and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the grill.
- In another bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, chipotle and Parmesan cheese.
- Serve the artichokes with the mayo mixture.
