The Ultimate Guide to Grilling Veggies

Grilling vegetables is one of the simplest ways to add nutrition to your meals without wrecking your diet in the meantime. Grilling adds a lot of flavor with no need for oil or butter at all. Grilling (or roasting) slowly dry heats vegetables so they retain their moisture versus frying them which quickly dries them out.

Not sure how long to grill vegetables and which ones are best? Check out this guide to get you started!

Equipment

You can use an indoor or small outdoor grill for grilling veggies, so don’t worry if you don’t have a fancy grill. I use my mini George Foreman, and it works just great!

You’ll also need a spatula or tongs to remove your veggies from the hot grill.

The Best Vegetables to Grill

Though you can grill any type you like, here are the best to grill due to their firm texture which holds up well:

• Zucchini (cut into rounds or strips)
• Yellow Squash (cut into rounds or strips)
• Sweet potatoes (cubes, strips, or halves
• Other potatoes (cubes, strips, or halves)
• Winter squash such as acorn, kabocha, butternut (peeled and cut into cubes or strips)
• Eggplant (cut into rounds or strips)
• Carrots (cut into rounds or strips)
• Canned Artichokes (drained and rinsed)
• Leeks (whole or chopped in half)
• Green Beans (whole)
• Tomatoes- technically a fruit (cut into wedges or grape tomatoes can be grilled whole)
• Corn (whole on the cob)
• Parsnips (peeled and cut into strips)
• Beets (peeled and cubed)
• Onions (cut into strips)
• Mushrooms (sliced to 1 inch thick or small button mushrooms can be grilled whole)
• Bell Peppers (cut into strips)
• Asparagus (whole or cut into pieces)

Seasoning Ideas

Here are some simple seasoning ideas to sprinkle on your veggies before you grill them. Veggies also taste great grilled plain, so feel free to leave them bare.

*Do not use straight salt since it dries out veggies quickly and they may shrivel up during grilling*

• Italian Seasoning
• Pepper
• Garam Masala
• Mrs. Dash (any variety)
• Old Bay (use low-sodium)
• Paprika
• Chili Powder
• Curry
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Parsley with lemon juice
• Tamari
• Lemon juice
• Lime juice

Dipping Ideas

You can serve your veggies raw as a snack, on top of a salad, or along side a meal, but if you want to make things interesting, serve them with a vegan dip as a snack or a side dish. Here are some of the best dips for grilled veggies:

• Hot Sauce
• Mustard
• Mix of mustard, vegan mayo, and ketchup
• Vegan salad dressing
• Ketchup
• Salsa
• Hummus
• Guacamole
• Any other vegan dips that are double-dip worthy

Grilling Times

Most all vegetables listed above grill in 3 – 4 minutes. Items like potatoes may take longer if left in halves. The starchier the veggie, the longer it takes to grill. Remember the finer you chop vegetables, the quicker they will grill.

Food Sanitation Tips

• Buy organic if you can to avoid pesticide contamination.
• Wash your hands!
• Wash all vegetables and dry thoroughly before grilling.
• Do not grill on a grill where meat has been grilled without thoroughly cleaning it first.  (This is important if you live with omnivores!)
• Serve immediately or store in the fridge and eat  within 4 days.
• Clean your grill with a hot cloth right after you remove the veggies. The hotter the grill, the easier it is to clean. Do not use soap as it may eat away the enamel on the grill.

Grilling veggies is one of the easiest, simplest ways to add nutrition to your diet in a quick, easy, and extremely flavorful way. Do you grill vegetables? What’s your favorite type?

Image source: AlisonLOL/ Flickr