How to Grill Veggies
With summer in full flex, it’s time to get to know your grill and brush up on bbq recipes. Here are a few tips and tricks on grilling veggies - from onions to eggplants.
First things first - prep and chop.
Asparagus: Cut the ends (about 1 inch from the end).
Bell peppers: Remove the seeds and quarter.
Cremini mushrooms: Pull out stems and halve.
Onions: Peel and quarter through the root.
Tomatoes: Pro tip - find small tomatoes that are still on the vine. The stem makes it easier to move them around on the grill.
Yellow squash, zucchini, and eggplant: Cut lengthwise and chop.
After they’re prepped, brush the vegetables with olive oil and double check that the grill has a clean surface.
Let’s get to grillin’
Time will all depend on size and shape of the veggie + the hot spots on your grill. Sturdier vegetables like onions and peppers can take the high heat so it’s best to pop them on the back of the grill, which is usually the hottest.
Start with the back of the grill and move towards the front. That means, onions and peppers in the back (or wherever the hot spots are); then you’ll add mushrooms, eggplants, zucchini and squash. Next will be asparagus, which usually doesn’t need much cook time, and finally, tomatoes. Leave untouched for about 3-4 minutes, then flip and refer to the following cook times to complete:
Onions and peppers: 8-10 minutes
Mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini and squash: 7-8 minutes
Asparagus, green onions, and tomatoes on the vine: 4-6 minutes
If the veggies are taking longer than the above times, feel free to move them to a hotter spot or cooler, if they’re browning up too fast. Don’t be afraid to move vegetables to a different area of the grill if they aren’t cooking fast enough or are getting too brown.