Grilled Veggie Skewers are a cinch to make and offer a scrumptious, nutritious way to add vegetables into your meals. They have an excellent charred flavor with no need for marinating, making them ideal as part of steak dinners, salads or even just summer snacks – everyone will love them! What’s more is that they contain almost zero calories!
What Veggies Are Good For Skewers?
For the most vibrant kebabs, choose vegetables that will stay firm throughout the grilling process.
My personal favorites are bell peppers of all colors, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, red onions (or yellow or shallots), and small cherry or grape tomatoes. You can take eggplant and asparagus as well. All of these veggies will stay put on a skewer and won’t easily fall apart during grilling. If you’d like a little extra crunch in your kebabs, add cubes of potatoes or sweet potatoes.
For corn and artichokes, I recommend alternating them with another vegetable. This will help keep them from falling off the skewer and make them more stable when grilling. Furthermore, only select vegetables that have a comparable cooking duration. That means it’s best to avoid harder veggies such as carrots and potatoes.
So, you can create a delectable combination with an array of flavors and hues. And, don’t forget about the colorful variety of vegetables – a kebab made with rainbow veggies is a great way to brighten up your plate!
Should Veggies Be Marinated Before Or After Grilling?
What should you do before firing up the grill and char-grill your veggies? Soak them in a zesty lemony herb garlic marinade for out of this world flavor! There is much debate on whether it’s best to add marinades after vegetables have been cooked or before grilling them -and the answer is both!
Many people find that marinating vegetables AFTER cooking yields a more flavorful result, as the hot veggies are better able to absorb all of the flavors.
While other grillmasters agree that vegetables taste even better when you marinade them first. To ensure your veggies don’t become soggy on the grill, use a thin and light marinade to give them an intense flavor without compromising their texture.
Whatever you decide, make sure to brush with oil or cooking spray before grilling your skewers, as this will help ensure they don’t stick to the grill and cook evenly.
Grilled vegetable skewers:
Equipment
- 1 Grill
- 1 Knife for Cutting
- 1 Silicone Brush
Ingredients
- 2 zucchinis
- 1 yellow squash
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 red or yellow onion
- ½ pound fresh mushrooms
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 dash ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 wooden skewers, pre-soaked in water
Instructions
- Cut zucchinis and yellow squash into 1-inch slices, cut red onion and peppers into chunks, cut in half cherry tomatos and mushrooms.
- Create a scrumptious balsamic dressing by blending together extra-virgin olive oil, garlic cloves finely diced, balsamic vinegar of your choice, Italian seasoning mix, salt and pepper.
- Preheat a grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
- Alternately thread pineapple chunks, zucchini slices, yellow squash slices, mushrooms, onion chunks, tomatoes, and bell pepper chunks onto skewers.
- Brush some of the mixture over vegetables, Use a silicone brush.
- On your preheated grill, place the veggie skewers on the grill grates.
- Cook them for around 7-8 minutes with the grill cover closed.
- Using tongs, rotate the skewers and apply more marinade. Then close your grill lid for 7-8 minutes to ensure that it is cooked through properly.
- Remove and serve warm.
What To Eaat With Grilled Vegetables?
You can serve grilled vegetables with a variety of dishes. Grilled veggies pair well with proteins like steak, chicken, or fish.
You can also enjoy them in salads or as toppings for sandwiches and burgers. They are delicious when paired with grains such as quinoa or farro. Or simply serve them over their own with some crusty bread on the side!
For an extra punch of flavor, garnish your skewers with freshly chopped herbs and a drizzle of olive oil before serving. You can also serve them up with a creamy tahini dressing or herbed yogurt to take it up another notch! Enjoy!