Grilling with Grilled Plate: A Step-by-Step Guide: You may not think about vegetables while grilling season, but you should. They’re my favorite barbecue item. Summer vegetables are abundant, feel-good, and attractive, and prepping them is easy because they’re at their peak.
PWWB House favourites include this grilled vegetable dish. At our backyard summer events, you’ll always discover a colourful and lively grilled veggie buffet. Even meat-loving guys at our summer events skip the grilled wings for grilled veggies.
A delicious grilled vegetable dish has two secrets:
Grill vegetables perfectly—a simple technique! Grilling gives vegetables a delicious charred flavor that sauteing or roasting cannot match.
Serve with a mild herbal sauce. You can never go wrong with pesto sauce or green goddess dip, but homemade chimichurri adds lively flavor to anything it touches. It complements grilled veggies perfectly!
Highlights of Grilled Vegetable Platter
A seasonal showcase. Grilling makes summer vegetables shine. In-season eating celebrates vegetables at their best.
A party prep lifesaver. Summer vegetables are a cheap way to feed a crowd. A grilled vegetable plate is easy to make, meal-prep-friendly, and delicious hot or cold–it doesn’t get better!
THE BEST SHAREABLE. The grilled vegetable tray is also a party centrepiece. Guests like choosing their favorite vegetables from the platter. Everyone can enjoy a grilled veggie plate, whether vegan, dairy-free, or gluten-free.
Select Veggies for a Beautiful Grilled Platter
Almost any veggie can be grilled! Naturally, I have my favourites, but the possibilities are unlimited. Heat zones allow most vegetables to grill, but they may need various cooking periods. Consider this when choosing grilled veg platter veggies.
- My favorite grill vegetable is asparagus! Trim the asparagus’ woody ends for soft spears.
- Grill little bell peppers whole for a charming and convenient meal! Slice bell peppers into large flat slabs to grill.
- Grill broccolini stalks with a slight trim at the ends. Enjoy the grill’s added charring and crisping of the delicate broccolini florets.
- I love how the grill brings out red onions’ inherent richness. Peel and quarter the onion lengthwise, leaving the ends intact to prevent breaking while grilling.
- Sweet potato – You can peel your sweet potato, but chop it into rounds or planks rather than lengthy slices to avoid falling through the grill grates.
- Summer’s little superstars: grape or cherry tomatoes! I recommend skewering tomatoes for easier grilling.
- Quarter zucchini lengthwise after trimming the ends. This time of year has plenty of summer squash, so use any you choose!
Grilling Vegetables for a Delicious Summer Platter
A good grilling technique is the key to grilling veggies beautifully. Mushy or charred veggies are very disappointing. What you need to know to prepare the ultimate grilled vegetable platter!
- Prepare grill. Fire up the grill for medium-high direct heat (450-500 degrees F). Grilling veggies on medium-high heat tenderizes them rapidly and gives them beautiful grill marks.
- We want this tender-crisp balance! Feeling uncertain? ⇢ Create two heat zones, one with a high flame and one with a lower flame. varying veggies require varying grilling temperatures depending on their thickness, thus heat zones help them cook properly.
- Vegetable prep. Cut and slice vegetables for grilling (see Recipe Card or A-Z Grilled Veggie Guide). Use high-smoke-point oil and generously season. Prep Tips! ⇢ Always chop vegetables larger to fit on the grill. Cutting them smaller makes them more prone to fall through the grill grates when turned.
- Each vegetable should be sliced uniformly to cook evenly. A small rimmed baking sheet is also great for prepping veggies. It makes seasoning equally easier and makes the sheet easy to carry to the grill.
- Grill veggies. Sprinkle seasoned vegetables immediately on the grill. Begin with the heartier, slower-cooking veggies and add the others as you go to ensure everything cooks at once.
- Prepare a grilled vegetable dish by starting with onions and sweet potatoes, then adding bell peppers, broccolini, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Remember! ⇢ Remember heat zones! If veggies are scorched yet require further cooking to be soft, lower the heat.
If necessary, cook the veggies in batches until slightly softened and with crisp grill marks.
Easy Chimichurri Sauce: Perfect for Vegan Grilled Veggies
Fresh herbs—Coriander, parsley, and oregano are great together. While parsley and oregano give clean, peppery aromas, cilantro adds warmth and spice. For convenience and less waste, use cilantro and parsley leaves and stems.
- Lemon—Lemon zest and juice brighten chimichurri sauce.
- Aromatics: Fresh garlic and crushed red pepper flakes for spice are vital.
- Olive oil – This healthy fat balances the robust ingredients and brings out the fresh flavors in this creamy sauce.
- Red wine vinegar — Tangy accent to this earthy, lemony, garlicky sauce.
- You’ll do… Simply pulse the ingredients in a food processor to make chimichurri sauce. Only a few minutes to prepare! You may create the chimichurri a week ahead to speed up your grilled vegetable tray at party time.
Ingredients
- 2–3 tbsp avocado oil
- Select vegetables to grill:
- 1 asparagus bunch, woody ends cut
- 8–10 small bell peppers (or 1 medium pepper, sliced into 4–5 flat planks)
- 1 broccoli bunch, ends trimmed
- 1 large red onion, peeled and quartered lengthwise with ends intact
- Prepare 1 medium sweet potato by peeling and slicing into ¼-inch rounds.
- remove ends and quarter lengthwise 1 medium zucchini
- Grillable 8-ounce grape or cherry tomatoes
- ground black pepper and kosher salt to season
chimichurri sauce:
- 1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves and delicate stems
- 1/4 cup packed parsley leaves and tender stems
- One heaping tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed