We absolutely love grilling and have discovered that you can grill just about anything! Well, except maybe rice - it would probably slip through the grates! 😄 But hey, we might give it a shot anyway! 🤷♀️ Regardless, grilled veggie kabobs are so delicious and such a fun way to enjoy summer veggies! The fresh veggies with a zesty marinade and that smoky grill flavor make for a perfect summer meal.
Grilled Veggie Kabobs
For our sizzling veggie kabobs, we threw in some zucchini, summer squash, a sweet red pepper, yellow pepper, and even some purple onion. I know purple onions can be a bit spicy, but when they're added to the marinade and grilled, they actually mellow out and blend perfectly with the other fantastic summer veggies. And hey, we didn't stop there – we also tossed in some baby Bella mushrooms. These little guys have an awesome texture and they soak up the marinade like nobody's business. So every bite is like a burst of pure deliciousness in your mouth!
We absolutely love hot peppers! To add some extra kick to our grilled veggie kabobs, we decided to throw in a couple of jalapeños. We simply cut them into thirds and put them on the skewer. Let me tell you, these jalapeños were seriously HOT this time! They seemed to have a little more kick than usual, but it was a fantastic addition to the veggie kabobs. Of course, adding jalapeños is completely optional, but it's a fun way to spice things up!
Marinade
We came up with this homemade marinade using some of our favorite herbs and spices. It's super easy to make. However, if you don't feel like making the marinade, you can also use low-fat Italian dressing (not the creamy version). The bottled dressing works great and adds a nice flavor to the veggies. You can marinate the vegetables a day in advance before cooking them. The mushrooms really soak up the marinade, so they only need about 30 minutes to one hour. We put the mushrooms in their own bag so the other veggies could marinate for longer without having to worry about the mushrooms hogging all the good stuff. 😀
Grilling Veggies
When you're grilling veggies, make sure to give them enough time to cook. If you're doing chicken or lamb kabobs, start with the veggies since they take a little extra time. Put the veggies over the fire and then move them to the side to roast and cook nice and slow. Cooking them slow keeps the crunch and ensures that you don't lose that veggie and marinade flavor.
TIPS:
- If using wooden skewers before you throw them on the grill, soak 'em in salted water for at least one hour. Wooden skewers tend to burn easily, so by giving them a good soak, you can stop the veggies from turning into charcoal. They might still singe a bit on the ends, but it won't happen as quickly as if you didn't soak 'em first.
Veggie grilling Tips
- You can totally cook veggies in a grilling pan to save time. This way, you won't have to bother with putting the veggies on skewers. A Veggie Grill Pan works great because the veggies are all mixed together and will cook evenly. Plus, you don’t have to worry about soaking the skewers and the time it takes to skewer the veggies.
- Marinate the mushrooms in a separate bag to let them soak up the marinade.
- The grilled veggies kabobs can be skewered prior to marinating. But don't put the veggies in a bag, the skewers can punch a hole in the plastic bag. Instead, marinate them in a large casserole dish.
- Use roasted garlic powder. This is one of our favorite ways to add extra flavor to dishes. We've actually become obsessed with this spice!!! We love to make and use fresh roasted garlic but if we don't have any in the house, we substitute it with roasted garlic powder.
- Use your favorite summer veggies. Our go-to choices are mushrooms, onions, zucchini, summer squash, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and corn on the cob. Vidalia onion is also a great option due to its mild flavor.
- Use tongs to turn the veggies on the grill. Don't use your hands. I may have tried that once. .or twice. Yes, I have no feeling in my fingers!!!😆
Happy Grilling!!!!
Here are some other recipes we thought you might enjoy:
- Lamb Kabobs - Discover the deliciousness of Lamb Kabobs! A simple blend of herbs & spices provides a flavorful & enjoyable take on a traditional dinner.
- Zesty Chicken kabobs - fun and easy. Loaded with flavors like lemon and oregano, the marinade infuses the chicken for a juicy, flavorful bite.
- Homemade pizza with tomato pesto ricotta sauce - Homemade Pizza with Tomato and Pesto Ricotta Sauce
- Garlic ginger sugar snap peas - Find out why Sugar Snap Peas are my favorite veggie with tips for getting the freshest flavor! This easy recipe is ready in just a few minutes
- 15 Bean soup recipe - Craving a delicious and hearty soup? This 15-bean soup is perfect for a rainy and cold day. Enjoy the taste without compromising your diet.
Grilled Veggie Kabobs
A Few Things We Use
Ingredients
Dry mix for Homemade Italian Dressing
- 1 teaspoon Roasted Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Minced onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Basil
- 1 teaspoon Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Celery
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Optional - only if you want to add spice
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ Cup Olive Oil
- ⅓ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 Tablespoon Water
Veggies
- 2 Small Summer Squash
- 2 Small Zucchini
- ½ Purple Onion
- 1 Red Sweet pepper (Can use any Sweet Pepper - Green, red, yellow, or orange pepper)
- 1 Orange Sweet Pepper
- 2 Jalapeños Optional - Only if you want some spice
- 12 ounces Mushrooms We used white mushrooms and Bella mushrooms
Instructions
- Cut Summer Squash, Zucchini, Purple Onion, Red Pepper, Orange Pepper, and Jalapeno (if using) into one-inch pieces.
- Mix together the marinade. (spices, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and water). If you don't want to make homemade marinade use low-fat Italian dressing.
- Place the veggies into a storage bag (You can skewer veggies at this point if you're marinating in a casserole dish.)
- Pour the marinade over the veggies. Make sure the veggies are completely covered with the marinade. Marinate for at least two hours up to overnight.
- If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. This will help them from burning on the grill.
- Skewer the veggies.
- Place veggies on the grill and cook until tender. Start to grill directly over the fire and then move them to the edges and cook until veggies become tender.
- When veggies are soft and tender the way you want, remove them from the grill. They will cook for a few additional minutes after being removed from the grill.
- Enjoy with your favorite sauce. We used Tzatziki sauce.
Jacob says
Temperature for the grill? Maybe I missed it
Amy says
Hi. We use a charcoal grill, so temp can vary. You'll want to have the grill at a Medium to Medium High heat for the veggies. All grills are a little different, so you'll want to keep an eye on the veggies and turn them so they cook evenly.