Eggplant, Zucchini, Peppers and Onions are great options for grilling.
Many restaurants make this grilled vegetables recipe. Often, these types of grilled vegetables are what people think of when they think of the Mediterranean diet, but interestingly many of the vegetables that are often grilled originate from all over the world (e.g. squash comes from the America’s , eggplant from Asia, onions from the Middle East etc…)
Grilled vegetables are delicious served as a fiber rich, gluten-free, healthy, vegan side dish or in a vegetarian sandwich between crusty sourdough or gluten-free bread, or (as a restaurant I worked for served as a special), in between a portobello mushroom “burger” with delicious easy to make garlic aioli.
Vegetables cut for grilling.
Fresh herbs and other flavors are best added after grilling. Do brush the pieces with oil before you grill to prevent them from burning. We make a batch almost every Sunday to keep in the fridge for future salads or snacks.
- 1 Eggplant, sliced in 3/4″ circles
- 2 Red, Green or Yellow Peppers ( stem removed and cut in quarters).
- 1-2 Red or Yellow Onions sliced into 3/4″ slices
- 2-3 Zucchini and/or Long Yellow Squash, cut lengthwise
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh chopped Herbs of choice (optional)
- Pinch of chopped Garlic (also optional)
Rinse and slice each vegetable for grilling. For peppers, remove the stems and inner veins (the white “pith”) of each pepper with your hands (it’s easier than a knife). Slice the zucchini lengthwise. You could choose to cut the vegetables smaller and use a grill pan with holes so the vegetables would not fall through the grill grates. This is a great, easy grilling option!
Brush vegetables with oil before grilling to prevent them from burning.
Put some oil in a small bowl, and with a pastry brush, brush oil on each piece (both sides) or better yet, put your kids to work and get them to do it! They start painting in Kindergarten, right?
Place all the vegetable pieces on a grill and flip the pieces as each side browns. The pieces will finish cooking at different times (around 5 minutes or more on each side) depending upon their size and also where you place them on the grill as most grills have some hotter areas where items cook more quickly. Flip and remove pieces as they look ready. You can also grill on a grill plate on top of your kitchen burners (as you may have seen on TV on the Foodnetwork or other cooking shows) or even George Foreman type electric grills work well with this recipe!
Vegetables after grilling.
When vegetables are done, add salt and pepper and a litle more olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or other light dressing). If you like, add a small chopped clove of garlic (or substitute a pinch of granulated garlic or garlic salt), plus any fresh, chopped herb like fresh basil. We usually omit the herbs and garlic. But herbs and garlic add a nice flavor. These vegetables are even better the next day!
