How to Grill Vegetables
Before you start grilling vegetables, make sure to wash and dry them thoroughly. Prep and follow the chart below to know how long to grill vegetables so they turn out perfectly tender every time.
Grilling Vegetables in Foil
Grilling in foil packets is one of our favorite ways to grill fresh veggies. Because a foil pack cooks with steam, it’s essential to craft a tightly sealed pouch. Otherwise, the tasty juices will bubble away, leaving food to dry out or burn. Try adding a spoonful of our favorite flavor boosters for a unique taste: Beer, soy sauce, white wine, apple juice, red pepper sauce, or chicken broth.
Using Grill Baskets
Using a grilling vegetable basket is one of our favorite ways to cook veggies on the grill. They come in handy when you want to grill a combination of vegetables or if you simply don’t want to risk losing veggies through the grates of your grill. The Test Kitchen prefers perforated grill baskets. Perforated baskets with low sides are available in various shapes and sizes, making it easy to flip and turn ingredients. Grill any vegetable combination you can imagine, which is easier if the vegetables have similar cooking times. If timing varies great, start the longer-cooking veggies first. Before cooking, toss veggies with oil. Grill veggies, covered, checking for doneness every 5 minutes.
Grilling Vegetable Kabobs
Skewer up some veggie kabobs to cook a variety of vegetables. To make grilled vegetable skewers, slide cut veggies or whole smaller vegetables (like cherry tomatoes and small mushrooms) onto soaked bamboo skewers, or metal skewers. Grill directly over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until veggies are browned and tender. Grilling vegetables is a great way to ensure you’ve got a serving of veggies on your plate at summer barbecues and cookouts. During the rest of the year, you can get your veggies crisp-tender in a similar way (minus the smoky flavor) by learning how to roast vegetables. Between grilling and roasting, you’ll easily be able to keep veggie side dishes that everyone in your family will eat included on the table year-round.
