Grilled Vegetables with Lemon Dressing

Jun 22, 2021

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Grilled Vegetables are utter perfection! You’ll love these smoky, crisp-tender grilled veggies, tossed in a lemony, garlicky vinaigrette.

grilled vegetables served in a white bowl and garnished with lemon slices

Easy Summer Grilled Vegetables

Honestly, these tender grilled vegetables are so good, you’ll want to make a meal out of them! I could eat practically the whole batch myself… okay, maybe not the whole batch, but seriously! They’re addictive!

There’s just something about crisp-tender zucchini, peppers, and onions that are hot off the grill that makes me happy! And, when you grill broccoli florets, well, let’s say you won’t look at broccoli as boring, ever again. Grilling brings out all the savory and sweet flavors locked up in the veggies, making them smoky, succulent, and scrumptious.

On top of that, I’ve got a dressing recipe here that hits allll the right notes! It’s salty, tangy, garlicky, herb-y, and has just a touch of sweetness, too. So perfect!

close up shot of grilled bell peppers and vegetables

What You’ll Need

Recipes like this are versatile! You can use whatever vegetables you like. The easy dressing goes well with any veggie, and it’s made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

The Veggies

This stunning blend of veggies both looks and tastes like summer! And, no worries if you’re not a fan of bell pepper, zucchini, or any of the other ingredients. Feel free to make this your own.

Bell Peppers: I use one red bell pepper, one green bell pepper, and one yellow bell pepper, each cut into six wide strips.
Onion: Cut a white or red onion into slices or rings.
Zucchini: Thickly slice a couple of zucchini.
Broccoli: You’ll need two cups of broccoli florets for this recipe.
Olive Oil: I use about a tablespoon of olive oil to prep the veggies.
Salt and Pepper: To taste.

strips of bell peppers, broccoli florets, onion slices

For the Dressing

This dressing is zingy and light, with a nice balance of savory flavors from the garlic, herbs, salt, and small amount of sugar. An incredible combo, especially on top of grilled vegetables.

Lemon: Juice a whole large lemon; you should have about four tablespoons of juice. Watch out for seeds.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: For all salad dressings, I prefer extra-virgin olive oil; it’s the most flavorful.
Garlic: Press or mince three cloves of fresh garlic.
Italian Seasoning: This versatile seasoning blend is a shortcut to major flavor!
Sugar: I use half a teaspoon of sugar to bring out the best in the grilled veggies. You could substitute honey or maple syrup, if you prefer.
Salt and Pepper: Half a teaspoon of each.

How to Grill Vegetables

The secret to grilling these vegetables perfectly is to close the lid. Trapping the heat of the grill creates an even, tender result.

Prep the Grill and Veggies. Preheat your grill on LOW HEAT. Grease the grill grates with oil. While the grill heats, toss the veggies with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and the pepper.
Cook the Veggies on the Hot Grill. Arrange the vegetables on the grill grates, in one single layer. Close the lid and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping the veggies with a spatula or tongs halfway through cooking. When done, the veggies should be tender with visible grill marks. If they aren’t soft enough, or cooked to your liking, give them a minute or two longer to cook. IF your grill grates are spaced too far apart, you can just put the veggies on top of a long piece of foil.
Make the Dressing. While the vegetables are grilling, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, and pepper; whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
Dress the Veggies. Remove the cooked veggies from the grill, and transfer them to a serving bowl. Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables; toss gently to combine.
Enjoy! Garnish the finished dish with parsley and serve.

pouring lemon vinaigrette over grilled bell peppers

Tips for Success

It’s as easy as falling off a log to make these yummy grilled veggies! 🌶 Still, as always, there are a few helpful tips I’d like to share. Read on for my best advice for grilling the perfect vegetables:

Consider Skewers: For a pretty presentation, try threading the vegetables onto flat metal skewers. The flat shape of the skewers will prevent the vegetables from rolling and twisting on the skewers. You will need to cut the vegetables into smaller shapes.
Consider Foil: Another easy idea is to cover the grill grates with a sheet of aluminum foil. Gently make holes in the foil with a fork to allow the heat and smoke to get through. With a foil surface, you can grill bite-sized veggies more easily.
Caramelize: For extra-smoky, caramelized flavor, try brushing some of the dressing on the veggies as they cook, using a pastry brush.
Par-Cook: For the recipe as written, most of the veggies cook at roughly the same amount of time. But if you substitute vegetables like potatoes or carrots, which take longer to cook, you should boil, steam, or roast them for a short time first. That way, they won’t be undercooked when you take them off the grill!

Variation Ideas

There are a lot of ways you could spin this dish, and they’re all delicious! Here are just a few ideas for inspiration.

Mojo: Use whatever combination of vegetables you like— consider mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and more. Cook according to the recipe, but use a pre-bought mojo marinade (or make your own) to dress them. Yum! 🤤
Sweet Chili: Use your favorite veggies– I recommend a combination of mushrooms, onions, peppers, and zucchini. Grill using coconut oil rather than olive oil, and dress with your favorite bottled sweet chili sauce.
Garlic Butter: Par-boil small red potatoes until a fork goes into them easily. Grill the potatoes, along with zucchini or yellow squash, thick slices of onion, and whole button mushrooms. When done, dress the veggies with the following: 4 cloves of fresh garlic, pressed, and heated in a small saucepan along with ¼ cup of salted butter until the butter is melted and the garlic is cooked. Squeeze lemon over the dressed veggies and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

grilled vegetables served in a white bowl

Serving Suggestions

So how do I serve my perfect grilled vegetables? I like them along with a grilled entree for a truly summer-friendly dinner (can I also be honest and add that I love cooking outdoors because it helps keep my house cool? Win win!). But, they go with anything! Consider these tasty options.

Steak: Garlic Steak Bites with Potatoes are a family favorite, and make a perfect main course to go with grilled veggies.
Brisket: Sometimes I like to make this easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Brisket and eat it over several meals. Grilled veggies are the perfect side whether you’re eating the brisket as a main course, or in a hearty leftover-brisket sandwich.
Baked Beans: It’s an (almost) vegetarian delight! These Maple Bacon Baked Beans are light on meat, which can be a refreshing change sometimes. To make them completely vegetarian, go ahead and omit the bacon. Either way, they are seriously crave-worthy, and work perfectly alongside the bright, healthy veggies.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

To store your leftover veggies, place them in airtight containers and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days.
Don’t freeze these, or they’ll get mushy.
You can reheat them by placing them on a baking sheet and roasting at 350°F until heated through.