Easy Grilled Vegetables Recipe

Pretty much anytime we heat up our charcoal grill, I round up whatever veggies we have in the house and pull out my little grill pan to put on a side of grilled veggies (in addition to whatever the main course may be!). Even if we don’t end up eating them with that night’s meal, they make fabulous leftovers and are so simple to make!
Literally, you can use just about any fresh vegetables you’d like (or thaw out your favorite frozen veggies). Just be sure they are all cut to a similar size, tossed in a bit of oil, and then voila — delicious, slighty-charred, caramelized vegetables can be yours to enjoy with very little effort. I love to them top them with a simple dressing and/or some fresh herbs, but honestly, they are also fabulous with just some olive oil, salt and pepper. Whatever works. :)
I’ve included details from the batch I made this week below, but this is definitely much more of a “method” than a “recipe”. So feel free to experiment and substitute ingredients you have on hand, and see what happens! I often like giving grilled veggies more of an Asian flair, but for this week, I went with a simple balsamic and roasted garlic vinaigrette. (The garlic is roasted alongside the veggies – delish!) Very easy, but oh-so-flavorful.
I’m also convinced these are even more flavorful the second day. So the next time you fire up your grill, gather up your fresh vegetables and give this quick side a go! (And save enough for leftovers!!)


Easy Grilled Vegetables Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1 pound tomatoes, cut into large dice (if using cherry or grape tomatoes, leave whole)
• 1 yellow or white onion, peeled and ends removed, cut into eighths
• 1 medium zucchini, ends removed, sliced in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 1 medium yellow squash, ends removed, sliced in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 1 carton (8 oz.) mushrooms, cleaned and halved
• 1 bulb garlic
• 4 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. mixed fresh herbs (such as basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, and/or thyme), minced (optional)
• black pepper and sea salt, freshly ground

Method:
Prepare/set your grill to medium-high heat.
Begin by preparing the garlic for roasting. Peel off the outer papery covering of the head of garlic. Using a sharp knife, slice off 1/4″-1/2″ of the top of the bulb, so that the inside of each clove is exposed. Place the head on a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle 1 tsp. olive oil over the top of the cloves, and then use your fingers to spread it around well. Then fold up the foil over the top of the clove, so that it is fully enclosed. Set the foil package directly on top of the grill grates and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes (or until garlic cloves are soft and lightly golden).
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, zucchini, squash, and mushrooms with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and a generous amount of freshly-ground salt and pepper. Then toss until vegetables are evenly coated. Transfer vegetables to a grill pan, and set on the grill grates (next to the foil-wrapped garlic). Grill, stirring every 2-3 minutes, until vegetables are tender and lightly charred. Remove garlic and vegetables from grill when cooked.
While vegetables are cooking, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, all of the roasted garlic cloves (you can use your fingers to squeeze them out of the clove), and the chopped fresh herbs (optional) until combined. Add extra salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer vegetables to a serving platter or bowl, and drizzle with the prepared dressing. Serve immediately. (Or these are also delicious served cold or at room temperature!)

Ali’s Tip:
If you don’t have a grill pan, you can also cook these veggies on skewers, or wrap them in a large pouch of aluminum foil. Or you can also use this recipe roasting them in the oven!  http://gimmesomeoven.com/easy-grilled-vegetables/