How to Grill Vegetables - Summer Recipe

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This post is sponsored by Meijer. All opinions expressed are my own.

Follow these tips on How To Grill Vegetables for the perfect, grilled to perfection side dish to compliment your summer meals.

Summer is in full swing and we are taking advantage of every single second the sunshine offers! We've been cooking outdoors since we were able to hang up our jackets and today I want to talk to you about How to Grill Vegetables. Let's be honest... everything tastes a little better on the grill! Maybe it's the char you can achieve or maybe it's just that we don't get it year round (well not those of us in the midwest anyways). Either way, we've been at Meijer multiple times a week grabbing up their fresh local produce for our outdoor grilling needs, and I want to share our tips with you because everyone needs more grilled vegetables in their life!

Did you know Meijer partners with over 200 local farmers to get fresh produce to your local stores? Let's talk about what's needed to grill these delicious vegetables. As we all know having the correct tools makes all the difference, so I'm sharing a list of my must haves for you, then we will dive into my tips for grilling many different types of vegetables.

Kitchen Essentials for Grilling Vegetables

Supplies needed for grilling vegetables:

• Grill & a good grill cover is always recommended
• Grilling Tongs
• Basting Brush
• Grill Topper
• Culinary Knife

Tips for Grilling Vegetables

Prepare all Vegetables

Wash and cut all vegetables before grilling. Even though different vegetables cook at varying times, you won't have time to chop anything up in between.

I brush olive oil on the side that will go down on the grill first, and when I flip them, I will brush more on the opposite side. Some people toss their vegetables in oil, it's just a personal preference, but I like brushing it on. I also add a little salt and pepper at this stage. Here's how I cut my vegetables for grilling:

• Carrots - Peeled and grilled whole
• Green Beans - Washed, you can trim ends if you prefer
• Bell Peppers - Remove seeds, quarter
• Onions - Sliced into thick rings
• Squash - Cut into thick pieces on a diagonal
• Zucchini - Cut lengthwise in quarters
• Mushrooms - Whole or halved
• Asparagus - Remove woody ends

Clean the Grill

We always clean our grill just before cooking. To do this we preheat the grill and then use our grill brush to scrub it clean. You definitely want any residue removed before adding the vegetables to avoid anything sticking and falling apart while trying to flip. Once it's clean, preheat it to a medium heat (around 400 degrees) before proceeding with the cooking process.

Grill Vegetables

Once the grill is preheated it's time to add the vegetables, and this will involve knowing your grill. All grills will have spots that get hotter than others. I do my best to put certain vegetables on those areas and move around as necessary.

Hottest areas: Onions, Peppers, and Squash/Zucchini
Surrounding areas: Asparagus, Carrots, Mushrooms

For vegetables that could easily fall through, like broccoli and green beans, you can use a grill pan.

Cooking Times (this time includes flipping halfway through):

• Carrots (20-30 minutes) - These take the longest and I prefer to cook them over the hot heat for a few minutes, flipping until you see grill marks on all sides, and then move them to indirect heat. Check often to make sure they aren't burning. Carrots vary quite a bit depending on thickness.
• Green Beans - 10-15 minutes on grill pan
• Bell Peppers & Onions - 7-11 minutes
• Squash, Zucchini, & Mushrooms - 6-9 minutes
• Asparagus - 5-8 minutes

Remove from heat

Remove vegetables from the heat when they are cooked thoroughly. Keep a foil lined cookie sheet nearby to easily transfer when they need to be removed. Once they have been removed from the grill you can add additional oil if you prefer and salt and pepper to taste.

How to Grill Vegetables for your Summer Recipes

There's no exact time for grilling, you typically need to watch things pretty closely and make sure you flip halfway through, keeping in mind the cooking times. Everything will vary depending on thickness.

Be sure and keep up to date with Meijer for other inspiration and ideas!

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