Grilling Great Vegetables: From Foiled to Flavorful

No need for butter or bulky baskets, grill your best veggies on GrillGrates.

When most people consider grilling vegetables, the first thing that comes to mind is probably this:

But there IS a better way. With GrillGrates and a few of our healthy grilling tips you’ll be on your way from foiled to flavorful.

TIPS FOR GRILLING GREAT VEGETABLES

1. You’ve got to get GrillGrates!

GrillGrates are great for vegetables for a variety of reasons. The design of the grates insures that your food will receive even heat transfer, sear marks and FLAVOR from your grill, but will still be protected from open flames and therefore, excessive charring.

Additionally, your veggies won’t be at risk for falling into the flames. Long, skinny vegetables like asparagus and even carrots are safe on top of GrillGrates.

If you don’t already have a set, we recommend getting a pair of GrateTongs before your make your foray into grilling vegetables. The tongs will give you extra control when turning veggies over. They’re one of our best-selling accessories and you’ll see why.

2. It’s all about technique.

You’ll want to leave vegetables in larger pieces. Broccoli, cauliflower, peppers and onions should only be halved before grilling. This will make them easier to handle and will help prevent the vegetables from cooking too quickly, giving them a chance to caramelize and cook throughout. Remember you can always slice them up smaller prior to serving.

Denser vegetables like zucchini, squash, sweet potatoes and beets can be cut into large flat slices for thorough cooking.

When it comes to seasoning vegetables, skip the butter and stick to the basics. Olive oil, salt and cracked pepper are all you need for grilled vegetables. You’ll also find that grilling vegetables enhances the natural flavor, which is why you don’t need heavy seasoning.

3. Expand your vegetable horizons.

Since grilling enhances the natural flavor of vegetables, you may find that veggies that you avoided in the past are really good when grilled!

Beets and Brussels Sprouts are both great on the grill. Need more inspiration? Check out our Super Veggie Chart where you can also learn about the great antioxidants found in vegetables, the health benefits they provide and grilling tips from our own Chef Michael.

4. A simple recipe can change your mind.

Brad loves to tell the story about how he never ate a beet until he was 50 years old. Now that he knows the right way to cook them, he’s learned that he actually loves them. If you have a particular vegetable that you’re hesitant to approach, try using it in a recipe and see what you think. You might have a new favorite food on your hands.

Get these and lots of other great veggie recipes for the grill here.

The moral of the story is this: we all need to eat more vegetables, so give grilling them a chance. If you’ve already got the grill going to cook lean meats, toss some veggies on the grill and make it a meal!

Grill Grate and Eat Well!

-Meagan

P.S. We’d love to know what kinds of great vegetables you’re grilling up these days. Leave us a comment and let us know! And as always, we’re here to help answer all your grilling questions!