How to Grill Vegetables

Though you might not think it, your grill is capable of cooking more than just meat, poultry, and fish! Those vegetable side dishes can be prepared on your grill just as easily as they can in the kitchen (if not more so, because now you don’t have to worry about as many dishes!)

When you’re Grilling Vegetables, you still want to prepare them much in the same fashion you would for the kitchen. Rinse them and chop them into manageable sizes to work on the grill. They shouldn’t be too large, but if you make them too small they’ll fall through the grates!

Many of us have prepared corn on the cob or a baked potato on the grill, often with the aid aluminum foil. Many grills also have an optional vegetable basket accessory that is designed specifically for preparing vegetables, but if you don’t have one you’ll be fine. However, unless your vegetable pieces are quite large, you’re going to want to place them on a skewer so that they’re easier to flip and cook.

Additionally, you want to make sure that your vegetables are coated with a marinade or oil so that they don’t stick to the grilling surface. As you cook the vegetables, you might need to reapply the marinade/oil to ensure that they don’t stick.

Keep in mind that most vegetables tend to cook quickly, so make sure to stay close when they’re on the grill. Also, remember that some vegetables cook slower than others – less watery vegetables such as potatoes and corn will take longer than veggies like tomatoes and squash. You want to save those for last, because otherwise they’ll be cold by the time you’re ready to eat!

Check out your local grocery store or a cookbook for good marinades, and enjoy a healthy grilled side dish with your next steak!