Grilled Vegetables For Your Summer BBQ

Summertime… when the livin’ (and grillin’) is easy! Grilled vegetables are a healthy and easy way to enjoy your favourite veggies in the #FreshOutdoors. Keep these veggies on hand for delicious BBQ mains and sides to make all summer long!

These tips for grilled vegetables prove that summer BBQ’ing isn’t just for burgers and hot dogs anymore, and it’s time to up your grillin’ game!

1. Asparagus

Kick some asparagus butt by ditching the oven and throwing them on the grill! These versatile green stalks are in-season through spring and summer, so they’re the perfect addition to your BBQ spread.

PREP: Keep it simple. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

COOK: Grill over high-heat for 5-10 minutes.

Pro Tip: For easier grilling, skewer 2 spears crosswise from top to bottom (it looks good too!).

Serve With: Lemon wedges for a fresh zest of flavour.

Our Great-to-Grill asparagus recipe? Instead of turning on the oven, try grilling your stalks before adding your asparagus to this Herby Asparagus and Tomato Bake.

2. Romaine Lettuce

Romaine calm and grill on! This leafy green is surprisingly heat tolerant, so don’t be afraid to throw it on the grill for something new at your next BBQ!

PREP: Cut head in half length-wise. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

COOK: Grill over medium-heat until charred (but not wilted).

Pro Tip: Place lettuce cut-side down for even grill marks.

Serve With: Creamy avocado, corn, diced tomatoes, a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

An Un-grill-lievable Pair: Ditch the salad and add some summer flair by pairing your grilled romaine lettuce with these  Zucchini and Smoky Bean Quesadillas.

3. Corn

Is a summer BBQ complete without corn? We think not!

PREP: Corn can be wrapped in foil or grilled naked.

COOK: Grill over high-heat for 15-20 minutes.

Pro Tip: You can grill your corn with the husk on and watch the fire work its magic. 

Serve With: Flavoured butter and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt or dress it up Mexican-style like in this Garlic-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa and Mexican Street Corn recipe. 

An Un-grill-lievable Pair: You’ll never want butter on your corn again after you try this DIY Ranch with your grilled corn.

4. Eggplant

Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, grilled eggplant is THE perfect side dish.

PREP: Discard stem ends, cut into 1/2-inch slices, brush with oil, season with sea salt.

COOK: Grill until golden brown marks appear for 3-4 min per side.

Pro Tip: Eggplant flesh can discolour rapidly, so be sure to cut just before using.

Serve With: Pesto, tangy feta cheese, tahini, yogurt… the list goes on! Try rolling up the slices with your filling for an easy finger-friendly BBQ snack!

Our Great-to-Grill eggplant recipe? Grill up your eggplants which pair perfectly with this Feta and Chermoula Freekeh.

5. Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are sweet, but they’re even sweeter when you throw em’ on the grill.

PREP: Cut pepper in half and remove the seeds. Yup, that’s it!

COOK: Grill  for 3-4 min per side until grill marks appear.

Pro Tip: You’ll want to keep the BBQ lid closed when grilling bell peppers to avoid uneven cooking.

Serve With: Bell peppers are a great side to your favourite protein or stuffed with healthy grains and legumes!

Our Great-to Grill bell pepper recipe? Try these Bulgur-Stuffed Peppers with Fresh Mozzarella and Sweet Onion Salad for a summer meal that’s licensed to grill.

Now that you’ve got these tips and tricks under your belt, you’ll want to serve grilled vegetables all summer long! Need some more grill tips?  We’ve got you covered with our BBQ Tips for all your favourite proteins from Steak to Salmon.