Amazing Grilled Vegetable Kabobs are just that, amazing! Sweet, smoky, caramelized grilled veggies packed with flavor and cooked on a skewer are the ultimate BBQ side dish. Quick and easy to prepare, vegetable kabobs aka veggie skewers are quick to disappear too. Even your pickiest eaters will love these grilled vegetables!
But, the best is leftover grilled vegetables, if you have any, are just as good the next day as a healthy, colorful addition to your salads. They also add great flavor and texture to antipasto platters, omelets, frittatas, pizzas, and even pasta salads.
What are the best vegetables for shish kabobs?
For this grilled vegetable kabobs recipe, I used red and green bell peppers. I also added red onions, yellow squash, zucchini squash, portobello mushrooms, and large cherry tomatoes. But, use what you have on hand or what your family likes. Grilled brussels sprouts, eggplant, and asparagus are delicious too. You can also use small or new potatoes, but parboil them before skewering as they take longer to cook.
Pineapple chunks are also a great addition to grilled veggie kabobs. And, of course, peaches, strawberries, and even bananas make delicious fruit kabobs.
How do you cut peppers, onions, and other vegetables for skewers?
The key here is to keep all of your veggies approximately the same size so they will cook in the same amount of time. I like to cut my vegetables reasonably large because the pieces do shrink as they cook. I think they look more attractive that way. For smallish onions, I usually cut them into quarters, and I cut bell peppers and large portabella mushrooms into quarters too.
What are the best skewers for grilling?
I prefer to use metal skewers for grilled vegetable kabobs. I think the metal skewers help the veggies cook quicker and more uniformly. If you use wooden or bamboo skewers, they have to be soaked in water for several hours before putting them on the grill. And, if you have a hot fire, sometimes even when soaked they will catch fire anyway.
How to make them:
Cut the peppers and onion into large chunks, at least 1-1/2 inches square. Slice the yellow squash and zucchini into 1/2 inch pieces. Clean the mushrooms, remove the gills and quarter. Leave the cherry tomatoes whole.
Thread the veggies on four skewers, alternating vegetable pieces, and colors.
Brush the veggie skewers generously on all sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Prepare the grill and preheat to medium-high heat (400 degrees F.). Make sure the grates are clean and oil the grates to keep the vegetables from sticking.
Add the vegetable kabobs and cook for about 6-8 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and serve while still hot.
What to serve with them?
Grilled vegetable kabobs make a great vegan or vegetarian main dish. Since I already have the grill going, I usually serve these delicious grilled vegetables with grilled meat, chicken, or fish. Here are some grilled main dish recipes that pair well with these veggie skewers: Marinated Grilled London Broil, Grilled Teriyaki Chicken, Simple Lemon Grilled Whole Chicken, Easy Grilled Bone-In Pork Chops, and Grilled Flank Steak.
Need more menu ideas or recipes for main dishes? Check out all of my main dish recipes here.
Sharon’s Expert Tips:
- Not sure how to prepare portobello mushrooms for grilling? Check out this easy “how to clean a portobello mushroom” tutorial.
- The easiest way to oil your grill grates is to use a paper towel and heavy-duty tongs. Fold the paper towel up and pick up with the tongs. Dip the folded paper towel into a small amount of vegetable oil and rub on clean grates. Be sure to use steel or aluminum tongs and not the ones with rubber tips. Also, tongs with wooden handles work great on a grill because the handles don’t get hot.
- This recipe is straightforward with only salt and pepper for seasoning to allow the grilled vegetables to shine. However, feel free to brush on a simple marinade or Italian salad dressing after the vegetables come off of the grill if you prefer.
- Heavy-duty tongs work best to lift and turn your vegetable kabobs when cooking on the grill.
- If you don’t have metal or wooden skewers, you can also use a metal grill basket to grill your veggies. Be sure to spray it with non-stick cooking spray before adding your vegetables.
- I do not peel either the yellow squash or the zucchini.
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Amazing Grilled Vegetable Kabobs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 green bell pepper seeds and ribs removed, quartered
- 1 red bell pepper seeds and ribs removed, quartered
- 1 red onion peeled and quartered
- 2 portobello mushrooms large, gills removed and quartered
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes large, whole
- 1 zucchini cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
- 1 yellow squash cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the peppers and onion into large chunks, at least 1-1/2 inches square. Slice the yellow squash and zucchini into 1/2-inch pieces. Clean the mushrooms, remove the gills and quarter. Leave the cherry tomatoes whole.
- Thread the veggies on four skewers, alternating vegetable pieces.
- Brush the veggie skewers generously on all sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the grill and preheat to medium-high heat (400 degrees F.). Make sure the grates are clean and oil the grates to keep the vegetables from sticking.
- Add the vegetable kabobs and cook for about 6-8 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and serve while still hot.
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