Grilled Vegetables Recipe

Wash and trim

Rinse all vegetables and pat dry. Trim woody ends from the asparagus. Remove stem and seeds from the bell peppers and cut into large 1 to 1½-inch pieces. Peel the onion and cut into ½-inch thick wedges, keeping layers intact so they don’t fall apart on the grill.

Slice larger vegetables

Slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/3-inch thick planks. Slice the eggplant into 1/3-inch rounds or lengthwise planks (if eggplant is large, salt the slices lightly and let sit 15 minutes to draw out bitterness, then pat dry). Keep cherry tomatoes whole or halved if very large.

In a wide shallow bowl or baking dish, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes until combined. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade for finishing drizzle if desired.

Stir in the chopped fresh parsley into the remaining marinade.

Add the prepared zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onion wedges, asparagus and tomatoes to the bowl or dish with marinade. Toss gently to coat all pieces evenly. Let vegetables sit and marinate for 15 to 25 minutes at room temperature, turning once halfway through. (Do not marinate for much longer—vegetables can become soggy.)

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until hot (about 400–450°F / 200–230°C). Lightly oil the grates or brush a little oil on the vegetables if your marinade has mostly pooled in the bottom.

Place sturdier vegetables first: eggplant slices and bell pepper pieces, cut-side down; zucchini planks and onion wedges. Grill for 3–5 minutes per side, until nicely charred and tender. Move pieces as they brown to get even grill marks and prevent sticking.

Add asparagus and cherry tomatoes to the grill or use a grill basket. Grill asparagus 2–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender-crisp and charred. Grill cherry tomatoes just 1–2 minutes, turning once, until they blister but don’t collapse (longer will make them too soft).

If using a thicker cut of any vegetable, use indirect heat or move to a cooler part of the grill after searing to finish cooking through without burning.

Transfer grilled vegetables to a serving platter. Spoon the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade (or drizzle the optional balsamic vinegar) over the hot vegetables to brighten flavors.

Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed. Scatter the fresh basil leaves and more chopped parsley over the top.

Serve warm or at room temperature as a side dish, salad component, or sandwich topping.