Grilled Summer Vegetables with Herb Butter
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When it comes to grilling, meat and fish are always the stars. But it’s time for the veggies to shine in this recipe for Grilled Summer Vegetables!
Get your red onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and summer squash cooking on the barbecue grill for an explosion of new flavors!
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Grilled Summer Vegetables
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions, to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required and understand the steps and timings involved.
When the sun is shining in the summer months we like nothing more than lighting up the barbecue grill to make dinner.
Vegetables often get left behind at barbecues, but it is a great way to use veggies!
Enjoy grilled summer vegetables as a main dish for plant-based eaters, or as a side dish for meat and fish.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients and equipment needed for this recipe have been linked to Amazon or other stores if available online. Staple ingredients such as oil, salt, sugar, etc., aren’t always included here as you’re likely to have those in your kitchen. The complete list of ALL ingredients with measurements is found on the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Thyme, Red Onion, Bell Pepper, Zucchini (courgette), Yellow Squash
- Dairy – Unsalted Butter
- Black Hawaiian Sea Salt – an optional extra
Want to know more about Hawaiian black salt? Well, it gets its black color from the activated charcoal that is mixed with sea salt which gives it a wonderful earthy flavor. It [usually] comes from Hawaii or (interestingly) Cyprus (which is my fatherland!). It is usually used as a finishing salt.
What Vegetables Are Good To Grill?
The recipe card gives red onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and yellow squash as vegetables to use in this side dish, but there are many veggies that cook well on the grill. You can use your choice of the following:
- Sweetcorn – grill whole, or cut into quarters or eighths as individual portions
- Mushrooms – large flat field mushrooms or portobello mushrooms are great for grilling (and a delicious veggie burger option too!)
- Eggplant – also known as aubergines
- Onions – red onions are used in this recipe, but white onions also grill well
- Asparagus – just be mindful not to lose them to the charcoals through the grill!
- Potatoes – you’ll probably want to parboil them first so that they are cooked through
- Spanish Padron Peppers – we grew these chili peppers last year and they were amazing on the grill!
The above are some of my favorites, but you could also try broccolini, cauliflower, Romaine lettuce, carrots, okra, pak choi, cabbage wedges, and avocado halves.
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. Please note, you can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Zucchini
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is zucchini (courgette), so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Crispy Zucchini Fries with Marinara Sauce – A Tasty Gluten-Free Appetizer
- Zucchini Dip
- Spiced Pecan Zucchini Bread Recipe for Afternoon Tea
- Cheesy Courgette Crustless Mini Quiche Recipe
More Vegetarian Recipes
Looking for more dishes to make for the vegetarians in your life? Check these recipes out next:
- Stuffed Eggplants with Pomegranate & Tahini (Vegetarian Recipe)
- Chickpea and Cannellini Bean Burgers
- Ginger, Chilli & Soy Barbecued Tofu
Recipe Tips
- Grilling is a great way to enhance the natural sweetness of summer garden vegetables. For best results, cut all vegetables to a uniform thickness before grilling.
- Storing: Cool the grilled vegetables (within 2 hours of cooking) and place them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. The charred taste remains and you could use the veggies chopped up in salads with rice, pasta, couscous, or other grains.
- Freezing: Cool as above and place in an airtight, freezer-safe container in the freezer for 8-12 months. Make sure to label and date your container to keep track of what’s inside. You don’t have to thaw the veggies to reheat, just pop them in the oven (220°C/420°/Gas 7 Fto warm through and crisp up. Don’t microwave as the vegetables may become soggy. Do not reheat more than once.
How Do I Make Grilled Summer Vegetables?
Check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Grilled Summer Vegetables with Herb Butter
Ingredients
For the Herb Butter
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves stems removed
- Pinch of sea salt
Remaining Ingredients
- Olive oil or non-stick cooking spray for grill
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red onion cut into ½-inch thick half rounds
- 3 red bell pepper core removed and cut into 4 equal-sized flat pieces
- 3 small zucchini cut in half lengthwise
- 3 small yellow squash cut in half lengthwise
- 1 Tbsp black Hawaiian salt
Instructions
- Add butter, thyme, and salt to a small bowl. Combine thoroughly with a fork and transfer to a sheet of wax paper. Shape into a log and roll in the wax paper before placing it in the refrigerator to firm up.
- Prepare the grill by brushing grates with a wire brush and lightly coating with oil or non-stick cooking spray. Pre-heat grill to medium.
- Brush both sides of the vegetables with olive oil. Place the onion and bell pepper on the preheated grill and cook for 5-6 minutes before turning.
- Continue grilling the onion and pepper for another 2-3 minutes before adding the zucchini and yellow squash. Grill the vegetables for another 4-5 minutes, or just until crisp-tender. (Turn the zucchini and yellow squash once after 2-3 minutes).
- Remove vegetables from heat and serve immediately. Add a pat of the herb butter to the vegetables for an extra bit of flavor and a nice presentation. Enjoy!
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Special Dinner!
You’ve made the side, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: This Classic Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze is Perfect for Sharing!
- Soup: Minestrone Soup with Arugula
- Salad: Roasted Artichoke Mozzarella Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Main Dish: Flavorful Grilled Herb-Rubbed Pork Chops for Al Fresco Dining!
- Beverage: Frozen Mango Margaritas (Cocktail & Mocktail Versions!)
- Dessert: Poached Pears with Honey Mascarpone Cream in 30 Minutes!
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too.