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Made with a colorful mix of marinated veggies and grilled until lightly charred and crisp-tender, these Grilled Vegetable Kabobs are simple, healthy, packed with smoky flavor, and may just make vegetables the star of dinner.
When you want dinner cooked entirely on the grill, pair these veggie kabobs with Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts, Grilled Burgers, or Grilled Shrimp Skewers. And for dessert? Don't miss my grilled peaches recipe for the perfect summer meal.
Key Takeaways: Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
- Serves: 6 as a side dish; easy to double for cookouts and meal prep
- Time Needed: 20 minute prep + 1 hour marinade + 10-15 minutes on grill
- Easy to Customize. Use whatever vegetable you and your family like or have an abundance of.
- Let's Summer Veggies Shine. A great way to use seasonal produce or extra garden vegetables.
- What Makes This Recipe Standout: As the vegetables grill, they become perfectly crisp-tender and slightly caramelized, which enhances their natural flavor. But it is the simple, bright and tangy marinade that makes this summer side dish memorable.
Recipe Highlights
Kristen's Keys
I don't know what it is about putting vegetables on a stick, but it instantly makes them more fun to eat. Combined with a simple marinade and a little time on the grill, these veggie kabobs are downright irresistible. A few simple tips will help make sure they turn out perfectly every time.
- Cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces. Aim for about 2-inch chunks for peppers and onions and 1-inch thick zucchini rounds so everything cooks evenly.
- Don't skip the marinating time. Even 1 hour helps the vegetables absorb flavor and prevents bland kabobs.
- If using wooden skewers, soak for at least 30 minutes. That will prevent them from catching fire on the grill.
- If using metal skewers, remove the vegetables before serving. Unlike wooden skewers, metal skewers don't need to be soaked and can be reused, but they get extremely hot on the grill. I simply slide the vegetables off the skewers with a spatula or tongs and serve them off the skewer to prevent accidental burns.
- Grill over medium heat. High heat can char the outside before the vegetables become tender.
- Don't overcook the vegetables. Remove the kabobs once the vegetables are crisp-tender with light char marks. A bit of bite left prevents mushy vegetables that slide right off the kabobs.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
Fresh vegetable and a simple marinade make the best veggie kabobs.
- Vegetables: My favorite combination includes zucchini, yellow squash, red onion or sweet onion and any color of bell peppers. Avoid softer vegetables like eggplant, which tend to break down quickly on the grill.
- Dried Onion Soup Mix: Adds a ton of savory flavors with one simple dried spice blend (just as it does in my London Broil recipe and homemade rice pilaf). I love using my homemade onion soup mix because it lets me control the sodium and skip unnecessary additives, but store-bought works just fine too.
- Vinegar: Red wine vinegar is best for the vegetable kabob marinade, as it is packs a punch of tangy, acidic flavor that pairs well with the natural flavor of the vegetables.
- Olive Oil: Both extra-virgin olive oil and light olive oil work well in the marinade.
Recipe Variations
- Swap out the Marinade: Instead of making the vegetable kabob marinade from scratch, you can opt to use balsamic vinaigrette or zesty italian dressing. While they will each impart different flavor profiles, both are delicious options.
- Use Different Vegetables: Add parboiled baby potatoes, or pineapple chunks for a sweet and savory twist. Mushrooms work well, but do NOT marinate them, as they will become rubbery. Simply add to skewers before grilling.
- Add Protein: Add chunks of marinated chicken thighs or marinated flank steak to the kabobs, as they both have similar cook times to quick-cooking summer veggies.
How to Make Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
The most time-consuming part of this recipe is threading the marinated vegetables onto the skewers. But trust me, it's worth it. All those exposed edges pick up delicious smoky char from the grill, making the vegetables even more flavorful.
- Prepare Marinade. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and dried onion soup mix.
- Marinate Vegetables. Add the chopped veggies right to the marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.
- Skewer Vegetables. When ready to grill the vegetable kabobs, thread the marinated vegetables onto the soaked wooden skewers or metal skewers in an alternating pattern while the grill preheats. Alternating the veggies is not only visually appealing, but it helps for the veggies to absorb flavor from each other as well.
- Grill Kabobs. Using a charcoal, electric, or gas grill (or grill pan), grill the kabobs over medium heat until JUST fork tender and slightly charred around the edges, turning once or twice. We want our vegetables to still have some bite left to them and not become soft and mushy.
Serving Suggestions
Vegetable Kabobs make an obvious and delicious addition to any summer meal. Below are a few of my favorite ways to serve them.
- Pair with a Grilled Entree: Serve grilled teriyaki chicken breasts, jerk chicken kabobs, grilled chicken kabobs with cilantro pesto, or marinated Greek chicken with these veggie kabobs for a dinner made completely on the grill.
- Add to a Salad: Remove the grilled vegetables from the skewers after cooked and slightly cooled and add to a salad of your choice.
- Add to a Wrap: I love adding combining leftover chicken bites, Instant Pot shredded chicken breast, or sliced balsamic pork tenderloin with grilled veggies in a large tortilla for a quick and hearty meal on the go.
- As a Filling: Chop up the grilled vegetables and use to make Instant Pot egg bites, a broccoli frittata, or add to hashbrown breakfast casserole in place or in addition to the sausage.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Use an Indoor Grill Pan: If you don't have a grill or the weather is not cooperating, feel free to make these veggie kabobs using grill pan heated over medium heat. Perfect year-round!
- Baked Vegetable Kabobs: If you don't have a grill pan, you can bake the kabobs at 400F on a baking sheet for 15 minutes, turning halfway.
- Use a Grill Basket: Instead of threading the marinated vegetables onto skewers, you can place them in a grill basket and grill as directed, flipping the basket mid-way through the cook time. While not as pretty, the veggies are just as delicious and the basket decreases the prep time significantly.
Vegetable Kabob FAQs
What vegetables are best for grilled kabobs?
Bell peppers, onions, zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms are all great choices because they hold their shape and cook evenly. Cherry tomatoes work well IF and only if, you pull them off the grill before they burst. Otherwise it is a soggy mess.
What vegetables should not be added to kabobs?
Chunks of tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, raw potatoes (and frankly, I would avoid any parboiled potato other than parboiled baby potatoes), parsnips, and lettuce.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
Made with a medley of marinated veggies and grilled to perfection, these Grilled Vegetable Kabobs are easy to make, fun to eat, and incredibly delicious.
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix, see notes for individual spices
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 small zucchini , cut in 1-inch rounds
- 1 small yellow squash, cut in 1-inch rounds
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons Homemade Dry Onion Soup Mix, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- To the marinade, the prepared vegetables and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate the vegetables for at least 1 hour. 12-24 hours is best. Do not exceed marinating the vegetables for longer than 48 hours.
- If using wooden skewers, place them in a large rectangular baking dish and cover them with water. Let soak for at least 1 hour, or overnight before using. Skip this step if using metal skewers.
- Once the vegetables have marinated, thread them onto the soaked wooden skewers or metal skewers, in an alternating pattern.
- Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium heat and lightly brush the grates with oil. Once heated, place the prepared skewers on the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Rotate the skewers and grill for another 4-6 minutes, or until the vegetables are JUST fork-tender and beginning to caramelize.
- Remove the skewers from the grill and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Equipment
Notes
Best Vegetables for Kabobs: Use vegetables that hold their shape and cook in approximately the same amount of time. My personal recommendation is to use zucchini, yellow squash, onions, and bell peppers, as they grill up in the same amount of time, hold their shape, and the variety of colors look stunning when threaded on the skewers.
Note on Mushrooms: While delicious grilled, do not marinate the mushrooms or they will become soggy and mushy. Simply add to skewers right before grilling and quickly brush with any leftover marinade in bottom of bowl before grilling.
In Place of Dried Onion Soup Mix: Use 2 teaspoons of dried onion flakes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and dried parsley.
Baking Kabobs: If you don't have a grill or grill pan, you can also bake the kabobs at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, turning halfway. Just be sure to use metal skewers or soaked wooden skewers.
Storage: Remove the vegetables from the skewers and store in airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Delicious in wraps, salads, pasta, or frittatas.
Nutrition
Calories: 89kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 161mgPotassium: 337mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 248IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Just perfect! Grilling is definitely the best way to go, we loved these kabobs!
I love the flavor it adds myself!
YUMM!! My favorite way to eat veggies in the summer!
I agree! So tasty!
This vegetable kabobs tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again!
These beautiful vegetable kabobs are perfect for celebrating the warm days of summer! Ideal for backyard BBQs, with a dipping sauce they're also perfect for picnics at the park.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Denay! What a great idea to enjoy with a dip as well.
Grilled veggies are my very favorite. Especially when they're made into kabobs! I love this recipe!
I am so glad you loved this recipe so much Renee. Thanks for leaving a review.