Grilled Vegetable Kabobs are an easy, flavor-packed way to enjoy fresh vegetables. Made with a simple marinade and a variety of summer vegetables, Veggie Kabobs make a delicious side dish to any summer meal.
If you are looking for a delicious way to serve up vegetables, Grilled Vegetable Kabobs are for you. A little bit smokey, a little bit sweet, and a whole lot of flavor, these veggie kabobs are a healthy side dish the whole family can agree upon! Pair them with Grilled Burgers, Grilled Greek Chicken, or BBQ Chicken Legs, for a hearty summer meal.
Why Grilled
There is something so magical about grilled vegetables. Grilling adds a smokey, slightly charred flavor to the vegetables and also enhances their natural sweetness.
The easiest and most flavorful way to grill vegetables is to prepare Vegetable Kabobs. Kabobs can be made with any variety of fresh vegetables, and because the vegetables are chopped, they not only grill up quickly but also have more surface area to soak up seasonings.
The sweetness and flavor that is developed in these Veggie Kabobs make this simple side dish hard for anyone to turn their nose up to!
What you Need
- Vegetables: The choice of vegetables is completely up to you. I recommend zucchini, yellow squash, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes as they grill up in the same amount of time and the variety of colors look stunning when threaded the kabobs.
- Marinade: To bring out the incredible flavor in the vegetables, a simple marinade really helps. This marinade is made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and homemade dried onion soup mix. If you don't have onion soup mix on hand or the ingredients to prepare the mix, simply use salt, pepper, and onion powder.
- Skewers: In order to easily grill the vegetables and not worry about them falling through the grates of the grill, using wooden or metal skewers to thread the vegetables onto makes grilling vegetables super easy--not to mention it makes a beautiful presentation. If using wooden skewers, just be sure to soak in water for at least 1 hour to prevent them from catching fire on the grill.
How to Grill Vegetable Kabobs
- Wash and dry all the vegetables, except for mushrooms if using. Mushrooms should be cleaned right before grilling.
- Cut the vegetables into bite-size pieces--about 1 and ½ to 2 inches pieces.
- Prepare the marinade by whisking together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and onion soup mix, or seasonings for the onion soup mix, in a large mixing bowl.
- To the marinade, add in the chopped zucchini, squash, peppers, onions, and tomatoes, if using. Do NOT add in the mushrooms. Toss until the vegetables are coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerator for at least 1 hour, but overnight is best.
- Once the vegetables have marinated, thread them onto the soaked skewers, in an alternating pattern, adding the cleaned mushrooms to the mix, if desired.
- Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium heat.
- Once heated, place the prepared skewers onto the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Rotate the skewers and grill for another 4-6 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Leftover Grilled Vegetables
We rarely have any leftover vegetable kabobs because they are just that good. However, if I am able I prepare double the amount, as the leftovers can be stored up to 4 days and are divine in a variety of dishes. I love to add the leftover vegetables to Panzanella Salad, an Egg Frittata, or even an Italian Pasta Salad.
Recipe FAQS
The mushrooms act like sponges and will soak up the marinade and can become mushy and dense. It is best to add the mushrooms to the kabobs when assembling.
You can safely leave the vegetables in the marinade up to 48 hours. I find that the flavor it is best after 12-24 hours.
It is best to select vegetables that cook in similar time frames when grilling vegetable kabobs so that they cook evenly. As a general rule, I stay away from carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
Absolultely! I would recommend using a grill pan on your stove over medium-high heat. If you don't have a grill pan, use a broiler and watch closely, turning the vegetables several times for even browning.
If you have a basket designed for the grilling, I encourage you to use that. The presentation won't be as pretty but skipping the step of threading the vegetables onto skewers will save you time, and the taste is just as delicious.
What to Serve with Veggie Kabobs
- BBQ Chicken Burger
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Breasts
- The Best Burgers
- Grilled Greek Chicken
If you are looking for a delicious way to serve up vegetables, these grilled kabobs are EXACTLY what you are looking for. A little bit smokey, a little bit sweet, and a whole lot of flavor, Vegetable Shish Kabobs are a healthy side dish the whole family can agree upon.
Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
Ingredients
- 8 cups of fresh vegetables cut into 2-inch pieces zucchini, yellow squash, onions, peppers, whole grape tomatoes, whole button mushrooms
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dried Onion Soup Mix
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, onion seasoning, and garlic.
- To the marinade, add in the chopped zucchini, squash, peppers, onions, and tomatoes if using. Do NOT add in the mushrooms. Toss until the vegetables are coated in the marinade. Cover and refrigerator for at least 1 hour, but overnight is best.
- If using wooden skewers, place in a large rectangular baking dish and cover with water. Let soak for at least 1 hour, or overnight as well. If using metal skewers, skip this step.
- Once the vegetables have marinated, thread them onto the soaked skewers, in an alternating pattern, adding in the cleaned mushrooms to the mix.
- Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium heat. Once heated, place the prepared skewers onto the grill and cook for 5 minutes. Rotate the skewers and grill for another 4-6 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Denay DeGuzman
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.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Denay! What a great idea to enjoy with a dip as well.
Renee Goerger
Grilled veggies are my very favorite. Especially when they're made into kabobs! I love this recipe!
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you loved this recipe so much Renee. Thanks for leaving a review.