Make good use of your bbq this season with this grilled peach salad and grilled potato salad! The BBQ does most of the work turning the veggies into smoky little flavor bites. Once they come off the grill, they’re tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette and voilà, you have yourself a delicious grilled vegetable salad!
Why this grilled vegetable salad deserves a spot at your backyard bbq
Lots of these ingredients you’ll have in your kitchen already, but you can copy this list right into your phone so you know exactly what to pick up at the store.
Grilled vegetables are so simple and so delicious. Getting them on the grill or in a grill basket is the perfect way to cook veggies, especially in the summer. Here’s what you want to prep and cook for your grilled vegetable salad:
Bell peppers: You’ll need 2 medium bell peppers, cut in half. Bell peppers are naturally sweet which goes nicely with the warmth and charring from the bbq. They also don’t lost their shape as they cook, so they’re easy to handle. Globe eggplant: Chop 1 eggplant into ½ inch thick slices or rounds. The eggplant will soak up all the flavor of the spices and becomes super tender when grilled. It will also absorb the balsamic vinaigrette once you assemble your salad. Zucchini: Cut 1 medium zucchini in half for grilling. Much like the eggplant, the zucchini will become very tender on the grill and act as a vehicle for all the seasoning and dressing. Red onion: Red onions are bright and crunchy, and they hold their texture well when grilled. For this recipe, cut 1 red onion into 2 circles so that they can lay flat when on the grill. Cherry tomatoes: For this grilled vegetable salad recipe, you’ll need to 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes. You can pop them on the grill for ~ 1 minute, or you can choose to throw them in the salad raw. Microgreens or arugula: You won’t grill the lettuce, rather add it to the bowl at the end for some brightness and freshness. Olive oil, Italian seasoning:, sea salt and pepper: You’ll put all the chopped vegetables into a bowl and coat them with olive oil, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, sea salt, and pepper to taste. This will enhance the flavor of the smoky veggies and help them not stick to the grill grates.
There are other veggies that would be nice additions or substitutions to this grilled vegetable salad, this way you can customize your salad and/or use up what’s in your fridge. See below for some more ideas on how to customize your grilled vegetable salad!
This is a classic vinaigrette that tastes like perfection on grilled vegetable salad, but is one of those recipes you can keep in your back pocket so a dressing that pairs well with an endless number of dishes. Here’s what you need for the balsamic vinaigrette:
Olive oil: The foundation of any good vinaigrette, olive oil has a light taste and does a fantastic job coating everything in the dish. Balsamic vinegar: This adds the acid to the vinaigrette, however, if you don’t have any in the cupboard, you can sub sherry vinegar. Tarragon: This herb adds a light liquorice or fennel sort of taste. It can sometimes be tricky to find tarragon in the grocery store; if this is the case, you can substitute finely minced oregano or marjoram. Dijon mustard: This gives a nice tang and spice to the dressing. You only need ½ teaspoon to give all the flavor you need.
Loaf of bread: Take ¼ loaf of bread and rip it into 2-inch chunks. This doesn’t need to be perfect or uniform, and it’s best to use a loaf of bread that isn’t already cut into slices. A French loaf, sourdough, or rye bread will work well. Olive oil: You’ll combine your pieces of bread with olive oil in a medium-sized bowl and then toss in the seasonings so that the spices adhere nicely to your croutons. Seasoning: Sea salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and chili flakes will give your croutons a big punch of flavor.
We’ve been talking about one of the big benefits of whipping up a grilled vegetable salad for dinner, a backyard bbq, or potluck is that you can use up lots of the veg in your fridge. Here are some ideas that would make for nice additions to this grilled vegetable salad recipe or substitutions:
Yum!
Chimichurri steak bites, honey garlic chicken wings, or grilled chicken wings Spicy buffalo corn on the cob and/or spicy sweet potato fries Grilled pork chops or grilled chicken breast
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