Name: Easy Marinated Grilled Vegetables
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 57 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup olive oil; 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp dried basil; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp pepper; 1 zucchini (cut into ½ inch slices); 1 yellow squash (cut into ½ inch slices); 1 orange, yellow or red bell pepper (cut into thick strips); 1 medium red onion (cut into wedges); 3 small carrots (sliced in half lengthwise); 1 pint cherry tomatoes

These easy marinated grilled vegetables use a simple balsamic marinade to bring the flavor. Just toss, grill, and drizzle, and you've got a great veggie side that cooks with whatever you've got on the grill.

Marinated grilled vegetables including zucchini, peppers, onion, carrots and tomatoes on a serving platter.

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I love grilling vegetables, and these grilled marinated vegetables are the side I make all summer. I always say everything tastes good grilled with olive oil, salt, and pepper, but this balsamic marinade gives them extra flavor. You whisk it together with basil and garlic, toss everything to coat, and grill until the edges char and the veggies are tender.

The secret is how the marinade does double duty. You use half to coat the raw vegetables before they hit the grill, then drizzle the rest over them right before serving. The warm veggies soak up that second drizzle, and that's what makes them so good.

Here's one of my favorite shortcuts. When I make my Italian dressing grilled chicken, I'll use that same Italian dressing to marinate the vegetables and grill them right alongside the chicken. One dressing, one grill, and dinner's basically done.

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Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make it.

Cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash, spices, olive oil, carrots and onion.

Marinade

Olive oil - the base of the marinade. It carries the flavor and keeps the vegetables from sticking to the grates.
Balsamic vinegar - tangy and a little sweet. Look for one without added sugar, color, or preservatives.
Lemon juice - brightens the marinade.
Garlic powder - gives even garlic flavor all the way through. Fresh works too if you'd rather (see variations).
Dried basil - easy to keep on hand. You can also use homemade herbs de Provence.
Salt and pepper - to season the marinade.

Vegetables

Zucchini and yellow squash - cut into half-inch slices. They cook fast, and half-inch helps them hold their shape.
Bell pepper - orange, yellow or red pepper cut into thick strips. It stays sweet and adds color.
Red onion - cut into wedges. It softens and sweetens on the grill. Leave a bit of the root end intact so the onions hold together.
Carrots - sliced in half lengthwise. They take the longest to cook, and slicing them this way helps them keep up with the softer vegetables.
Cherry tomatoes - keep them whole so they hold together on the grill.

Equipment

A few tools make grilled vegetables easier, mostly to keep the smaller pieces from falling through the grates.

Grill basket or grilling tray - it holds cherry tomatoes, onion wedges, and squash slices so nothing slips between the bars, and you can toss everything to flip.
Grill pan - for when it's too hot or wet to cook outside. You can get grill marks without the grill. (The grill pan I have isn't available anymore, but this one looks similar.)

How to make grilled marinated vegetables

This comes together in a few simple steps, with a short hands-off marinate in the middle.

Wash and cut the veggies. Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder, dried basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. (You can also shake it in a jar.)

Cut vegetables in glass bowl with wooden spoon.

Pour half the marinade into a large bowl, add the cut vegetables, and toss to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat the grill to medium-high. Arrange the vegetables on a grill basket or grilling tray and grill for about 12 minutes, until crisp-tender, flipping halfway through. Smaller pieces will char first, so pull anything that's done early.

Move the vegetables to a large platter and drizzle the remaining marinade over the top while they're still hot. Serve warm.

Grilled marinated vegetables on a white platter.

Tips for success

A few things make the difference between vegetables that steam and vegetables that brown.

Cut with cook time in mind. Carrots take the longest, so keep them on the thinner side, and leave the squash in bigger pieces so they hold together.
Don't skip the second drizzle. Saving half the marinade for after grilling, poured over the hot vegetables, is where the extra flavor comes from.
Give them room. Crowding the vegetables traps steam and you lose the char. Spread them out, and work in two batches if you need to.

Variations

This recipe is easy to change up, so use what you have and what's in season.

Swap the vegetables. The marinade works on eggplant, asparagus, portobello mushrooms, and just about any type of vegetables. Cut them so they cook in about the same time as the rest.
Use fresh garlic and fresh basil in place of the dried. Stir the fresh basil into the reserved marinade at the end so it stays bright.
Swap red wine vinegar for the balsamic if you want something sharper and less sweet.
Make it in the oven. Roast on a sheet pan at 400°F until tender and browned at the edges, no grill needed.
Marinate a protein too. The same marinade is good on chicken, steak, or pork, so you can grill dinner and the side together.

What to serve with grilled marinated vegetables

Since the grill is already going, I cook chicken right alongside these and call it dinner. The Italian dressing chicken up top is my go-to, and my summer grilling guide has more ideas to round out the table.

Storing leftovers

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I keep mine in glass, here are the glass containers and other non-toxic swaps I use. They're good cold or at room temperature, tossed onto a salad for an easy lunch. To warm them back up, give them a few minutes in a hot skillet or in the oven.

More grilled vegetable recipes

If you like cooking vegetables over the fire, here are a few more to put on the grill.

Grilled romaine salad with bacon and ranch is a quick sear on hearty romaine that gives it a little smoke and color.

Grilled asparagus wrapped with prosciutto cooks in just a few minutes, and it works as a side or an appetizer you can snack on while the rest of dinner finishes on the grill.

Roasted garlic on the grill gets cooked over indirect heat until the cloves go soft and sweet. Squeeze them into a dressing, mash onto steak, or stir into a sauce.

Grilled eggplant and roasted red pepper dip blends grilled eggplant, roasted red pepper, and grill-roasted garlic into an easy summer appetizer you can make start to finish on the grill.

Easy Marinated Grilled Vegetables