Mediterranean
Grilled Summer Vegetables with Basil Vinaigrette
A colorful platter of charred zucchini, squash, eggplant, peppers, onion and asparagus dressed with a vibrant basil vinaigrette and feta.
- Farmers market in one platter
- Great warm or room temperature
- Bright herby basil dressing
When the farmers market is overflowing, this is the platter we build for every cookout. Each vegetable is cut to a size that grills evenly and is cooked on its own timeline, so nothing turns mushy while waiting for something else to finish. A bright green basil vinaigrette goes on while the vegetables are still warm so they soak it up. Serve it hot off the grill or at room temperature; it works as a side, a sandwich filling or a meatless main with crusty bread.
Instructions
Heat the grill to medium-high, 400 to 450 degrees F.
Make the vinaigrette: blend the basil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1/4 cup of the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt until smooth. Set aside.
Cut the zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks and the eggplant into 1/2-inch rounds. Quarter and seed the peppers. Slice the onion into 1/2-inch rounds and push a toothpick through each from the side to hold the rings together.
Spread the vegetables on a large sheet pan and toss with the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, remaining salt and the pepper.
Clean and oil the grates. Grill the peppers and onion rounds first, for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until charred and tender.
Grill the eggplant for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deeply marked and creamy inside.
Grill the zucchini and squash for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until tender-crisp with good grill marks.
Lay the asparagus crosswise over the grates and grill for 4 to 6 minutes, rolling occasionally, until bright green and charred in spots.
Arrange everything on a large platter, removing the toothpicks from the onion and cutting the peppers into wide strips.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the warm vegetables, sprinkle with feta and serve warm or at room temperature.
Test kitchen tips
- Resist moving the vegetables too soon; they release from the grates on their own once good grill marks have formed.
- Leftovers keep for 3 days refrigerated and are excellent chopped into pasta salad or layered into a pressed sandwich with fresh mozzarella.
- Make it vegan by skipping the feta and finishing with toasted pine nuts or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250
- Protein
- 6g
- Carbs
- 18g
- Fat
- 19g
- Fiber
- 7g
- Sugar
- 10g
- Sodium
- 560mg
Nutrition values are estimates calculated per serving. See our disclaimer.
