Grilled Vegetable Kebabs Recipe

Grilled Vegetable Kebabs on a platter

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Marinating Time: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 27 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Whether served as a side vegetable or as the main entree, grilled vegetable kebabs are an easy, colorful, and tasty dish to include at your summertime cookout.

In this recipe, the vegetables are first marinated in a Dijon-herb mixture and then grilled, resulting in vegetable kebabs that are bursting with flavor. Use as a side dish to grilled meats or simply serve by themselves over a bed of couscous. 

"I didn't know grilled vegetable kebabs could be so tasty! The marinade is super-simple and absolutely perfect for all the veggies in the recipe. I marinated the veggies for 3 hours and I think this helped add maximum flavor." —Diana Andrews

Grilled Vegetable Kebabs/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 large yellow squash, cut into 8 crosswise slices

  • 1 Bermuda onion, cut into 8 pieces

  • 4 large mushroom caps, halved

  • 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces

  • 1 large Japanese eggplant, cut into 8 crosswise slices

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Grilled Vegetable Kebab ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, basil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.

    Lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, basil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper mixture in a bowl with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Place the cut vegetables in a large resealable bag. Pour the marinade over the vegetables, massage to coat, and the seal bag. Put the bag in the refrigerator and for 1 to 3 hours. Alternatively, toss the vegetables with the marinade in a large bowl.

    Vegetables and marinade in a plastic bag

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Prepare a medium (350°F to 375°F) gas or charcoal grill fire.

    Place the vegetables, alternating as you go, on skewers. Reserve the marinade to brush vegetables as they cook.

    Marinaded vegetables on skewers over a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Grill the kebabs, covered, brushing with marinade every 2 to 3 minutes and rotating the skewers to cook the vegetables evenly.

    Vegetables on skewers on a grill

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Remove the kebabs from the grill and serve when the vegetables are charred in places and crisp-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

    Grilled Vegetable Kebabs on metal skewers on a baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • You can use wood or metal skewers for grilling kebabs. If using wood skewers, you may want to soak them in water for about 10 minutes before sliding on the vegetables, especially if the skewers are thin or split easily when you add the ingredients.
  • If you use metal skewers, make sure they are long enough that the handle is not directly over the heat; you might need to keep a burner off to create a cool side of the grill. Use heat-proof gloves when removing the kebabs from the grill. 
  • In addition to a side or main dish, these vegetable kebabs are great as appetizers. Just use shorter skewers for individual portions and serve with a dip or vinaigrette. The grilled vegetables are also delicious stuffed into a warmed pita for a healthy and filling lunch or as a topping for a rice bowl along with grilled chicken and ancient grains. 

Recipe Variations

  • The vegetables in this recipe create a nice variety and plenty of colors, but you can adjust the selection to suit your taste. Consider using cherry tomatoes, green zucchini, and even sweet potatoes. Just be sure to cut them into similarly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. 
  • This is a great basic marinade that would also be tasty on chicken or seafood.
  • Adjust the fresh herbs to your liking. Try fresh oregano, tarragon, or dill instead of the basil and parsley.
  • For a Mexican marinade, use lime instead of lemon, omit the mustard, add a few shakes of hot sauce, and use fresh oregano and cilantro instead of basil and parsley.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
237 Calories
11g Fat
35g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 237
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 907mg 39%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 9g 31%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 70mg 349%
Calcium 76mg 6%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 697mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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